Foods That Can Aggravate Psoriasis

Many people admit the fact that their diet is related to the condition of their psoriasis. Certain foods or beverages can worsen or improve the symptoms. This connection hasn’t been scientifically proven, however, physicians are providing patients with certain recommendations related to lifestyle and nutrition.

The reaction of a patient to some foods is very individualized, but there are certain foods in our daily diet that are more likely to cause psoriasis aggravation. We listed them in this article and hopefully it will help you to be more careful about your eating habits.The best method is to have a food diary – it will help you to understand which foods or drinks are triggering your conditions.

Alcohol

This is the first thing a dermatologist will warn you about. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels and facilitates the penetration of T cells (they play a crucial role in the development of psoriatic inflammation) in the upper layers of the skin. Even a very modest amount of alcohol still produces this effect.

Red meat and meat products

Meat contains a lot of arachidonic acid, which easily transforms into inflammatory elements (by the way, this acid is also found in egg yolks). Ready-made foods, deli products, and other delicacies besides the arachidonic acid contain many other unwanted components that are potentially allergenic or poorly digested by the body.

Fast food

This food is rich in refined sugars and starches, saturated fats, and trans fats. Each of these components aggravates the inflammatory process. In addition to a direct negative impact, fast food slowly kills you indirectly: with psoriasis, excessive weight, and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Fast food is a fast track to obesity.

The same can be said about flour, sugar, yeast, and even home-baked bread. Wheat flour is full of gluten (see below).

Milk and dairy products

Milk contains arachidonic acid just like a red meat. Another element which can be found in milk and can cause inflammation is protein casein.

Citrus fruit and allergens

This group of fruits is highly allergenic. We know that allergies and psoriasis are very friendly. Track whether citrus fruit affects the worsening of your symptoms and if they do, you should exclude them from your diet. This rule applies to all citrus products or beverages.

Other possible allergenic foods like strawberries, chocolate, or bee products should be avoided too, especially if you notice that the symptoms get worse after consuming them.

Spices and condiments

Many products of this group can strengthen the inflammation. This fact was noticed by almost all patients. Some of the most common triggers are: mayonnaise, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sweet pepper, paprika, curry, and cinnamon.

Grains with gluten

Gluten is a special protein contained in grain seeds. A lot of gluten can be found in wheat, rye, and barley. According to several studies, there is a connection between gluten and psoriasis, but the answer remains controversial. So, it’s not worth of removing such a valuable component from your diet without scientifically proven reasons, as long as you don’t have a gluten intolerance or a high sensitivity to it.

Nightshades

Some patients have noticed that tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and potatoes aggravated their condition. This is quite a possible reaction, since solanine (which can be found in solanaceous nightshade) is a poison that affects the nervous system and blood composition. The idea of those with psoriasis avoiding Solanaceae is still controversial, just like with gluten. But why take an unnecessary risk?

Perhaps eliminating one or more of these foods from your diet will help you extend the period of remission and make the aggravations less severe. Share your observations with your doctor. Under his supervision, your diet will remain balanced, even with certain food restrictions.