Sugar and Pimples - What’s the Deal?

Remember when you were told eating sugar would lead to pimples?

It turns out our parents were right! Studies show that eating too much sugar in one go can lead to pimples - this happens because high-sugar meals cause the promotion of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). This hormone leads to lipogenesis in your sebaceous glands.

Lipogenesis and sebaceous glands??

Sebaceous glands are the oil-producing glands in your skin, and lipogenesis refers to the synthesis of fatty acids into fats. In this instance, it’s referring to the production of fatty acids that cause inflammation in the skin, which leads to pimples.

For those who still get pimples as adults, you can try reducing your glycaemic index to reduce the amount of IGF-1 your body produces. This will slow down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, leading to less IGF-1 production and therefore less pimples! Please note that this only works for those who get pimples due to high-sugar meals, this won’t work for other types of acne.

How you can reduce your sugar load

You can try any combination of the following to reduce your blood sugar spike:

- choose whole grains like brown rice or quinoa to increase your fibre (fibre slows down the absorption of sugar by acting as a physical barrier in your gut)

- eat your greens first to create that physical barrier in your gut before you fill up on your grains and starches. Greens such as spinach form a mesh in your gut that slows down the sugar that’s released as you break down potatoes, rice, and other carbohydrates

- balance your plate correctly between carbs, veggies, and protein - it should be half veggies, then a quarter each of protein and carbs

- try changing your breakfast if you’re having cereal or something sweet. Starting your day with any combination of eggs, avocado, tomato, nuts, seeds, lemon juice, spinach, goats cheese, smoked salmon, and a whole grain or sourdough bread is the perfect way to keep your blood sugar load down low and will keep you satisfied for longer!

- try mixing up your snacks with things such as nuts and seeds, a piece of fruit (yes there is sugar, but there’s so much fibre and micronutrient content!), hummus and veggies, eggs, frittatas, a protein shake (for those who don’t get enough already) - whatever your heart desires!

- slowly reduce any sugar you add to your beverages by just half a teaspoon at a time

Conforti, C., Agozzino, M., Emendato, G., Fai, A., Fichera, F., Marangi, G. F., Neagu, N., Pellacani, G., Persichetti, P., Segreto, F., Zalaudek, I., & Dianzani, C. (2021). Acne and diet: A review. International Journal of Dermatology, 61(8), 930-934. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.15862