Skin problems can be embarrassing, unsightly, and inconvenient. But with the proper diet and skincare routine, you can improve your skin and keep it healthy. Although it might be possible to treat skin problems topically, it’s better to treat them from the inside out.

For many, summer means long days in the sun and the beach, where the salt water and sand can wreak havoc on your skin. So, it’s important to take a proactive approach and take good care of your skin before you hit the beach—and what better time to start than now? While you may want to stock up on sunscreen and cover-ups, there are other steps you should take throughout the year to ensure that your skin stays protected from the elements.

Foods That Are Ruining Your Skin

Doughnuts

We all love doughnuts. Who doesn’t? The flaky, sweet, pillowy, doughy deliciousness. Unfortunately, doughnuts aren’t the best foods for your skin. If you have oily skin, you can probably see the comment coming from a mile away. But if you have dry skin, this statement probably sounds quite surprising. It’s true, though. While doughnuts may not cause acne, they are one of the biggest culprits responsible for drying out your skin.

Soda

Soda is known to cause irritation and redness and has become a poor choice all over. But the soda you might be most surprised to see on this list is diet one. Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners, potentially leading to dark circles, puffiness, and wrinkles.

Fried Foods

Fried foods are among the worst foods to eat—a reputation primarily rooted in an old wives’ tale that butter makes the food taste better. But the fact is, eating fried foods can lead to much more than just indigestion. Fried foods, and the oil they’re fried in, can lead to many long-term health issues. Deep-fried foods are often high in calories, and with around 500 calories in a full order of a fried chicken sandwich (just the sandwich, not including fries), they can quickly pile on the pounds.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a best-selling drink, specially approved in social situations. But do its effects on the skin warrant its popularity? Drinking alcohol does irritate the skin, but does that mean you should completely avoid the same?

Candy

Did you know that some candies are worse than others for your skin? It’s crucial to keep your skin clean when it comes to getting and keeping youthful, wrinkle-free skin. Hence, avoiding candies will not only contribute to making you look younger but can also prevent blemishes, acne, and other issues.

Salty Snacks

Salty snacks can wreak havoc on your health, but only if you tend to eat a lot. But all that sodium, in addition to fat and sugar in some snacks, can lead to acne, inflamed skin, and clogged pores.

Coffee

Drinking coffee has become one of those popular activities that many consider normal. Many people wake up, grab a cup of coffee, and get ready for work or school, but did you know that drinking coffee can have a negative impact on your skin? Caffeine (found in most types of coffee) can temporarily cause dehydration, dryness, and itching and increase the appearance of age spots and wrinkles.

Processed Meats

When you eat processed food, you aren’t just obtaining the calories your body needs; you are also taking in significant amounts of chemicals, dyes, and preservatives. These can wreak havoc on your skin, causing inflammation, acne, and in the worst case, cancer.

Sweetened Teas

Sweetened teas, like yerba mate, oolong, and matcha, are popular beverages with beauty benefits, but did you know that they may also negatively your skin?

Mayonnaise

One of the worst foods for your skin is mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is a dense, fatty food that contains saturated fats. And in addition, it includes trans fats and loads of sugar. Add to that the high blood pressure and other health issues that mayo causes, and it should come as no surprise that mayonnaise is one of the worst foods for the skin.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are the latest craze. They promise to give you energy, make you more productive and boost your concentration. They found that the drinks contain high amounts of caffeine and taurine, which may dehydrate and irritate the skin. As a substitute for sugary energy drinks, reach for water. It could be one of the best things you can do for your skin, inside and out.

The skin is the largest organ in the body, and how it looks and feels says a lot about your overall health. The skin reflects the condition of the rest of the body. So, what you eat and put on your body affects how your skin looks and feels. Although your skin is an organ, it’s more like a protective shield than an organ. It functions as a barrier, protecting you from the outside environment. Over time, the quality of your food and how it affects your skin is directly connected to your overall well-being.