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Foods that make Acne worse?
Salty foods and food high in iodides are the culprit in making acne worse. Below is a list of foods typically high in iodides. We tell people to not go crazy around eliminating these foods, just be aware of eating too much of them.
Iodide Contents in Food (parts per million of iodide)
Salt
Uniodized Salt
19
Iodized Salt ¼ tsp
100
Seasoned Salt
40
Sun Evaporated Salt
30
Seafood
Crab
33
Kelp
1020
Cod 3oz
87
Squid
39
Dairy
Mozzarella Cheese
13
Cheddar Cheese Spread
27
Milk
11
Butter
26
Milk (and cheese) is another BIG culprit – not only does it have iodides, it also has hormones in it that contribute to acne. Many teenage boys love to drink gallons of milk which is contributing to their cystic acne.
Health foods and supplements are not immune – vitamins almost always contain some form of iodide – it could be in the form of iodine, iodide, potassium iodide or kelp. Also, vitamins contain biotin and B-12 both of which make acne worse. Be careful with protein bars – they often have potassium iodides in them. Whey and soy protein powders for smoothies can be bad for problem skin – try hemp or pea protein powder instead.