New acne food pyramid targets simple carbohydrates

Before you go and spend any more money on infomercial acne products, make sure you are up-to-speed on the latest in dermatology research.

For years we’ve been told there is no universal cure for acne. Stress, hormones and the environment create such a complex skin scenario the best option we have is to try and control breakouts when they appear. If you grew up during the last several decades, you’ve probably also been told that diet doesn’t really have an influence on acne, even though rumors abound about eating too much chocolate or greasy foods.

SEE ALSO: Top 5 natural sugar substitutes

Modern research, however, continually shows the importance of diet in everything health-related, including acne. To showcase how foods do, in fact, influence acne breakouts, dermatologist Eric Schweiger, who runs Clear Clinic, an acne-focused dermatology practice in New York City, uses something called the acne food pyramid.

The pyramid is relatively simple, divided into two sections. At the top, in the smallest portion, are foods with a high-glycemic index like white rice, sugar, French fries, scones, muffins, etc. The large portion of the acne food pyramid contains foods with a low-glycemic index like green, leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, lettuce, and broccoli.

“A high-glycemic load can raise blood glucose and insulin levels in the body. When these levels spike, hormone levels also rise, and can trigger acne,” Schweiger explained to Yahoo Health, adding that foods with a low-glycemic index help maintain hormones at an even level.

But Schweiger’s acne food pyramid isn’t just based on his personal experiences in clinic. The concept of how simple carbohydrates affect acne was explored in multiple research studies, including one published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition as early as 2007. In each study, researchers found a low-glycemic diet improved the acne of study participants.

“High-glycemic load diets have recently been implicated in acne etiology because of their ability to increase the insulin demand and other factors associated with insulin resistance,” wrote researchers. “The role of insulin in acne development is also supported by the high prevalence of acne in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition associated with insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperandogenism.”

Dermatology experts caution, however, that diet changes alone will not likely clear acne, especially in young adults who experience hormonal fluctuations for other reasons. Diet changes can provide a reasonable way to manage acne and can potentially make breakouts fewer and less severe.

SEE ALSO: Complex carbs: Why you need them in your diet

Individuals looking to adhere to the acne food pyramid should decrease or eliminate the following foods from their regular meal plans:

• Desserts/ baked goods (cookies, cakes, pies).
• White bread.
• White rice.
• Bagels.
• Waffles.
• Sports drinks.
• Soda.
• Sugary cereals.
• Rice cakes.
• White pasta.
• White potatoes.

As a general rule, the acne food pyramid suggests people with acne avoid anything with added sugar or high in starch. If you would like a more complete guidelines to the glycemic index of popular foods, a list is available HERE from Harvard School of Public Health.

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