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Clear skin is not a myth. Yes, it might be challenging to get that flawless complexion and blemish-free skin, however, with a little effort and the right tricks, this is achievable. Other than trying out external remedies, there are certain things that you need to do to keep your internal system in good health.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fiber-rich food items and beans help purify your skin and cleanse your digestive system. When your gut health is good, and your hormones are balanced, it automatically helps in clarifying your skin and making it acne free, hence your skin starts glowing. What’s more, your hair, nails, and complexion improve too.

One more thing you need to consider is that specific foods and drinks destroy the natural pH balance and friendly flora of your digestive system. These snacks sadly are part of most people’s daily diet and are literally damaging your skin and health from within.

Symptoms such as acne, pimples, increased pigmentation, skin discoloration as well as freckles might be a sign that you need to make some drastic changes to your eating habits. Here are 5 snack items that you need to completely cut out from your life today.

1.  Processed & Packaged Juices

Ask yourself a simple question. The fruit smoothies and juices that you drink right out of the carton are they as fresh and green as they claim to be? If they are sweet, the chances are that there are too many added sugars in the drink, and you need to cut it out of your diet today! All these beverages do is increase your blood sugar and make your insulin (sugar level monitoring hormone) go out of control!

Too much sugar content is a warning sign – not only you will gain weight, but your skin will also become messed up. There will be breakouts and pigmentation marks. You will notice that the natural glow is being replaced with a dull, yellowish undertone. This is because of the presence of excess sugars in your blood.

The more insulin there is in blood, the more your skin will have acne issues. Therefore processed and simple sugars are something that you need to completely cut out from your diet. If you love juices, opt for healthy, belly-fat blasting fresh juices or smoothies that you can make at home with whole ingredients.

2.  White Spaghetti and Pasta

Yup, as delicious as they may be, these cause your skin to become dull and full of acne. The reason is pretty simple, white pasta, spaghetti is full of carbs, and high glycemic content. This means that you become bloated and your body releases chemicals that aid in making your persisting skin conditions worse.

It’s not like you should drop eating your favorite pasta Bolognese, it just means that you need to reduce the amount you consume. If you had pasta 3 times a week, cut it to once a week or even less if possible. Not only will your skin clear up, but your pesky pounds will also disappear.

3.  Bagel

Who doesn’t love a warm, buttery bagel? Well, this same bagel is making sure you are never left without a pimple! Yes, the bagel might be an innocent snacking option, but what it does is increase the production of insulin and androgen. This triggers overproduction of oil and sebum. Wonder what the result is? Breakouts and extremely oily skin.

4.  Skim Milk

Reaching for that glass of so-called healthy skimmed milk? Stop right in your tracks! Did you know there is more sugar in this milk than the organic one? If you must have dairy products for your untimely hunger pangs, then go for yogurt or kefir. They not only keep you healthy but keep your skin glowing too.

5.  Crackers

This may come as a surprise – crackers are thought to be the safest of the snack options, but they contain hydrogenated oils that cause inflammation which in turn leads to acne and pigmentation. Leave them for only a fortnight and see how clearer your skin seems in just 15 days!

Again, the idea is not to stop eating this well-loved snack altogether, just that you reduce the amount you take in. So if you are opting for a bagel, do so only once a week or once in 10 days.

Have you been a consumer of the above mentioned 5 snacks? If you are nodding yes to even two of these, then breakouts, dark or discolored skin tone and a dull complexion are some of your major skin issues. Try to drop them out for just a month, and you will see a visible difference in the way your skin looks.