❌ Primary Causes Of Acne – Top 5 Worst Foods You Must Avoid In 2024

"YES - I Want LESS Pain & Inflammation"

Today I’m going to reveal the top 5 foods that cause acne. I’ll go over everything quickly and then do slightly more detailed articles about each specific food.

I will also cover the causes and best supplements, topicals, and so forth in future articles.

Thus, this is going to be a multi-part article series about the causes and prevention of pimples and acne — at any age.

Whether you’re going through puberty or you’re an adult.

So, if this is an important topic for you or you simply want more youthful and healthier skin, make sure to check my blog regularly so that you can see when I release articles about similar topics.

By the way, over 90% of people between the age of 11 to 30 get acne.

Over 27% of adults get acne.

And it’s over 40% of adults if they work out and women going through menopause.

I mention this to let you know you’re not alone.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

When I was young, I had bad acne. I mean, most people do when going through puberty.

But mine was so bad that this one time, two girls, one that I really liked, pointed at my nose, laughed, and called me, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

acne on nose

It’s silly when I think about it now.

But back then, it was really hurtful.

And so, that day started my obsession with having good, clear, healthy skin.

So, I went to the library and read up on the causes of acne.

I then changed my diet, took supplements, and lots of different topical creams, and within a month or two, all my zits went away and I rarely ever got another one.

Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about this topic.

Plus, at the end of this article, I’ve got some really important links you should take a look at.

What’s The REAL Cause of Acne

So, what’s the real cause of acne? There are lots of factors…

  • Genetics – for example, my brother Henry had really bad acne growing up and so does his daughter and son. And ever since I’ve told them what to do, they’ve reduced it 90%
  • Hormonal Imbalances – higher levels of DHT, stress hormones like cortisol, and estrogen in men.
  • Bacteria – both on top of the skin, as well as gut bacteria.
  • Blocked pores from poor skin hygiene

However, the bottom line cause of acne is inflammation. All of these factors directly or indirectly cause inflammation.

acne and inflammation

So, you MUST control inflammation. I’ve got more information about the best ways of supporting healthy inflammatory response below.

Take a look at the end of this article.

And I’ll dig deeper in future articles as well.

Foods That Cause Acne

So, let’s get started with today’s topic about the 5 worst foods that cause acne.

By the way, over the years there have been debates if diet plays a role in acne.

However, recent research has shown that it does and this is because diet causes some of the problems I mentioned:

  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Bacterial growth
  • Worst of all, Inflammation
1. Refined Grains & Sugars

You need to avoid or reduce refined carbohydrates and sugars such as:

  • Bread, crackers, cereals, and desserts
  • Pasta and noodles
  • Sodas, juices, and anything with added sugars, syrups, and so forth

refined carbs

I’ll dig deeper into this topic in another article. But these foods cause hormonal imbalances and inflammation.

2. Fast Foods & Pre Packaged Foods

Over and over again, the “Westerndiet is linked to acne. Up to 53% more than diets in other countries.

This means you need to avoid fast foods such as burgers, hot dogs, french fries, pizza, and similar foods.

Fast Foods

As well as pre-packaged foods like pastries, muffins, snacks, chocolate bars, and so forth.

Again, I’ll dig deeper into this in future articles.

However, the cause is hormonal changes, inflammation as well as turning on gene expression linked to acne.

3. Dairy Products

I’ve stated so many times in the past that you should avoid dairy products. Milk is for babies and cow milk is for baby cows.

Dairy Products

Many studies have linked dairy to acne severity. This also includes ice cream and ALL dairy products.

4. Foods High In Omega-6 Fats

Diets that contain high levels of Omega 6 fats, which is the typical Western diet, is linked to acne due to high inflammation.

omega 6 oils

So, you need to read labels and avoid fats such as Sunflower, Corn oil, Soybean oil, and cottonseed oil.

Unfortunately, these fats are found in fast foods and pre-packaged foods because they are cheap oils.

5. Whey Protein Powder

The last food I want you to reduce is whey protein. This is the most popular protein powder. It’s found in protein drinks and bars.

Most people trying to gain muscle or lose fat, typically consume foods with whey protein – which is dairy.

whey protein

However, both research and my own views have shown that if you consume lots of whey, you tend to get more acne.

So, keep it less than 50 grams and preferably 25 grams of whey protein.

And make sure it’s whey isolate, so there’s very little lactose in it.

Summary

So there you have it – the 5 worst food categories to avoid that cause acne because of hormonal imbalances, bacterial growth, and inflammation.

  1. Refined Carbs & Sugar
  2. Fast & pre-packaged foods
  3. Dairy
  4. Omega 6 fats
  5. Whey Protein

Remember, acne happens from the inside. Your skin is your biggest organ.

So unhealthy-looking skin means an unhealthy inside.

Make sure you view the important links about supporting healthy inflammatory responses and eliminating the #1 cause of acne.

    1. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/acne
    2. https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/understanding-acne-basics
    3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25738848
    4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23438493
    5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28606553
    6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27061046
    7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22870349
    8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26203267
    9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23614736
    10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15692464
    11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16092796
    12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22988649