Oily skin is caused by excess secretion of oil or sebum from the sebaceous glands of the skin. This leaves the face greasy and shiny, which tends to attract dirt and grime, making the skin very prone to spots, blackheads, pimples and acne.
Thanks to your genes, oily skin is a problem usually handed down through generations within your family. However, some are prone to oily skin due to environmental factors like diet and lifestyle. While food changes are not known to totally treat oily skin or its problems, specific foods in your diet may help improve your complexion to a great extent. These foods usually have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to reduce the over production of oil and the tendency for break-outs.
Here is a list of foods that you could eat for clear, healthy looking skin:
Fiber foods
The toxins in your body produce skin problems such as pimples, acne, wrinkles, and aging. Fiber helps absorb essential nutrients and removes toxins from the body. Eating high-fiber foods boosts the skin’s texture and gives you clean, healthy-looking skin. Rich sources of fiber include oats, corn, whole grains, pulses, brown rice, legumes etc.
Cucumber
Cucumbers have excellent antioxidant properties and help rehydrate the skin. Since cucumber is made of more than 90 percent water, it removes toxins by flushing them out of your body. It has anti-inflammatory properties and also a cooling effect on the skin, which helps you achieve clean, fresh-looking healthy skin. It is recommended to eat cucumbers raw for the best results.
Grape fruit
Grapefruit is extremely effective on oily skin. It is rich in fiber and water content. Moreover, it is also loaded with vitamin C, that helps in flushing out the extra oil and toxins from your skin, making the skin look clear, smooth and bright. For the best results, consume grapefruit or the juice without sugar. Other citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are also rich in vitamin C.
Banana
Bananas contain phosphates, potassium, and Vitamin E, which helps the skin to glow. Banana is also a strong detoxifying agent; it can close the skin pores and hence prevent dirt from entering into your skin and causing oily build-up. Moreover, not only the pulp of the banana, but even the banana skin is useful. The banana peel can be a used as a natural scrubber, by which you can remove the dead skin cells from your face.
Nuts
Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and peanuts are good sources of vitamin E. Vitamin E helps in the healing process of the skin; the cell membranes are strengthened which helps close the skin pores. Nuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation and improve oily skin. Other sources of omega-3 include flaxseeds, fish like salmon and mackerel etc.
Green vegetables
Green vegetables do not have any oil or fat content. They are packed with fiber that can clear your skin from oil and toxins. Leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale contain vitamins and other healthy nutrients, which can reduce inflammation and improve skin health.
Water
Drinking water throughout the day hydrates your body and makes your skin look and feel healthy. Water is known to be a cleansing agent and flushes out toxins from the body. Pure water is healthier than any other beverage.
Eat healthy, because what you eat shows on your face!