Archive · 17 Dec 2025
Dermatologist Debunks Food Myths Linked to Acne
A dermatologist named Dr Ankur Sarin talked about whether everyday foods can cause acne.
He said dark chocolate is okay, but milk chocolate can cause pimples because of sugar and dairy.
Whey protein and fruit juices can also cause breakouts because they have a lot of sugar.
Whole fruits are usually fine, but eating too many high-sugar fruits might cause acne.
Coffee is safe on its own, but adding sugar and milk can be bad.
Skim milk is a known trigger because of the hormones and whey in it.
Sugar is a big cause of acne because it makes your body produce more oil.
Curd, or yogurt, is usually good for your skin.
Dr Sarin says it's important to eat mindfully and not just cut out certain foods.
Dark chocolate is not an acne trigger, but milk chocolate can be due to sugar and dairy.
Whey protein is a known acne trigger as it raises insulin and IGF-1 levels.
Fruit juices can cause breakouts due to high sugar content leading to insulin spikes.
Whole fruits are generally safe, but excessive consumption of high-GI fruits may cause acne.
Coffee is safe, but add-ons like sugar and milk can trigger acne.
- Who
- Dermatologist Dr Ankur Sarin
- What
- Debunking myths about everyday foods and their link to acne
- When
- Not specified
- Where
- Not specified
- Why
- To clarify the relationship between diet and acne
- Dark Chocolate
- False trigger, but milk chocolate may cause acne due to sugar and dairy.
- Whey Protein
- True trigger, raises insulin and IGF-1 levels.
- Juices
- True trigger, high sugar content can cause insulin spikes.
- Fruits
- False trigger, except in excess of high-GI fruits.
- Coffee
- False trigger, but add-ons like sugar and milk may cause acne.
- Milk
- True trigger, especially skim milk, due to hormones and whey content.
- Sugar
- True trigger, spikes insulin levels leading to inflammation and oil production.
- Curd
- False trigger, generally safe and supports gut health.