While it’s just one factor among many, the food that you put into your body can have an effect on the outside of your body, namely your skin. There are a few foods and drinks you might want to avoid if you’re trying to maintain healthy skin. The five dirtiest skin-clogging culprits might be caffeine, alcohol, salt, sugar and preservative-laden foods like processed meats. While caffeine’s benefits for rosacea sufferers and its blood vessel-constricting qualities may help skin look better, consuming too much of it has the opposite effect. It’s also touted for its antioxidant effects – for some Americans, that cup of joe in the morning is the largest dose of free radical-quashing antioxidants they get all day! Everyone’s seen that “W.C. Fields” nose – reddish with broken veins all over, associated with alcoholism. And it’s not too far from the truth. Vasodilation is the technical term for the red veins that can pop out on the surface of the face, plus alcohol can make your skin look like how you feel during a hangover – dry, irritated and lackluster.

Frequent, rapid rises in blood sugar can cause inflammation, which can show up on skin. Even simple carbohydrates such as white flour, breads and pastas can have this effect. The jury is out on milk’s effect on the skin. While eating low-fat dairy products can boost skin health because they’re rich in Vitamin A, many dermatologists recommend going easy on low-fat milk itself. The bovine growth hormones present in milk present problems when they activate the endocrine system, but lactose can present as skin problems in people who are intolerant. Eat a balanced diet with antioxidant-rich foods, plenty of water and monounsaturated fats – not saturated, which can exacerbate skin problems – to keep skin smooth and healthy.