If you’re struggling with acne, whether you’re in your teens or your thirties, a healthy dairy-free diet that is rich in colorful fruits and vegetables and has a lower glycemic load might be one of the best remedies for this skin condition. As a start, here are 20 easy meals that can help clear acne by reducing chronic inflammation and providing all the nutrients required for healthy skin!
Acne And Diet
Is there a connection? As with any chronic condition, of course, there is.
Your body is a dynamic structure, it is built and rebuilt all the time. And what do you use to build that structure?
Nutrients.
Where do those nutrients come from?
From our food and the sun.
So your acne might very well improve by simply enjoying easy meals like the ones below. Why? Because you’ll be getting the right building blocks and simultaneously kicking out the things that aren’t really building anything useful in your body.
What To Eat
In general, as with other conditions linked to chronic inflammation, your body will benefit from foods rich in vitamins A, C, D and E, zinc, selenium as well as omega-3’s. According to science, people with acne have significantly lower blood levels of these vitamins than people who don’t have acne (source).
So what does that mean? What should we be eating more of? Well, good examples are:
- Vitamin A and C: leafy greens, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lemons, peppers, tomatoes, parsley, fresh herbs
- Omega-3’s and fiber: flax and chia seeds
- Vitamin E: raw almonds or sunflower seeds, as well as leafy greens
- Vitamin D, omega-3’s and selenium: fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring or sardines, fish oil, eggs and liver
- Zinc – fish, red meat, chicken, eggs, shrimp
- Selenium and vitamin E: Brazil nuts
What Not To Eat
When it comes to acne, the two things you want to avoid are dairy (especially cow’s milk and cheeses) and high-glycemic foods (processed foods, fried foods, white bread, pasta, rice, sugar, soft drinks, fruit juices, honey, maple syrup etc.).
Why? Both of these types of foods increase the blood levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (short IGF-1). This in turn increases inflammation and stimulates the production of molecules linked to the development of acne.
20 Easy Meals To Help With Acne
So considering all of this, here are some recipes for easy meals that you can add to your anti-acne diet! To see results you will need to stick with the diet for at least four weeks, nothing changes with one salad or one smoothie. Make it a habit and you’ll see the benefits of eating right!
1. Easy Breakfast Veggie Wraps
Made with hard-boiled eggs and vegetables these breakfast wraps are filling, nutrient-dense and packed with protein, fiber and antioxidants.
2. The Best Green Smoothie
Made with spinach, peaches, cucumber and lots of other healthy fruits and vegetables, this smoothie is super refreshing! It is one of the best easy meals to help clear acne and improve your overall health! The ingredients will give your skin and the rest of your body a boost of the antioxidant vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), C and folate.
3. Healthy Overnight Oats With Chia Seeds
Packed with fiber, protein, omega-3’s and creaminess these overnight oats are the perfect breakfast idea for healthy skin. Especially when you don’t have any time in the morning – make them the night before and your breakfast is ready to eat when you wake up!
4. Strawberry Kale Green Smoothie
Get your vitamins, prebiotics, healthy fats and phytochemicals with this easy-to-make breakfast smoothie. You can make more and sip on it whenever you’re feeling hungry in the morning.
5. Easy Chili Con Carne
Whether you make this for lunch or dinner, you are going to love this 30-minute healthy recipe! I added it to our collection of easy meals to help clear acne, because it is packed with fiber, iron, protein, provitamin A and zinc.
6. Detox Quinoa Avocado Salad
I know, the word detox isn’t my favorite either, but in this case it refers to arugula’s magical powers to support your liver at transforming toxins into non-toxic things that we can eliminate safely. So it’s okay. Other than that the salad is rich in fiber, vitamins C, A, and folate – all needed to help you clear acne.
7. Chicken Barley Soup
This homemade chicken soup is SO tasty and comforting! Using barley instead of rice it has a lower glycemic index and more fiber.
8. Easy Lentil Vegetable Soup
Made with lentils, but also lots of healthy vegetables like kale, cabbage and even mushrooms this vegan soup is packed with nutrients necessary for good skin health. Among them fiber, protein, provitamin A, C and folate.
9. Spicy Mediterranean Lunch Bowls
A picture says a thousand words and you probably won’t need too much convincing to try this healthy lunch bowl recipe. It’s one of my go-to recipes for lunch and it’s super nutrient-dense too.
10. Easy Chopped Chicken Salad
Another easy recipe that you can make for lunch! Or dinner. It’s refreshing, filling and packed with antioxidants, vitamins A, C as well as zinc.
11. Clean Eating Salmon Lettuce Wraps
This is a light and super flavorful dinner idea with salmon that is rich in protein, omega-3’s, provitamin A, vitamin C and E. All great for your whole body, including your skin!
12. Easy Coconut Curry Shrimp Soup
This soup is rich in zinc, protein as well as selenium, but being nutrient-dense isn’t the only reason to have it. It’s incredibly tasty! It’s creamy, sweet and spicy and SO easy to make. Plus it’s ready in about 10 minutes.
13. Ground Beef And Cabbage Recipe
This healthy dinner recipe is a great way to use up some cabbage and is satisfying and easy to make!
14. Arugula Avocado Tomato Salad
This is my kind of salad on a hot summer day when all of these vegetables are in season! It’s packed with vitamins, fiber and is super easy to throw together.
15. Shrimp and Calamari In Garlicky Tomato Sauce
This dinner skillet is one of the easiest recipes you can make on weeknights and it’s packed with skin-healthy nutrients like zinc, selenium, protein and lycopene.
16. 8-Minute High-Fiber Salad
This fiber-rich salad is proof you don’t need a ton of money to eat healthy! Some of the ingredients include beans, corn, cabbage, lettuce and sweet red pepper.
17. Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad
Next on our list of healthy easy meals to help with acne is a super satiating salad! Made with leafy greens, eggs, chicken and avocado this delicious filling recipe is packed with protein, vitamins, fiber and healthy fats!
18. Mediterranean Fish Soup Recipe
Now, a fish soup with sardines is probably not everyone’s taste, but I love this recipe! But that’s the only reason I decided to add it to this collection of easy meals that can help with acne! I did it because it’s flavorful, super healthy and rich in basically all nutrients you need to improve your skin health including selenium, zinc, omega-3’s and carotenoids.
19. Spicy Shrimp Chickpea Salad
This healthy salad is super satisfying and a great recipe to enjoy for lunch or dinner!
20. Healthy White Bean Soup
Whenever you crave some soup, make this one using canned, or better yet, pre-cooked beans in around 20 minutes. It’s super cozy and satiating!
Final Words
You don’t need to make all of the recipes to clear your acne and support your skin health. These easy meals are just examples of the things you can cook to improve your general health and the condition of your skin. So, try the recipes that look good to you and feel free to look up others that are dairy-free, low-glycemic and rich in the nutrients mentioned above.
As mentioned, try to stick to the anti-acne diet for at least a month. This will be enough time to see results. Don’t forget to drink lots of water and herbal tea as well! I hope this collection and the information helps you!
20 Easy Meals To Clear Acne
A healthy dairy-free diet that is rich in colorful fruits and vegetables and has a lower glycemic load might be one of the best remedies for this acne! As a start, here are 20 easy meals that can help clear acne by reducing chronic inflammation and providing all the nutrients required for healthy skin!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 pepper, green or red
- ½ cup olives, pitted
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- ½ cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1 avocado
- ½ cup arugula
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- 7-8 leaves basil
- 1 tsp vinegar
- ½ lemon, juice of
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- If you don't have cooked quinoa - cook it to label instructions and let it cool off.
- Chop all vegetables thinly (tomatoes, avocados, onions, peppers, olives, arugula, parsley, basil).
- Place the quinoa and chopped vegetables in a big bowl.
- Add lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and mix everything well together. Add salt to taste (a small pinch should be enough, since the olives are also salty).
- Store in an airtight food container for a healthy lunch to bring to the office. It will be good for up to 24 hours if stored in the fridge (this also depends on how fresh your vegetables are).
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 391Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 22gCholesterol 0mgSodium 566mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 12gSugar 3gProtein 8g