The embarrassing condition of acne has been attributed to a wide variety of causes over the centuries. Many people unfairly blame people with acne-prone skin for being dirty or not washing their faces properly. This is obviously far from the truth, as acne can affect anyone, regardless of their personal hygiene habits. Others believe that eating large amounts of chocolate will ensure an acne breakout. This is also not the case, but research has linked acne to a person’s dietary choices. We are going to discuss some types of foods that cause acne.

Foods that are highly acidic tend to cause acne as they create an imbalance in your body’s pH levels. Foods to avoid include:

• Vegetables: lentils, pumpkin, corn
• fruit: currants, plums, plums, blueberries and blueberries
• Grain: barley, cornstarch, oats, wheat bran, amaranth, rice, rye, wheat germ, noodles, macaroni, spaghetti, bread, crackers, white flour, rolled oats, and wheat flour
• Beans and Vegetables: Chickpeas, snap peas, kidney beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, soybeans, black beans, and navy beans
• Dairy products: butter, ice cream, processed cheese, butter and ice milk
• Nuts and Butters: peanuts, pecans, walnuts, cashews and peanut butter
• Animal proteins: bacon, beef, pork, salmon, lamb, fish, clams, cod, mussels, sausage, scallops, turkey, venison, shrimp, and lobster
• Fats and oils: canola oil, lard, olive oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, hemp seed oil, and safflower oil
• Sweeteners: corn syrup, sugar and carob
• Alcohol: spirits, hard liquor, wine and beer
• Seasonings: vinegar, pepper, ketchup and mustard
• Drinks: coffee and soft drinks
• Drugs and chemicals: aspirin, pesticides, tobacco and herbicides

If you want to prevent or minimize acne breakouts, you should replace acidic foods with alkaline foods. Some examples include carrots, cucumbers, garlic, lettuce, tomatoes, apples, grapes, lemons, pineapples, raisins, strawberries, peaches, oranges, and almonds. You will be surprised to see so many citrus fruits on this list. The reason is that the specific citric acid they contain has an alkaline effect on your body which will actually lower the acidity level, rather than increase it.

Instead of making an effort to avoid a specific type of food, it is better to avoid acidic food groups that will improve your acne. Replace some of the options on the first list with more alkaline foods from the second list. You’ll soon discover that small changes to your diet can produce big results!