How Gluten Affects Your Skin

Written by Chandni Ghosh13th Jun 2017
HOW GLUTEN AFFECTS YOUR SKIN
You know what affects your skin for sure—oily foods, fried chips, red meat, the works. From causing pimples to sagging skin, these foods can wreak havoc on your skin. But lately, if there’s one thing every nutritionist has been talking about, it is gluten. You might assume this is just another fad in the food world but if studies are anything to go by, gluten can actually cause some serious skin concerns. So what is gluten really? Gluten is the protein found in wheat—it’s the paste that makes your pizza or donuts dough-y. For those with celiac disease, gluten is a complete no-no. However, whether you have the disease or not, you can be sensitive to gluten and that can take the form of skin problems. Want to know how gluten affects your skin? Here’s a low-down...
 

It can lead to skin inflammation

It could lead to dry skin

If you have acne prone skin, gluten can aggravate the problem even further. The reason? Well, gluten is an inflammatory food, which can lead to skin reactions and worsen your breakouts. Moreover, gluten is known to raise your insulin levels—something that makes your skin problems worse, especially something like acne. So if you’ve been noticing that you’re breaking out too often, it’s about time you cut down on gluten to help your skin clear up.

 

It causes <a href="https://www.bebeautiful.in/all-things-skin/everyday/how-to-prevent-ageing">premature ageing</a>

It could lead to dry skin

Do you miss that youthful glow you once had? Well, the reason your skin is turning dull and ageing faster than it should, could actually be due to the consumption of gluten-induced foods like wheat. Gluten plays a major role in affecting your collagen levels in the body. You see, wheat turns into sugar much faster than anything else in the body. Along with increasing your insulin levels, this process has a direct impact on your collagen levels. When your collagen levels deplete, you lose the protein the keeps your skin supple and taut. In the absence of that, you start noticing fine lines, crow’s feet and wrinkles on your skin.

 

It could lead to dry skin

It could lead to dry skin

One of the biggest ways in which gluten affects you is by impacting your body’s ability to absorb nutrients like Vitamin A and E, both of which are crucial to your skin as they are the reasons why your skin feels supple and hydrated at all times. Moreover, your intestines find it rather difficult to process gluten as result of which you suffer from digestive disorders, which yet again lead to skin problems.

What is a gluten-free diet?

If you’re sure that you do have celiac disease or suspect a gluten allergy, include gluten free foods like legumes, rice, cheese, fruits, vegetables, seafood, nuts and beans. Stay away from anything that has wheat (cakes, bread, pretzels, pasta and pizzas), semolina and rye. However, for those who have a severe case of gluten intolerance, it’s best to consult a nutritionist or a dietician to get a know-how on the foods that will give you your daily requirement of vitamins and nutrients despite following a gluten free diet.

Chandni Ghosh

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I have this superpower of buying everything and anything related to cats because I strongly believe that cats are greater than human beings. Amidst all of these thoughts, I take time out to write about food, fitness and beauty - something that makes my job so much fun!
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