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Growing up, we were told time and time again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that couldn’t be more true. Only as we got older did we start to understand just how much the foods we eat can affect our bodies.
Not only can your breakfast give you energy, but it can have a result on your skin, too. You should start every day off with a healthy, balanced breakfast to fuel your body, mind, and complexion. Certain foods have the power to cause breakouts, wrinkles, and premature signs of aging in your skin.
Most of us know what breakfast foods can cause weight gain, such as sugary cereals and pastries, but do you know which foods can clog pores?
The answer might surprise you.
According to Valori Treloar, MD, dermatologist, and author of The Clear Skin Diet, rice cakes, the small condensed rice food known as a great weight loss snack, are not as good for you as we once thought.
While the small circular cakes are typically low in calories, they’re not very good for your skin. Rice cakes cause your blood sugar to soar, speeding up the formulation of wrinkles and breakouts. The science behind it is quite simple.
The simple carbs in rice cakes are metabolized and converted into glucose, just as your body does with sugar, and spikes insulin levels. The glucose then sticks to proteins in your skin, like collagen and elastic, and breaks them down.
When insulin levels in your body suddenly increase, it sends inflammation throughout your body. Inflammation in your skin rises in the form of clogged pores and breakouts. Proteins like collagen and elastin are responsible for keeping your skin healthy, clear, and youthful-looking.
Instead of munching on rice cakes for breakfast, try a healthy bowl of fresh fruits and whole grains, like oatmeal. Just be careful to avoid any added sugars.
