I'm curious if it breaks you out personally. I've been unsure till now cause I didn't think it was a problem but after being sick and not drinking coffee for a few days I had no new inflamed spots. I already don't use dairy in coffee so it's not that. It's the one thing I have every day and I definitely have other food allergies and issues with inflammation.
I've read many contradicting things about coffee. It's the caffeine, theobromine, some other chemical...who knows. Cortisol and adrenaline may cause inflammation.
So.I'm going to stop coffe for at least 2 weeks to see what happens. But I'm interested to hear from others.
Well I find that dairy free powder creamer breaks me out more than liquid flavored creamer. But hm. I rather have a few bumps than not have any coffee at all. Have you tried drinking caffeine free? I already gave up bread and flour....I'm not giving up coffee. Haha. I haven't gone completely insane just yet.
I used to drink coffee with a dash of milk everydayyyy before my face went nuts. I started drinking caffeine free teas and well, it's just not the same. I actually had my first cup of coffee in what seems like a long time just last week with whole milk and enjoyed every sip of it. It didn't make my skin any worse. I guess it's good to drink in moderation. Good luck!
Coffee has a massive impact on me (one cup of filter with sugar during the week, two on the weekend). I switched it for a green smoothie in the morning and the results were dramatic! (I just posted about it). I had no idea that caffeine amplifies insulin levels for the rest of the day, and is worst when drunk with a sweetener. My energy levels are now dramatically higher too!
14 hours ago, 285976_1443948302 said:Coffee has a massive impact on me (one cup of filter with sugar during the week, two on the weekend). I switched it for a green smoothie in the morning and the results were dramatic! (I just posted about it). I had no idea that caffeine amplifies insulin levels for the rest of the day, and is worst when drunk with a sweetener. My energy levels are now dramatically higher too!
i had no idea either. I like smoothies, what do you put in yours?
9 hours ago, snarkygirl said:23 hours ago, 285976_1443948302 said:
i had no idea either. I like smoothies, what do you put in yours?
If the morning, then kale, spinach, apple, banana and ginger. I've also found that if my skin starts to feel a little inflammed, I can have the same smoothie (minus the apple for less sugar) in the evening and it totally calms it down overnight!
Update: still not sure if coffee is a factor. I haven't had it for about 5 days but last night I had coffee non dairy ice cream. I still got two small pimples while off coffee but I've replaced coffee with either green tea ( better) or chsi tea with soy milk ( NOT better lol). I'm going to give it a few more weeks. I don't miss it as much as I thought, its more the ritual I enjoy than the actual coffee I think.
I have never had an issue with coffee. Back inn college when I had perfectly clear skin I used to drink like 3 cups a day lol. I don't really drink it much anymore since I drink more tea now, but whether I drink it or not has no effect on my current acne.
Today I can finally say that YES, coffee absolutely has a very strong effect on me. I had 2 cups of coffee yesterday. I've been avoiding it for months. After the second one I started feeling jittery and shakey. I had the second one around 3 p.m. At 8-9 p.m. I crashed and started having real withdrawal symptoms. Today for the first time in months I got two tight, deep-ish pimples on my cheeks - one on each. I haven't gotten one of those in a looong time. Good to finally know it's a trigger for me. I think I'll avoid all caffeine from now on.
16 minutes ago, ArtS said:Today I can finally say that YES, coffee absolutely has a very strong effect on me. I had 2 cups of coffee yesterday. I've been avoiding it for months. After the second one I started feeling jittery and shakey. I had the second one around 3 p.m. At 8-9 p.m. I crashed and started having real withdrawal symptoms. Today for the first time in months I got two tight, deep-ish pimples on my cheeks - one on each. I haven't gotten one of those in a looong time. Good to finally know it's a trigger for me. I think I'll avoid all caffeine from now on.
wow. Thanks for the info, was it straight coffee or with milk/ sugar?
i find if I have one coffee with non dairy creamer I'm OK but no more than one.
Chemically, coffee is super complex--it contains something like over 1,000 chemical compounds. Some of them (like the antioxidants) have the potential to do great things for your body. Some unfortunately have the potential to be quite harmful.
The harmful (acne-wise):
* It triggers a state of hyperadrenalism in your body, essentially doubling your levels of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine.
* All those stress hormones cause your body to pump out insulin, which (among other things) promptly jacks up sebum and inflammation levels.
* It causes an extended period of insulin resistance. So unless you're super diligent about staying away from carbs and sugar, your blood sugar will stay spiked for way too long after eating. And (along with dairy) sugar is basically one of the super-villains of acne.
* It interferes with mineral absorption in your body.
* Low-quality coffee (including Starbucks), as well as decaffeinated, and instant coffee contains significantly high levels of of mycotoxins (a poisonous metabolite of mold) which can wreak havoc on the immune system and is also highly phytoestrogenic.
* It disrupts your gut flora due to its high acidity levels and contributes to gut inflammation.
All that said, the worst part of most people's coffee (if they're an acne-sufferer) are the sweeteners and creamers (i.e. cow milk, whey-based non-dairy creamers, and soy milk) they add to it. If you know you can't give it up completely--and I'm definitely one of those people (because MIGRAINE), there are a few ways to lessen the body-blow:
* Use high-quality, mycotoxin-free coffee. When choosing a brand, look for very fresh Arabica beans that have been wet-processed and grown at higher elevation levels.
* Either take it black, or switch to less inflammatory milk proteins like goat and sheep milk, or less phytoestrogenic/lower histamine plant-based milks like coconut.
* No sweeteners, unfortunately. A little Stevia is safe (but kinda gross). However, a teaspoon of coconut oil adds richness and cuts the bitterness. A dash of sea salt will too. Plus, the coconut oil is anti-inflammatory and will help curb sugar cravings.