Acne Diet

DEFINITION

The acne diet focuses on a teenager's nutritional needs, while also offering a wide range of nutritious foods that provide all the nutrients necessary to help keep skin healthy.

DESCRIPTION

There is no evidence that eating fried foods and chocolate causes Acne, however, some people do find that certain foods can make Acne worse. If you find that a particular food causes your Acne to worsen, is a good idea to avoid this type of food. Research has found that having a low-glycaemic diet can help to improve some cases of Acne. This means eating foods that keep your blood sugar steady. Most fruits and vegetable are low-glycaemic foods.

Include (daily):

-At least 2 litres of water
-5 servings of fruit and vegetables
-5-11 servings of breads/cereals
-1 serving of protein (eg. lean meat, fish, poultry, nuts, etc.)
-3 servings of low-fat dairy food
Include (regularly):
-Essential fatty acids (EFAs) found in sunflower, soya bean, corn or safflower oils, sunflower seeds and linseed/flax seeds
-Beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A) found in carrots, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, spinach and yellow and orange fruits - peaches, apricots and mangoes
-Zinc, which is present in brewer's yeast, wholegrains, Brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds

Avoid:

-Sugary drinks and other soft drinks
-Foods high in saturated fat and sugar (eg. fried foods, crisps, pastries, sweets, chocolate)
Sample daily diet

Breakfast

1 glass of water (250 ml) with squeeze of lemon juice
1 bowl of Bircher muesli (see recipe below)
2 slices of wholegrain toast with margarine and Vegemite
1 glass of water (250 ml)

Snack

1 glass of water (250 ml)
4 dried apricots
2 crumpets with honey

Lunch

1 glass of water (250 ml)
1 bowl of pumpkin soup
1 wholemeal roll with salad

Snack

1 glass of water (250 ml)
1 cup carrot and celery sticks
1 cup of tzatziki dip

Dinner

1 glass of water (250 ml)
1 serving of chicken and mango salad with light dressing with crusty wholegrain bread
1 tub of low-fat yoghurt

After dinner

1 glass of water (250 ml)

Recipes - Easy Bircher muesli

1 cup of untoasted muesli
half cup of apple juice
1 tub of natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon of sunflower and linseed seeds
Mix together and chill overnight or for at least 2 hours.

Chicken Mango Salad

Nutritional profile (per 100 g):
Energy: 665 kJ
Protein: 13 g
Fat: 10 g
Carbohydrate: 3 g
Fibre: 1 g
Vitamin C: 10 mg
Folate: 16 g
Beta-carotene: 504 g
Zinc: 0.9 g
1 small bunch of baby spinach/lettuce (rinsed)
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
1 medium roast chicken (skin removed), cut into small portions
1 avocado
1 small bunch of spring onions
2 mangoes, diced
80 g of cashews
4 dessertspoons of light French dressing

Place spinach and sectioned chicken in large salad bowl and add tomatoes, diced avocado, spring onions, mangoes, cashews and salad dressing. Mix together, and serve with crusty bread.

DISCLAIMER: The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended to replace medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, nurse or naturopath before following any medical regimen to see whether it is safe and effective for you.