How the Glycemic Index Affects Your Skin

We’ve been told many times that “greasy french fries and chocolate cause acne” but in reality the cause of acne in regards to nutrition is how certain foods are affecting your blood sugar AND YOUR HORMONES. Foods that have a High Glycemic Index (GI) are quickly broken down by the body and cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.  When blood sugar spikes it can lead to inflammation AND INCREASED OIL PRODUCTION, which plays a major role in acne.

Spoiler Alert: DARK Chocolate that has no added sugar does not cause acne and is actually really good for you! We love the Midnight Chocolate by Eating Evolved.

When you eat high glycemic foods it can also quickly increase hormones AND TRIGGER AN ENZYME PROCESS INVOLVING SOMETHING CALLED 5-alpha reductase- this in turn gives us thick acne that forms deep under the skin in our hair follicles (mainly near the chin, mouth, and lower jaw). DAIRY AND WHEAT PRODUCTS CAUSE THIS REACTION WITHIN A FEW HOURS OF CONSUMING.

If you are prone to acne or looking to clear your skin, ditching foods that are high on the glycemic index is imperative, ESPECIALLY AT YOUR FIRST MEAL. RULE OF THUMB- MAKE SURE EVERY MEAL IS AT LEAST 50% protein : Carb. This will ensure minimal blood sugar spikes. Best snacks are ALMONDS, AVOCADO, APPLES, Organic jerky, ROASTED BEANS FROM ENLIGHTENED, to name a few. Being more mindful about the glycemic index of the foods you eat will help you take control of your own skin and reduce acne flare ups.

So what is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic Index is a system of measuring how fast your blood sugar rises after eating specific foods. The index ranges from 0-100. The higher the glycemic index, the more prone you are to acne, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and other inflammatory related diseases. Foods with a zero-glycemic index are those without carbohydrates such as eggs, meat, fish, and nuts. High-glycemic index foods (ranked 70 and above) are those such as table sugar, heavily processed foods, breads.  

What are high glycemic foods that can cause acne?

High Glycemic foods (70-100): bread, bagels, white rice, cereal, crackers and rice cakes, instant oats, sweetened desserts, candy, pastries, and baked goods, foods containing white flour, processed foods, ice cream, canned beans, sugars such as table sugar, maltodextrin and maltose, pretzels, fruits such as dates, watermelon, kiwi, and vegetables such as white potatoes, parsnips, and pumpkin.

If you are struggling with acne, what foods are good to eat?

Low glycemic index foods take a longer time to digest causing only a small, slow increase in blood sugar. This makes them a great choice for clear skin!

Low glycemic foods (55 or less): apples, oranges, berries, organic grass fed protein, chickpeas, lentils, and other vegetables such as cauliflower, butternut squash, greens, zucchini, quinoa, non-canned beans, nuts such as cashews and almonds.

Medium glycemic foods (56-69): sweet potatoes, peaches, oranges, pineapple, rolled oats, wild rice.

Be mindful when consuming medium glycemic foods, you can certainly include these in your diet but we recommend no more that 1-2 medium glycemic foods a day.

Glycemic Index Chart

If you feel confused just google search the glycemic index of your food or create meals around the chart we made below for you! This is an easy way to create low glycemic meals to keep your skin clear!  

LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX (Less Than 55)
Fruits
Apples	38
Apple juice	40
Apricots, dried	31
Bananas	54
Blueberries	25
Cherries	22
Coconut	45
Cranberries	45
Cranberry juice	50
Figs, dried	40
Grapefruit	25
Grapes	53
Orange juice	53
Oranges	44
Pears, fresh	53
Plantains, raw	45
Plums	55
Strawberries	41
Vegetables
Artichokes	20
Asparagus	15
Bamboo shoots, raw	20
Beet greens	20
Broccoli	15
Broccoli rabe	10
Brussel sprouts	15
Butternut squash, baked	50
Cabbage	10
Carrot juice	45
Carrots, raw	47
Cauliflower	15
Celery	15
Collard greens	20
Cucumber	15
Eggplant	15
Garlic	30
Green beans	15
Hubbard squash, baked	50
Kale	15
Leeks	15
Lettuce	15
Lima beans	46
Okra, raw	15
Olives	15
Onions	15
Peppers	15
Pickles, dill	15
Turnip greens	10
Turnips, boiled	30
Snow peas	15
Summer squash	15
Tomato soup	54
Tomatoes	15
Spinach	15
Summer squash	15
Watercress	10
Zucchini	15
Grains, Breads & Cereals
Barley	25
Basmati rice	50
Brown rice	50
Chickpeas	33
Matzo bread	40
Quinoa	53
Vermicelli	35
Nuts and Legumes
Almonds	15
Black Beans	30
Broad beans	40
Butter beans	43
Cashews	23
Chickpeas	33
Fava beans	40
Horse beans	40
Kidney beans	41
Navy beans	54
Peanuts	14
Pinto bean	39
Split peas, yellow, boiled	45
Snacks & Sweets
Honey	55
Hummus	6

MEDIUM GLYCEMIC INDEX (between 56 and 69)
Fruits
Apricots, fresh	57
Cantaloupe	65
Fruit cocktail	55
Mango juice, unsweetened	55
Mangoes	56
Oranges	63
Orange juice	55
Papaya, fresh	55
Peaches, fresh	60
Peaches, canned	67
Pineapple	59
Raisins	64
Vegetables
Marrowfat peas, dried	56
Peas, green	68
Sweet potato	61
Oatmeal, rolled	58
Pita bread	57
Quick-cooking porridge	65
Wild rice	57
Dairy and Dairy Alternatives
Mayonnaise	60
Nuts and Legumes
Black-eyed peas	59
Chestnuts	60
Lentil soup, canned	63
Pinto beans, canned	64

HIGH GLYCEMIC INDEX (70 and higher)
Fruits
Dates	103
Kiwifruit	75
Watermelon	72
Vegetables
Parsnips	139
Pumpkin	107
Rutabaga	103
Potato, instant	121
Potato, mashed	100
Potato, microwaved	117
Potato, white, baked,	85
Grains, Breads & Cereals
Bagel	72
Bagel, white	103
Barley flour bread	95
Bran buds	77
Bran Chex	83
Bread stuffing	106
Cheerios	106
Cocoa Pops	79
Corn Flakes	81
French baguette	136
French bread	95
Gluten-free bread	90
Gnocchi	95
Golden Grahams	102
Grape Nuts	75
Hamburger bun	87
Kaiser roll	104
Life cereal	94
Muesli	80
Muesli bars	87
Oat kernel bread	93
Oatmeal, instant	79
Pita bread, white	82
Pumpernickel bread	71
Rice cakes	82
Rice Chex	127
Rice Krispies	117
Rice, brown	79
Rice, instant	128
Rice, white	83
Rye flour bread	92
Shredded Wheat	75
Special K	77
Tapioca, boiled with milk	115
Total	109
Water crackers	102
Waffles	109
Wheat bread	97
White bread	70
Dairy and Dairy Alternatives
Ice cream, full-fat	87
Ice cream, low-fat	71
Tofu, frozen dessert, non-dairy	164
Nuts and Legumes
Black bean soup	92
Green pea soup, canned	94
Kidney beans, canned	74
Lentils, canned	74
Split pea soup	86
Snacks & Sweets
Cake, angel food	95
Cake, pound	77
Corn chips	105
Corn syrup	90
Croissant	96
Doughnuts	108
French fries	75
Gatorade	78
Glucose	138
Graham crackers	74
Jelly beans	80
Life Savers	70
Maltodextrin	95
Maltose	152
Nutri-Grain bar	94
Oatmeal cookies	79
Pastry	84
Popcorn	72
Pretzels	83
Shortbread	91
Stoned Wheat Thins	96
Sugar, table	89
Vanilla wafers	110