When oil and skin cells clog your pores, bacterial activity and inflammation produce pimples that can plague you from your teens to adulthood. For some people, diet plays a significant role in acne breakouts. Foods, such as Brazil nuts, have either a positive or negative effect on acne. Monitoring your skin when you eat these nuts will help you to determine if you should keep them in your diet or give them the boot.
Benefits of Nuts for Skin
If you're not eating nuts on a weekly basis, you're missing out on a variety of health benefits they provide for your skin. For instance, nuts are good sources of plant protein, which is necessary for producing collagen and elastin, the main building blocks of skin. They also contain the protein arginine, which keeps blood vessels healthy. The blood vessels transport nutrients and oxygen to keep skin looking its best and to help it heal from conditions such as acne.
Acne-Fighting Nutrients in Brazil Nuts
Because Brazil nuts contain omega-6 fatty acids, most of which tend to promote inflammation, you may be reluctant to eat them when you have acne. But remember, when it comes to nuts, it's the whole package that counts, and Brazil nuts make the list of non-inflammatory foods for acne, according to dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, author of "The Acne Prescription." Brazil nuts contain the same anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid that walnuts have -- alpha-linolenic acid. They also contain vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps your skin to heal. One cup of Brazil nuts has about 7.6 mg of alpha-tocopherol, which is the only form of vitamin E housed in your body in blood and tissues. One cup of the nuts also has about 2.5 mg of the antioxidant selenium. Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress in your body, decreasing inflammation.
Amount of Brazil Nuts to Consume
Try to consume about five servings of nuts weekly, advises Leslie Beck, a registered dietitian and author of "The Complete A-Z Nutrition Encyclopedia." A single serving should be about 1 oz., which is about 30 g or ¼ cup. Do not exceed this amount as nuts have a high fat content. Choose raw or roasted, unsalted and unsweetened Brazil nuts. Eat them on their own, or sprinkle them on yogurt, salad or cereal.
Considerations
Stay away from Brazil nuts if you are allergic to them. Food allergies may be linked to adult acne, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Also, nut allergies can cause an anaphylactic reaction, which can be fatal. Consult a dermatologist or nutritionist about other dietary steps to take to relieve acne. For instance, reducing sugar, meat and whole-fat, non-organic dairy foods may help to prevent acne breakouts, according to the naturopathic doctor Robin Young Balch and her co-authors in the book "Prescription for Drug Alternatives." A dermatologist can also recommend topical and oral medications to relieve acne.
References
- "Prescription for Drug Alternatives"; James F. Balch, M.D., et al.; 2008
- "The Complete A-Z Nutrition Encyclopedia"; Leslie Beck, R.D.; 2010
- USDA: National Nutrient Database
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin E
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Acne
- "The Acne Prescription"; Nicholas Perricone; 2003
Member Comments