The presence of acne can interfere with appearance, and some people may feel less confident when their skin has acne. Therefore, many people are trying to make various efforts to avoid this skin problem. One of the things that is often associated with acne is the consumption of peanuts.

Nuts are often touted as acne triggers. Not surprisingly, many people, especially women, are hesitant when they want to eat nuts. However, is it true that eating peanuts can cause acne? Let's look at the facts here.

Do Nuts Really Cause Acne?

Before we understand the relationship between peanuts and acne, it helps us first understand why acne can appear. Acne occurs when skin pores are clogged with dirt, dead skin cells, dust, or oil, then get infected by bacteria. This is what causes the skin to become inflamed and grow pimples.

Acne can be identified by the presence of black or white spots which may be accompanied by redness. This skin problem can appear on various areas of the skin, but is more common on the face, chest, forehead, back, or shoulders.

Consumption of nuts is often thought to cause acne because of the high fat content. However, actually, the fat contained in nuts is generally a good fat for the body.

In addition, even though nuts contain a lot of fat, the fat doesn't immediately accumulate and coat the skin which can trigger acne.

Conversely, for those who are experiencing acne, you should still eat peanuts. Nuts contain antioxidants, vitamin E, and selenium which can protect skin cells from damage, even reduce the risk of infection with bacteria that cause acne.

List of Foods that Cause Acne

Consumption of foods that can cause acne is actually not completely prohibited. However, it is important to limit it so that the risk of developing acne does not increase. The following is a list of acne-causing foods that should be consumed in limited quantities.

1. Dairy Products

There are types of food that can cause acne to arise, one of which is processed dairy products such as cheese and ice cream. Well, this dairy food contains high amino acids which make our liver produce a hormone called IGF-1 which is similar to insulin. Well, this hormone is accused of making pimples appear on our faces.

2. High Sugar Foods

Eating foods with high sugar content can trigger acne because they have a high glycemic index. This causes the body to produce insulin in large quantities. Insulin can increase the activity of androgen hormones in the body, which in turn increases the production of sebum in the skin. Some foods that contain high sugar that need to be limited include candy, packaged drinks, and sweet cakes.

3. High Carbohydrate Foods

Just like high sugar intake, consuming foods that are rich in carbohydrates in excess can also cause acne. This is because excessive consumption of carbohydrates can stimulate excessive insulin production as well. Some examples of foods that are high in carbohydrates are french fries, potato chips, bread, noodles, and pasta.

4. Fast Food

Fast food is also a cause of acne that needs to be watched out for. Generally, fast food contains trans fats and has a high calorie content, which can cause inflammation and acne on the skin. In addition, fast food is also not recommended for people with high cholesterol and obesity.

5. Whey (lactose serum)

Whey protein is a type of food derived from leftover milk in cheese production. Whey protein contains high amounts of protein, so it is often consumed to increase muscle mass. However, consuming whey protein excessively can be at risk of causing acne on the skin.

This is due to the high content of amino acids and glutamine in whey protein, which stimulate the body to produce more of the hormone IGF-1. The high hormone IGF-1 in the body can stimulate excessive sebum production and cause acne.

Come on, starting from now, don't worry anymore if you want to eat peanuts, OK? As long as you eat enough, nuts won't cause problems for your skin, you know. In fact, acne appears because of clogged and infected pores, not because of eating nuts.

References:

https://www.halodoc.com/artikel/kacang-bikin-jerawat-mitos-atau-fakta

https://www.alodokter.com/sering-makan-kacang-bikin-jerawatan-benarkah

https://www.siloamhospitals.com/informasi-siloam/artikel/makanan-penyebab-jerawat