Along with bad hairdos, zits should have been outlawed after high school. But unfortunately, even as grown men, sometimes we still get breakouts. Maybe it’s bad genes, bad eating habits, stress or all three, but one thing is for sure – acne isn’t sexy.

 

Slathering your face with acne treatment isn’t enough. To have a healthier, breakout-free skin you need to start on the inside. No, being kindhearted won’t do it this time. You need to start eating right. You get what you put in, and carb-rich foods can cause pimples and acne. So get ready to re-do your grocery list and start your acne diet today.

 

10. Salmon

Rich in omega-3’s that reduce skin inflammation, these babies do wonders for your skin. It’s high in protein, with one 6-ounce serving giving you 36 grams of protein goodness. High-protein stuff get rid of zits, making this a must for your acne diet. And if you haven’t noticed, we just gave you a new reason to go fishing.

 

9. Kale

Ditch the romaine lettuce and meet your new green leafy best friend: kale. It has outrageous amounts of Vitamins A, C and K and reduces skin inflammation (to prevent acne) and has antioxidants (to protect your skin from damage).  It’s also loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin that helps keep the eyes clear and healthy. Hey, who wouldn’t want that?

 

8. Mango

This delicious fruit has vitamin C that helps cure acne and it’s also got beta carotene which the body changes into vitamin A – helps repair skin tissues and keep it healthy. It also helps reduce inflammation and keeps your skin from drying out and getting flaky. Some would even go as far as slathering the pulpy stuff on their face, but hey, whatever works.

 

7. Ground flaxseed

Your body doesn’t produce omega-3s so you need to get it from other sources, and flaxseed has high levels of them. It moisturizes and reduces skin inflammation to prevent acne and on top of that, it heals the skin. Now get this down: you have to use ground flaxseed in your acne diet to get the full benefit because whole seeds will not give you enough of the omega-3s you need. Remember, ground and not whole.

 

6. Avocado

Get better-looking skin with this tasty fruit. It’s loaded with vitamin E, which heals skin and moisturizes it. As an antioxidant, it helps heal pimple scars by replacing old cells. The vitamin C in this awesome fruit also reduces skin inflammation. Guacamole, anyone?

 

5. Fennel

You don’t only need all the vitamins and minerals your skin can get, you also need a natural cleanser. Fennel does just that. Tastes a bit like licorice or mild anise, this bulb is the bomb. It reduces swelling and flushes out toxins from the body, making your skin appear healthier. Best of all, it’s all-natural, so don’t forget to include this in your acne diet.

 

4. Garlic

Van Helsing made Lucy wear garlic flowers to keep Dracula away and you can ward off zits the same way! Just kidding. But garlic has antioxidants to keep skin healthy, and has stuff in it that fights swelling and kills off bacteria and harmful viruses. Yes. So if you have oily skin, you’re probably getting zits because of the bacteria that clog your pores and garlic will help with that. This bloodsucker repellent should really be in your acne diet.

 

3. Brown Rice

Brown rice has loads of magnesium, vitamin B, protein and antioxidants. Basically, it helps balance hormones so you won’t have breakouts while it also fights skin stress. So if you’re into white rice, now is the time to make the switch (white rice is bad for your skin as all the other whites: white bread, white refined flour and white sugar). Go healthy and go brown.

 

2. Broccoli

As a kid, you were probably kept hostage at the dinner table unless you ate this veggie. Well, turns out mom was right: this green childhood nightmare veggie is perfect for your skin! It has Vitamin B, C, A, K and E – all important for skin healing, clearing and protection. Don’t miss out on its awesome benefits and include it in your acne diet ASAP!

 

1. Alfalfa

These sprouts are perfect for your acne diet because it’s got it everything: Vitamin B, K, A, D, E and tons of other good stuff in it. It clears your skin up, helps with the scarring, fights swelling, keeps skin healthy and moisturizes it. Sure, you may feel like a cow chewing on grass for a while, but it’s awesome for your skin so just think about the benefits when you’re wolfing it down.

 

While you can’t do anything about the bad genes — except to make your mom feel guilty about it – you can do other things to have better skin.  Start your acne diet with these ten amazing foods and watch your skin clear up in no time.