Since so many of us are always worried about what foods to avoid when you have rosacea, I thought it would be helpful to list foods that are actually good for rosacea.
So here is the top 5 of green foods that are good for rosacea skin:
- Kale
- Brussels Sprouts
- Spinach
- Avocado
- Kiwifruit (kiwi)
This member of the same family as brocolli and Brussels sprout packs a high dose of vitamin K, which may be beneficial to rosacea skin due to its blood clotting promotion properties. Kale also contains high levels of vitamin B6, which is good for your immune and nervous systems. Kale is not recommended for people who take blood thinners. Kale may have a bitter taste, but there are some varieties that are sweeter, such as the Red Russian variety.
Perhaps not a childhood favorite, this cruciferous cabbage with slightly bitter taste contains high amounts of vitamin C, folic acid and iron. It also contains the compound “sinigrin”, which is believed to protect against colon cancer. The American variety are larger than the European variety.
This iron-rich vegetable packs high amounts of vitamin K, as well as vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid and beta-carotene. If you don’t like the iron-like after taste of spinach, you may find Indian dishes such as Saag more enjoyable for your palate.
Fruit from the avocado tree is rich in vitamins B5, B6, B9 (folic acid) and vitamin K. Having avocado in your diet may be beneficial to rosacea skin. Avocados also are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and fiber and are a good meat substitute in vegetarian diets. The pear-shaped pit and the skin of the avocado fruit are poisonous.
Rich in vitamin C and also a source of vitamin K, this fruit also contains the enzyme actinidin, which dissolves protein. Consumption of kiwifruit may help digestion, but actinidin may also cause allergic reactions in certain people, in particular if people are also sensitive to latex and pineapple. Kiwifruit may also be useful as a natural blood thinner, preventing blood clots.
Remember to have a balance between the “red” and the “green” foods. If you notice an increase in your facial redness, just add a little more of the “rosacea save foods” to your grocery shopping list.
cindy
I bought a bottle of liquid Vitamin C and was drinking a glass of water with a tablespoon of the Vitamin C.
My rosacea broke out in a vengeance! Now, I’m using apple cider vinegar to wash the skin flakes away and extra virgin olive oil to moisturize.
Still don’t really know if Vitamin C caused the flare up.
Joan
I thought low or no histamine diet helped those with rosacea and some of those foods are listed as no nos for histamine or histadine or even high in folic acid that basically assists in histamine production.
sandy eisenman
consumed one package of brussels sprouts yesterday which seems to have exacerbated my rosacea
james
Has anyone noticed more outbreaks when taking vitamin C? I usually take a vita C supplement — and I usually have an outbreak every 2 weeks. A month ago, I ran out of vitamin C tablets and kept forgetting to buy some more. During that time, I noticed that pause, I had no outbreaks! I just bought some new Vitamin C tablets, took one, and had an immediate outbreak! Anyone else noticed this as a trigger?
-James
L.J
I heard the B6 can cause major flushing.. Vitamin C can also cause flushing.. Im almost afraid to eat anything that has B6 and a lot of Vitamin C..
reverta
Sarah,
Spinach and avocado may contain high histamine levels. These levels are also dependent on how fresh the food is. I chose these foods since I have never reacted to these particular foods and because of their potential beneficial effect on the skin (vit.B’s, K). I am glad I am receiving some valuable comments from my readers. My intention was to stimulate an inspiring discussion between myself and readers who have rosacea. I keep reading about a lot of the same trigger foods for rosacea and I thought it would be interesting to find out what other foods people react to, regardless of the histamine content.
sarah coons
I have also read that spinach and avocado are triggers for rosacea (on rosacea.org and other places) do to histamine factors. I love reputable rosacea sites for there insite, so would you please explain your reasoning behind your listing them as top foods for rosacea when they are also triggers? -thanks
William Ross
I’ve heard spinach and avocado actually cause flushing. I have chicory for vitamin K.