Since the COVID19 pandemic is affecting a lot of people in Singapore, we should learn how to take care of our health and immune systems. The Circuit Breaker has definitely made it possible for us to cook meals at home. This also means that you can choose what you put on your lunch plates!
Beautiful and Anti acne Skin also starts from within your body itself – your food intake. Some foods can make your acne worse or cause inflammation, especially if you are going through puberty.
Take this opportunity to whip up a healthier meal to achieve radiant skin and a healthier body!
Acne is an extremely common skin condition that affects people of all ages. It is characterized by pimples, blackheads whiteheads and inflamed red bumps that develop on the face, back, chest and shoulders. While the exact causes of acne are complex, one potential trigger that is hotly debated is diet.
In particular, many people wonder if eating shrimp causes acne breakouts. This article will dive into the evidence behind whether shrimp truly causes acne for the average person.
What Is Acne Exactly?
Before discussing shrimp let’s first outline what exactly acne is. Acne develops when pores in your skin become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. This provides the ideal breeding ground for the bacteria Cutibacterium acnes to multiply rapidly and cause inflammation.
There are several types of acne:
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Whiteheads: Pores become clogged and blocked with oil and dead skin cells under the surface of the skin.
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Blackheads: Similar to whiteheads, but the clogged pores are open at the surface allowing the trapped material to oxidize and look dark.
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Papules: Inflamed and tender red bumps that may feel sore.
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Pustules: Red bumps with white or yellow centers containing pus.
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Nodules: Large, hard lumps under the skin’s surface that are deeply embedded.
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Cysts: Painful pus-filled lumps that can cause scarring due to their size and depth in the skin.
Acne most commonly affects the face, back, chest and shoulders. It can range from mild to severe. Factors like hormones, genetics, stress and certain medications can influence acne development.
The Association Between Diet and Acne
For many years, the belief was that diet played no role in acne development. However, in recent decades evidence has emerged that the foods we eat may impact acne after all.
Studies demonstrate that certain dietary factors like a high glycemic load diet, milk and whey protein intake, and foods with a high glycemic index are linked to greater acne risk. The proposed mechanism is that these foods can increase inflammation and raise insulin and hormone levels, contributing to acne formation.
That said, research also shows that diet alone does not cause acne for most people. While diet can be one piece of the puzzle, factors like genetics and hormones appear to play a greater role in acne development.
Overall, there is likely a complex interaction between predisposing genetic tendencies, fluctuating hormone levels and environmental triggers like diet that ultimately determines someone’s acne risk.
Shrimp and Acne: Is There a Connection?
So where does shrimp fit into the acne diet debate?
There are two main reasons shrimp is sometimes cited as a food that may promote breakouts:
1. High Iodine Content
Like many other types of seafood, shrimp contains high amounts of the mineral iodine. Iodine is an essential nutrient required for proper thyroid hormone production and metabolism.
However, some people may be sensitive to excessive iodine intake. There is a theory that eating high-iodine foods like shrimp and some seaweed varieties can potentially cause acne flares in susceptible individuals.
The proposed mechanism is that very high iodine levels may lend to hormone fluctuations or interactions that stimulate oil production and clogged pores. However, research specifically linking iodine intake to acne is limited and conflicting.
2. High Omega-6 Fatty Acid Content
Shrimp contains a high ratio of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids compared to anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Some sources believe that the high omega-6 ratio could promote acne.
Omega-6 fatty acids are essential nutrients, but excessive intake compared to omega-3s may cause an imbalance linked to inflammation and certain health conditions. By potentially driving inflammatory responses, diets too high in omega-6s may exacerbate acne.
However, research on omega-6 fatty acid intake and acne also remains sparse with mixed evidence.
Evaluating the Evidence on Shrimp and Acne
Despite some theoretical links between shrimp and acne due to its iodine and omega-6 contents, the current research available does not demonstrate a clear causative relationship.
Here is an overview of what some of the key scientific studies on shrimp and acne show:
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A 2018 systematic review evaluated the existing scientific literature on diet and acne. It found that dairy products, high glycemic load foods and chocolate consumption were the dietary factors most clearly linked to acne. However, there was insufficient evidence showing seafood like shrimp contributing to acne.
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A study in over 1000 Chinese university students found no association between seafood consumption, including shrimp and fish, and acne risk.
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A 2021 study in Iranian medical students found no significant correlation between foods high in iodine like seafood and acne. Iodine levels were also similar in acne patients compared to the control group.
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Some research suggests mixed meals with a more balanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio may not affect inflammation or acne as much as diets consistently high in omega-6s. So shrimp as part of a varied diet may be less likely to influence acne-prone skin.
Overall, while shrimp contains compounds theorized to impact acne, most current research does not show a clear, direct causal relationship between eating shrimp and breakouts. More high quality clinical studies are still needed to better understand if shrimp and acne are connected.
Other Potential Acne-Triggering Foods
While shrimp has limited evidence directly linking it to acne, other foods do have stronger associations. Some top offenders to be mindful of include:
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High glycemic index foods: Foods like white bread, rice, pasta and potatoes that spike blood sugar levels.
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Milk and whey protein: Dairy, especially skim milk, may worsen acne in some individuals.
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Fast food: Greasy fast food diets full of refined carbohydrates and trans fats.
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Chocolate: Can exacerbate breakouts due to its high sugar content.
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Sugar: Added sugars linked to higher acne risk.
Tips to Prevent Acne Through Diet
6 to 8 glasses of water per day
Source: Step to Health
Drinking water is important for your body’s health because it helps your body digest food, circulate blood, absorb nutrients, and get rid of toxins. It also flushes out impurities and toxins out of your body, which could be the culprit of breakouts. This keeps your skin radiant and clear! Besides, drinking more water helps to hydrate your skin.
Source: Be Brain Fit
Fats are not necessary culprits all the time. You have to pick the correct type of fats. Fish oil in fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, tuna and among many others contain Omega 3, a type of healthy fat that is beneficial to your skin. It helps to regular oil production, reduce inflammation and thus minimize acne breakouts. Other forms of healthy fats include nuts and avocado.
Source: Science Daily
You may not know this, but tea is full of antioxidants like polyphenols that can help protect and heal damaged skin. Green tea is also very healthy and good for you because it flushes out toxins from your skin. Chamomile tea, on the other hand, helps to reduce inflammation of your skin. Other teas like Jasmine tea contain antibacterial properties to reduce pimples and oil.
No matter if you drink tea or not, you can still use skin care products that contain tea extracts!
Food to Reduce:
Source: Istock Photo
Seafoods like crabs, lobsters, shellfish, and prawns have a lot of iodine, which is often linked to acne and pimples. Although eating seafood doesn’t directly make a pimple appear, the high iodine content that builds up in the body over time is likely to make the skin more likely to get acne. Seafood can’t be the only cause of skin problems, but people whose skin is prone to acne should cut down on how much they eat.
Fruits and Vegetables
Source: Healthy for Good
The best sources are blueberries, oranges, papaya, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli and sweet potatoes. Beta-carotenes, which are found in these foods, help reduce inflammation and get rid of toxins in your body and skin. Most fruits and vegetables also have Vitamin C, which is a super antioxidant that makes skin clear and glowing and speeds up the healing of scars.