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Rosacea: Best Foods to Eat

Rosacea affects so many people and while there's no "cure" there are a lot of things you can do to support your skin from the inside out with your diet.
Nov 21, 2020 | Joy McCarthy

I hope you found my last post informative on the foods to steer clear of if you struggle with rosacea. It’s important to note that, for everyone, there are different foods that cause their rosacea to flare up. For me, I find gluten, dairy, alcohol, and high histamine foods are the biggest culprits for my rosacea, but you might find other foods are triggers for you. 

I have written extensively about rosacea here on Joyous Health so be sure to check out all my other posts here.

Just like I mentioned before, there’s no cure for rosacea, just like there’s no cure for eczema. But, taking little steps to reduce inflammation in your body will make a difference in your skin health and overall well-being. 

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I know for sure that if I didn’t have healthy habits in place, my rosacea would be far worse. In this today's post, I’m going to share with you the best foods to include in your diet to help manage your rosacea. There are so many beautifully nourishing ingredients and foods that you’ll want to be eating if you struggle with rosacea! 

Please note: If your rosacea is triggered by high histamine foods then some of these foods may not be best for you. We are all unique and so too are our trigger.

What to Eat If You Have Rosacea

Healthy Fats

Foods high in healthy fats, specifically omega-3 essential fatty acids, can all help reduce systemic inflammation within the gut. These are also important for helping with stress management and proper hormone production. 

Some of my favourite sources of healthy fats , especially omega-3s, are salmon, mackerel, flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and walnuts. 

 Baked Salmon with Kale Lemon Pesto

baked salmon

 Blueberry Flax Oat Bran Muffins

 The Best Paleo Vegan Meatballs

Turmeric 

Turmeric has many known benefits. It stimulates phase 2 liver detox pathways, it thins out bile which further supports detoxification, and it’s rich in antioxidants. Turmeric’s biggest claim to fame is how anti-inflammatory it is thanks to curcumin.

Research shows that turmeric’s properties are capable of calming the inflammatory manifestations of rosacea.

 Super Easy Turmeric Ginger Tea

 Nourishing Turmeric Golden Soup

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like kale, arugula, spinach, and bok choy contain anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants to lower oxidative stress and protect against sun damage. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals that help rebuild healthy skin cells. Leafy greens are especially beneficial since they provide carotenoids that fight damage from sun exposure. 

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Whenever you can choose organic fruits and veggies to reduce your exposure to toxins and chemicals that can trigger skin reactions.

 Juicy & Crunchy Kale Salad

Kale Salad

 Peach Arugula Salad

Peach Arugula Salad

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous Vegetables include kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli. This family of vegetables is rich in phytonutrients like glucosinolates, lycopene, resveratrol, and carotenoids. These phytonutrients are anti-inflammatory and potent antioxidants that protect the skin against sun damage and help with cell turnover, assisting in building healthy skin. Cruciferous veggies are also rich in liver-loving compounds, such as indole-3-carbinol, which support detoxification. 

 Broccoli and Cranberry Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing

Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing

 Creamy & Dreamy Kale Salad

 Cauliflower Hummus

Green Tea

Green tea, which is the base of our new skin-loving Radiance Tea contains polyphenols, which act as antioxidants in the body. A specific polyphenol in green tea called epigallocatechin gallate has been shown to rejuvenate old skin cells to start reproducing again, keeping the skin younger looking and fight against inflammation . 

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 Matcha Collagen Latte

Prebiotic Rich Foods

There’s a large connection between skin disorders — including rosacea, acne, dermatitis and psoriasis — and inflammatory gastrointestinal tract disorders and bacterial overgrowth, which can lead to flare-ups. 

To support a healthy microbiome, prebiotic foods are essential in managing rosacea. Prebiotics are the foods that feed probiotics, the good bacteria in our microbiome. Prebiotic-rich foods include: 

  • Onions

  • Garlic

  • Bananas

  • Artichokes

  • Asparagus

  • Whole Grains

  • Beans

 Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

 Roasted Lemon Asparagus with Pecans

Roasted Lemon Asparagus with Pecans

 Perfect Picnic Sandwiches

I hope this list has given you lots of inspiration to fill your fridge and pantry with skin-soothing and nourishing foods. Remember it's about your diet as a whole. If you have a glass of wine or enjoy a piece of chocolate cake, it is not the end of the world and don’t beat yourself up for it! Just like all things in life, it’s about small steps and progress, not perfection. 

I will be back to share supplements to consider and of course lifestyle factors that play a huge role in rosacea flare-up from emotional stress to poor sleep habits. Before I finish up this series on rosacea I will also talk about my favourite facial products, the red light therapy and facial acupuncture I've been doing for the last five weeks and it's really helped to calm things down. 

I hope this information helps you,

xo Joy

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13 Comments
Jayne McLeod   •   November 24, 2020

YOU are so informative ... and I enjoy your blog very much, thank you for your willingness to share what you are learning. Jayne

Reply
Joy McCarthy   •   November 24, 2020

lonely   •   May 2, 2022

Thanks for writing about rosaces, it certainly has been a lonely road for me given that were I come from no one considers it as a problem. I read the article about foods to avoid and you mention walnuts, bananas and spinach yet here you recommend them..

Reply
Joy McCarthy   •   May 2, 2022

Mia   •   April 12, 2023

Hi! You mentioned whole grains as good prebiotic in your "best foods for rosacea". What kind of whole grains can we have with rosacea while not having gluten? Are oats allowed? Also, you gave your banana bread recipe in this section, but it contains eggs and bananas, which you mentionned to stay away from in your "foods to avoid with rosacea". Thank you!

Reply
Joy McCarthy   •   April 13, 2023

Marie   •   February 17, 2024

Hi! In this article https://www.joyoushealth.com/27482-blog-rosacea-steer-clear-of-these-foods-for-calm-skin you say walnuts and spinach are full of histamine and should be avoided, but then they made it to the can eat list. I'm just wondering what would be the better way to go :) Thanks!

Reply
Joy McCarthy   •   February 17, 2024

Jennifer Davis   •   May 20, 2024

I am so frustrated in finding a constant rosacea diet. Every article tells me to eat beans then same articles say to avoid them. Nuts and fish the same. Even these recipes have tomatoes and citrus. I realize everyone’s triggers are different but where do I start?! I feel like I would need to only eat organic oatmeal, blueberries and flax for a month because every other food will say is potentially a trigger.

Reply
Joy McCarthy   •   May 21, 2024
Jennifer Davis   •   May 22, 2024

Jennifer Davis   •   May 22, 2024

Thanks so much for your feedback. I worry that it is an issue with citrus because I was drinking a lot lemon water and tea. I was also enjoying a cinnamon tea and realized there is also cinnamon in my granola along with walnuts and pecans. I eat lots of salmon and chicken. Hummus and saltines are my favorite meal :( I’m afraid I need to totally change what I eat and drink.

Reply
Joy McCarthy   •   May 22, 2024

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