Healthy Fats for Healing Acne
Sep 16, 2022
Do not be afraid to add fats into your diet. They are essential for your skin health!
The skin’s cell membrane is made up of a phospholipid bilayer (fats). By consuming healthy fats in your diet, you are able to maintain the integrity of your skin’s cells. Giving you plump and healthy-looking skin.
Healthy fats help to regulate your blood sugar and supply your body with the energy it needs to create hormones. You cannot make hormones without fat! Acne can be triggered by blood sugar and hormonal imbalances, so healthy fats can help to start bringing your body back into balance! As healthy fats help to fuel healthy hormones. Whereas, inflammatory fats (like trans fats, inflammatory oils and fats from conventional animal products) can disrupt your hormones and your immune system.
Chia seeds, flax seeds, salmon, avocado, olive oil and walnuts contain essential fatty acids (EFA) like Omega-3s. They are called essential for a reason as your body needs them and they must come from food sources as the body cannot produce them on its own. EFA’s are key for maintaining healthy skin.
Healthy fats that contain omega-3’s help to decrease inflammation in the body and can therefore help with inflammatory acne. Omega-3 can also reduce insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). IGF-1 increases oil production in the skin due to an increase in androgen production which is how this can lead to acne. Omega-3 can help prevent hyperkeratinization and blockage of skin pores. Hyperkeratinization is a term used for abnormal rapid shedding of skin cells that can block the pores. Anything that can block your skin's pores can lead to acne bacteria thriving and causing pimples and breakouts on your skin.
Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, whereas an overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids in our diets can be pro-inflammatory. The standard western diet is unbalanced in essential fatty acid intake: the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids are around 10 to 1, compared with ratios of 4 to 1 in Japan and 2 to 1 in hunter-gatherer populations. The higher ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids are likely to play a role in the prevalence of inflammatory skin conditions like acne.
Examples of omega-6 fatty acids include: soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, margarine, palm oil, grapeseed oil, cottonseed oil and corn oil. It is recommended to keep these inflammatory causing omega-6 oils from your diet and focus on consuming omega-3 rich oils such as extra virgin oil oil and avocado oil.
Healthy fats to include in your diet include: olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, salmon, mackerel, sardines, organic eggs, hemp seeds, flax seeds and chia seeds.
When it comes to olive oil, I recommend buying extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). This form of olive oil has the most antioxidants compared to regular olive oil. EVOO is the least processed oil and is considered to be the healthiest type of olive oil. You can use EVOO to make your own salad dressings, you can add an extra tbsp of olive oil as a finishing oil on top of stir fry's, cooked meat or fish, swirl into creamy soups, or drizzle over roasted veggies. EVOO is a safe choice oil to use in most forms of cooking, including pan frying because of its high smoke point of 350-410 degrees Fahrenheit.
Easy ways to incorporate healthy fats into your diet with seeds (hemp seeds, flax seeds and chia seeds) is to add these seeds into your smoothies, add them to your granola to be used on top of yogurt, make them into energy balls for a quick snack, or add them on top of your salads.
Make your skin happy by incorporating healthy fats into your diet. Your skin will thank you for it!
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10479232/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2009.04002.x
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/73/5/853/4739553
Interested in how to heal your acne naturally? Look no further than Clear Skin Alchemy: The Natural Acne Solution. This 8-Week program will walk you through every step of the way on your acne healing journey. Feel confident, radiant and beautiful in your own skin.
Stay connected with news and updates!
Join Dr. Julie's mailing list to receive all the latest news and updates.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
