For decades, we have told patients that there were no studies to support that drinking soda made acne worse, although if that was their experience then they should not consume soda. Over the recent years, more and more evidence has emerged showing that diet can affect acne. The first study showed that drinking non-organic milk may exacerbate acne. Recently a study published in the The Journal of Academic Nurtition (J Acad Nutr Diet. 2017 Jun 9. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2017.03.024 ) showed that consuming high-glycemic index carbohydrates is correlated with worsening of acne.
In short, the recommendations have not changed–for all persons, eating a good healthy diet is recommended. What has changed is the evidence showing that poor eating habits is connected with worsening of acne. For all of my patients, acne or not, I recommend avoiding white rice, white potatoes, white flour, and sugar in their diet. Unfortunately, most of my patients, with or without acne, consume a large amount of these high-glycemic index foods, which contributes to obesity, fatigue, and the development of type II diabetes.
