Do Peanuts Cause Acne? Peanut Butter and Acne
Peanuts are a favorite snack among many around the world.
Whether you’re making peanut butter or concocting a new type of peanut-flavored snack, peanuts have become an essential in many diets.
But do peanuts cause acne?
The general consensus seems to be that a healthy diet helps clear up your skin from any pigmentation.
But where does research put peanuts and peanut butter in relation to your skin health?
As one of the leading providers for male skincare, Stryx is here to debunk the myths between peanuts and acne. Let's get started!
Peanuts and Acne
Credit: Get a Perfect Body
There are many factors that can exacerbate your skin’s production of sebum. One of these involves fluctuations within your body’s natural hormones.
This is why teenagers and pregnant women are more likely to develop acne.
Their bodies are in states of transition where hormone imbalances are prominent.
A critical hormone, particularly within men, is androgen. This is a hormone responsible for men’s voice change and body hair growth during puberty.
Peanuts contain an androgen-like material. When you increase your body’s presence of androgen, or a material like it, then your skin is more likely to create more oil.
When more sebum is produced, it traps more debris, which results in acne breakouts.
In addition to peanuts, other foods to watch out for if you don’t want a ton more androgen are shellfish, wheat germ, and corn oil.
Does Whey Protein Cause Acne? We wrote an article about that!
Can Peanuts Cause Acne?
Credit: Healthline
With androgen-like hormones being prominent in peanuts, it certainly seems like they can cause acne.
But the issues may not stop there. You’ve likely heard about the necessity of getting sufficient omega fatty acids within your diet.
But you want to make sure you’re getting the right kind.
Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory. Salmon, tuna, herring, and other types of fish are excellent sources of this substance.
However, your body doesn’t need as much omega-6 fatty acid. This material is pro-inflammatory, which makes it bad for people who are prone to acne breakouts.
Diets high in omega-6 fatty acids can result in chronic inflammation, which is where your immune system goes overactive.
It treats every instance of an acne infection like a major threat. This produces intense swelling and redness around the pimples.
But it’s not just peanuts in peanut butter you have to watch out for. Whether you realize it or not, peanut butter is often loaded with added vegetable oils.
Canola, sunflower, and soybean oils are also extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids.
So it’s basically like you’re double dipping in a substance that has a fairly high link to skin problems.
Are Peanuts Good for Your Skin?
Credit: Medical News Today
While there’s research to suggest peanuts can negatively impact your skin, it’s also plausible for peanuts to help you out.
There are a lot of benefits to eating peanuts when it comes to the health of your heart, brain, and perhaps even skin.
They’re an excellent source of healthy fats and protein.
Peanuts are also filled with magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants, all of which help your body in various ways.
They make for a nutritional snack because they fill you with energy and keep you fuller longer. So you’re less likely to indulge in sugary foods before your next full meal.
Antioxidants are great for keeping blemishes off your skin, but you also shouldn’t discount the presence of androgen-like materials.
The science is still out on how exactly peanuts and peanut butter interact with your skin.
And of course, everyone’s body is different. You may react to peanuts differently than someone else. One of the best things you can do for your skin health is to keep a journal if you’re prone to acne breakouts.
You should log everything you eat and take note whenever a pimple develops. You can then go back to see what you ate right before the breakout.
You may find that peanuts don’t bother your skin at all. Instead, your acne is the result of something else entirely.
As with most things, when it comes to peanuts, it’s best when enjoyed in moderation until you know how your body reacts to it.
If peanuts do cause outbreaks, then you may have a sensitivity and need to cut back.
What Foods Might Trigger Acne?
While more research is needed to find a clearer link between peanuts and acne, other types of food have more definitive correlations.
One of these is dairy products.
Cow’s milk has been known to stimulate IGF-1 production within the liver, which has been linked to a greater prominence of acne.
Other types of food to watch out for if you’re prone to acne breakouts include:
- Refined sugars and grains, such as cereals, pasta, soda, white rice, rice noodles, and sweeteners
- Fast food, including French fries, burgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and milkshakes
- Whey protein powder
- Chocolate
In general, it’s a good idea to maintain a balanced diet. Make sure to read the ingredient label of everything you buy so that you don’t end up consuming a bunch of hidden sugar and vegetable oils.
Consuming your favorite snacks in moderation helps reduce the likelihood of having skin issues.
How to Deal With Already-Existing Acne
You can deal with already-existing acne by implementing a daily regimen that helps you clean your skin and keep it healthy.
If you already have acne, a fast way to deal with it is by utilizing a concealer.
Concealers can cover up pimples, acne around the mouth, and moles with a few dabs.
To prevent acne from popping up in the future, we recommend using some type of moisturizer and cleanser.
Moisturizers prevent your skin from getting too dry which in turn prevents sebaceous glands from producing too much oil.
Cleansers help do a deep cleanse of your skin’s pores to eliminate any dirt, oil, or bacteria that would otherwise cause irritation, inflammation, or other skin problems.
We recommend using this at the end of each night so that your skin is refreshed and ready for the next day.
Final Thoughts
Every week, we answer your questions about potential acne-causing foods and items. Today, we covered: do peanuts cause acne? There is the possibility that peanut butter may be somewhat attributed to your skin problems. However, the direct cause behind acne is when sebum and dead skin cells block hair follicles, triggering inflammation and infection.
If you’re wondering whether issues like marijuana use or drinking soda may attribute to your acne, we have articles covering those questions as well.
Source References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2836431/
https://www.livestrong.com/article/464863-does-peanut-butter-cause-pimples/
https://goodglow.co/why-peanuts-and-peanut-butter-cause-acne
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/acne-what-you-need-to-know-2019010315717
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