Hey there viewers! Have you ever considered that some of the foods you eat are toxic to your skin?
No, we aren’t talking about junk food. Sometimes it’s the unexpected ones that shock us.
It is true that some of the foods we think are healthy can be harming us instead!
In today’s video, we will be talking about these 7 unexpected foods that can be harmful to your skin.
Could protein-rich sushi rolls be the culprit? Are rice cakes and breakfast cereals your enemy?
What about dairy?
We’re talking all that AND more...
#1 Sushi
Those delicious sushi rolls aren’t great for your skin.
As great as it is on your taste buds, this Japanese delicacy can give you a puffy face.
Sushi is a preparation made from vinegared rice accompanied by ingredients like veggies,
seafood, and sometimes fruit. Sushi features a high amount of
sodium which is one of your skin's worst enemies.
Salt can cause dehydration. This makes your skin appear dull.
Another problem with sodium-rich diets is that it makes the body retain fluids.
This water retention makes your face appear puffy. Your body will also become bloated.
Sushi also features rice, which is pretty high on the glycemic index.
For healthy skin that isn’t prone to premature aging, you need to eat foods low on this index.
Rice can hinder the circulation in the epidermis layer of the skin,
taking away its moisture. The result is dry lifeless skin that is prone to premature aging.
Sometimes sushi may contain traces of mercury, which is a potent neurotoxin. Specifically,
sushi rolls made from large fish, like bluefin and tuna, have the highest amount of mercury.
When you sweat, there are chances it may contain mercury, which can cause several skin reactions.
So, should you stop eating sushi altogether? What if it is one of your favorite foods?
Well, less is more! Practice portion control. Eat sushi as a starter and not as a main course meal.
Drink plenty of water to get rid of the excess salt.
Follow it up with lots of facial exercises. And if you have an event to attend the next day,
sleep in an inclined position. You don’t want the fluids to collect in your face.
Avoid alcohol when eating sushi. Use a cold press to make the puffiness go away.
#2 Dairy
Nobody loves acne! Those annoying zits make it difficult to even apply makeup.
Were you aware that your zits best friends are dairy products?
All your pizzas, creamy yogurt smoothies, and ice-cream could be wreaking havoc on your skin,
inviting all of those sneaky red bumps on your face.
Dairy milk contains growth hormones that stimulate the oil glands in your skin,
causing them to produce extra oil. This can trap in dirt and bacteria,
making your skin prone to acne breakouts.
Studies have found that dairy can irritate skin acne. But not all types of dairy have
an equal effect on pimples. For instance, skim milk has been found to be the worst offender.
Another reason cow’s milk is considered dubious is because they are fed a lot of genetically
modified corn and soybeans as a part of their daily diet. This results in low-quality milk.
Cow’s milk contains casein and whey, two types of protein that stimulate hormones and growth.
When you drink milk, these proteins upon digestion release a hormone called
IGF-1. This hormone is similar to insulin and triggers acne breakouts.
So what should you do? You can switch to alternatives like goat’s milk. Or make sure
to get raw milk from a local dairy that grass feeds all cows. Another option is to get 2%
milk. It will be on the lower side of the glycemic index. You can also switch to plant-based milk.
Are you enjoying this list so far? Well this next point will surely surprise you.
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#3 Processed Meat
Do you enjoy chomping on all those hamburgers, bacon sausages and corned beef?
If you love your skin, you might need to rethink your choices.
Turns out processed meat and great skin do not go hand in hand.
Processed meat is the meat that has been transformed through fermentation,
curing, salting or smoking. These are aimed at enhancing flavor and presentation in order to
process the meat. It contains pork, beef, poultry, and other red meats.
Processed meat can give you puffy swollen skin. Want to know how?
It contains a high amount of salt, which is harmful. The World Health Organization had to
classify processed meat as carcinogenic to humans, placing it in the same group as tobacco smoke.
This means it’s classified as a risk to cancer just like asbestos, tobacco and alcohol.
Processed meat is loaded with unhealthy fats and cholesterol. It offers no nutritional value and
contains nitrites. Nitrites are responsible for the collapse of collagen and elastin in your skin.
In the absence of collagen, your skin loses its elasticity,
making you vulnerable to premature aging.
You do not have to do away with processed meat altogether. Just make sure you eat them once
in a while. Include more fresh foods in your diet. Try to steer clear of processed ones.
Before we move ahead, here’s a video you might like. Watch this video and learn
how to make anti-aging face masks at home with ingredients you can easily find in your kitchen.
#4 Rice Cakes
Really? Rice cakes? Isn’t that a healthy snack?
While we love rice cakes, they don’t always love us back. Rice cakes can cause wrinkles
along with a couple of other health issues. Rice cakes grew in popularity during the 1980s and 90s.
They were loved by weight watchers as a healthy, low-calorie snack.
The problem with rice cakes starts with them having empty calories. They are also high on
the glycemic index. The biggest problem with rice cakes is they can trigger acne
and blotches by forming destructive molecules called Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs).
AGEs are formed when sugar in the blood causes glucose molecules to attach to
the collagen protein. This is responsible for creating wrinkles, blotches, and fine lines.
If you cannot do away with rice cakes, choose the healthier variety- one that contains flax
and sunflower seeds. Add more tomatoes, sprouts, and similar healthy toppings.
Nut butter and hummus would be healthier
choices too. Make sure you drink a lot of water after eating them.
#5 Alcohol
It breaks our hearts to include this on the list. Sadly, alcohol is one of
the worst things you could do to your skin. Many of us enjoy a glass of wine
or whiskey after a long day of work. Your skin wishes it could say the same thing.
Alcohol can be harmful to your skin, as it causes hormonal acne. Studies have shown
alcohol can trigger testosterone and estradiol hormone levels in women. Increased hormone levels
stimulate the glands in the skin to produce more oil. This results in an acne breakout.
Alcohol dehydrates your body, leaving you with dry skin prone to premature aging.
When your skin is dry, the oil glands produce more. Now you get the picture?
So as much as you would like to open that bottle of chardonnay,
practice self-control. Try to limit your alcohol intake from once a week to once a month.
Drink responsibly and make sure you rehydrate yourself.
#6 Packaged Fruit Juice
So you thought replacing soda with a packet of orange juice is a wise choice?
Well, we have some bad news! As much as you would like to believe packaged
fruit juice is great for your health, it is not. It’s actually worse for your skin.
Packaged juices contain a high amount of sugar,
which breaks down the collagen in your skin making it rough and saggy.
It doesn’t contain any fiber, so its supposed health benefits might be unrealistic. Processed
fruit juice contains preservatives and chemicals that cause allergic skin reactions.
If you want health benefits from juicing, make it yourself using fresh greens like celery.
Blend veggies and fruits into a smoothie to derive all vitamins and minerals from it.
Even better, eat whole fruits rather than juice them!
#7 Breakfast Cereal
Yeah, there goes the supposedly ‘healthy’ breakfast cereal you keep in your pantry!
Breakfast cereals are not at all healthy. What’s worse, they can negatively affect your skin.
The majority of ingredients in the breakfast cereal are genetically
modified versions that can cause skin rashes, itching, allergies, and even acne.
Breakfast cereals are made through a process called extrusion,
which includes a high-temperature process to shape the cereals.
Experts say extrusion makes food toxic for our bodies.
Besides this, breakfast cereals are loaded with sugar and preservatives.
A study found that breakfast cereals contribute to several chronic illnesses.
If you can’t give up cereal, at least choose the
healthier varieties that have less than 5 grams of sugar per serving.
If you have the means, it is best to replace cereal altogether with
healthier breakfast options like greek yogurt and scrambled eggs.
Do you eat any of these foods? Are you gonna give any of these up? Let
us know in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!