What to eat if you have acne

THE woman suffering from acne would be well advised to add some of the foods below to her diet every day.

Teas

Try to drink green tea as its antioxidant properties are great if you have acne. A hot cup of mint tea has healing and calming properties which reduce stress and will help your acne.

Rhubarb tea is also great for your acne. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Fennel tea is good for reducing inflammation. Nettles make a great tea which can also help you. All these products are available at the health food store.

Milk substitutes

Milk substitutes can be added to your diet; for example, almond milk, soya milk or rice milk can be used instead of cow’s milk.

Yogurt has been recommended as a milk substitute as the fermentation process gets rid of the harmful products which are produced when we drink milk. Cottage cheese is high in protein and selenium. Please add some to your dessert or salad. And when added to boiled broccoli and spinach, it makes a beautiful meal.

Proteins

Try to have lean meats and try to prepare the meat without using a frying pan. Instead, bake, broil, steam or grill the meat.

Fish is great for your skin and your brain. Mackerel and salmon in particular are good. Remember that our King fish is a member of the mackerel family and is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Sardines and oysters should also be included in your diet.

Tofu

This soft omelet-like product is made from the soya bean and is great as a healthy vegetable. It has a lot of protein and calcium.

Beans, peas and lentils

Red beans, gungo peas, string beans, cow peas and white navy beans are high in protein, vitamins and minerals as well as fibre. Try and eat them as often as possible. Remember that beans can often be added to salads and can be stewed and used in many dishes.

Nuts are rich in zinc and selenium. Pumpkin seeds are a good healthy snack and are rich in selenium, vitamin E calcium, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. Spread a teaspoon of pumpkin seeds on your cereal or your salad or have some as a snack.

Carbohydrates

Brown rice is best. It is a rich source of B vitamins, proteins, selenium and magnesium. Try to eat brown rice instead of white rice, at least for some meals during the week.

In Jamaica we have a lot of substitutes for bread and for white rice — bammy, green bananas, yam, cassava, sweet potato, and wholegrain products like Wasa.

Sugar is to be avoided at all costs. Try to reduce the amount of sugar that you use to sweeten your tea, and you will soon acquire the taste of unsweetened tea.

Fruits

Fruits are to be embraced. Mangoes, oranges, otaheite apples and bananas are all good fruits to use as dessert.

Red grapes contain powerful antioxidants. Try adding a few grapes to your salad, or have a handful of grapes as a snack.

Berries like blueberries and blackberries are great for your skin and have good antibacterial properties.

Vegetables

Callaloo, spinach, kale and cabbage should be added to your diet. Kale has vitamin A, B complex, vitamin C, E, potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese and folic acid. These foods can be included in your diet as meals by themselves or added to your soups and stews.

Broccoli is readily grown in Jamaica and contains vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, Omega 3 fatty acids, calcium and folates.

Beetroot is high in vitamins A, K, sodium, calcium, magnesium and vitamin E. This food is a powerful body cleanser that helps get rid of toxins.

Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and contain lycopene, the bright red pigment that gives tomatoes their rich, red colour. This is a great food for acne.

Watercress is a great addition to any salad. It is filled with antioxidants as well as minerals, magnesium and potassium.

Sprouts are available in the supermarkets. They are rich in calcium, folic acid, magnesium, manganese potassium, sodium and zinc as well as vitamins A, B, C and E. Just sprinkle them on your salad or use them in a stir fry.

Garlic contains allicin, a substance which reacts with our blood to form a product that kills many harmful bacteria. Garlic is also full of antioxidants. Eat raw garlic chopped up fine or add it to your salads.

Avocado pear will soon be in season in Jamaica. This is rich in vitamin C and reduces skin infections. Avocado oil may help stimulate collagen formation as well. Treat yourself to a slice of avocado every day.

Water

We need water to live and to flush out toxins from our bodies. We also need to replenish the water in our cells. Try and drink at least eight glasses of water every day and increase this if you are training.

Dr Persadsingh, skin specialist, is author of Acne in Black Women, The Hair in Black Women and Eczema in Kids of Colour.