Foods that cause breakouts

Sugary drinks

In a study of 24,452 French adults, sugary beverages went with 1.18 times the odds of current acne after adjustment. Fatty and sugary products went with 1.54 times the odds, and milk 1.12 (Penso et al., 2020).

Among 8,226 Chinese students, daily soft drinks went with moderate-to-severe acne. Sugar from drinks at 100 g a day or more went with 3.12 times the odds (Huang et al., 2019).

We found no trial that took sugary drinks out and measured acne. The nearest trials changed a whole high-GI plate. More on sugar and acne and energy drinks.

Cow's milk

People who drank the most milk had 1.48 times the odds of acne of those who drank the least; skim milk 1.82, low-fat milk 1.25 (Aghasi et al., 2019). A Harvard study of 47,355 women who recalled their high-school diets found those who drank the most skim as teens had a 44% higher rate of severe acne (prevalence ratio 1.44) (Adebamowo et al., 2005).

The largest review pooled 14 studies of 78,529 people aged 7 to 30. Any milk 1.28 times the odds; low-fat or skim 1.32 (Juhl et al., 2018). These are observational studies, so they cannot show that milk causes acne. Full story on dairy and acne.

Whey protein

In a 2024 study of 201 men at gyms in Jordan, 47% of those with acne had taken whey in the previous 3 months, against 27.7% of those without. After adjustment, the odds of acne were 2.94 times higher in whey users (95% CI 1.11 to 7.82) (Muhaidat et al., 2024).

The only randomised trial found no worsening. 49 men with mild to moderate acne took 30 g of whey a day or a non-whey supplement for 6 months. The authors called whey non-inferior (Sompochpruetikul et al., 2024). We still grade the human evidence Limited. More on whey protein and acne.

Low-GI carbs

Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how quickly a food raises your blood sugar. It runs from 0 to 100. Foods at 55 or below count as low-GI (MedlinePlus).

A 2022 review found high-GI diets were linked to more acne, "an observation supported by randomized controlled trials" (Meixiong et al., 2022).

In a 12-week trial of 43 young men, spots fell by 23.5 on a low-GI diet against 12.0 on a control diet (Smith et al., 2007). In a 2012 trial of 32 people, a low-GI diet for 10 weeks led to fewer spots and smaller oil glands (Kwon et al., 2012). A 2024 controlled trial of 50 women used dietary counseling plus low-GL foods for 12 weeks. Average acne severity in the treatment group fell from 2.68 to 1.56 (Raza et al., 2024).

White bread sits at 75 and white rice at 73 (Atkinson et al., 2008). Among 2,467 Thai teens and adults, white rice went with more severe acne, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.80. Chocolate over 100 g a week went with 1.29 (Roengritthidet et al., 2021). The carb swaps sit on our low-glycemic guide and the bread page.

Unsweetened tea and vegetables

In a survey of 2,467 Thai teens and adults, tea without sugar or milk went with milder acne, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.61. Eating vegetables went with milder acne too, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.74 (Roengritthidet et al., 2021). We found no trial that tested unsweetened tea, or vegetables alone, for acne. The acne plate is on foods for clear skin.

Oily fish

In 248 young adults in New York, those with moderate-to-severe acne reported more added sugar and a higher dietary GI, and fewer servings of fish a day, than those with none or mild acne (Burris et al., 2014). We found no trial that fed people oily fish and measured acne. Fish is on the plate because that survey ran the other way, not because a trial cleared it.

Cystic-acne diet

We searched PubMed on 16 September 2026 for cystic acne with diet, dairy, glycemic, sugar or whey, 2019 to 2026. Four records came back. None was a trial of a cystic-acne diet. When the American Academy of Dermatology updated its acne guidelines in 2024, available evidence was insufficient to develop recommendations for dietary changes (AAD, 2024).

Nodules are a deeper form of the same disease. The food list on this page is the acne list. Treat nodules with the same food swaps as other acne. See a dermatologist if cysts are scarring.

Eggs

A 2022 systematic review kept 34 of 410 papers, concentrating on carbohydrates and dairy, and mentioned eggs only once in passing (Meixiong et al., 2022). We found no trial of eating eggs and measuring acne. The honest egg page is are eggs good for your skin.

Spicy food

We found no trial of chili or spicy food and acne. One Chinese college survey of 819 students listed a spicy diet among independent associations with acne, with an odds ratio of 1.739 (Chen et al., 2026). Chili can flush a face. That is redness, not a pimple. The full split is on spicy food and acne.

How long to give a swap

We found no trial of one food that reported a pimple clock. The closest guides are acne diet trials: 12 weeks in 43 young men (Smith et al., 2007) and 10 weeks in 32 people (Kwon et al., 2012). The American Academy of Dermatology says a treatment that works should show some improvement in 4 to 6 weeks, and clearing can take two to three months or longer (AAD, 2023). Track meals against your own skin with the acne food tracker.