Can Cheese Cause Or Aggravate Acne?

Suffering from acne can be annoying or downright miserable. It can lead people to search for reasons they have it and turn to their diet for the answers. There are old wives tales that too much chocolate can lead to the problem, others have cited pizza as a reason you have acne. Whatever the cause, you are sure to want to try just about anything to keep it at bay. You may even be considering getting rid of your favorite snack like Cheddar cheese or cheese curds.

What Are Causes Of Acne

Stress is certainly a factor in adult acne. There are numerous people that have noticed a break out right before their wedding or big interview. Perhaps when you’re stressed out you turn to snacking on comfort food like melted Mozzarella and then blame the inevitable pimples on what you ate. It is also a known fact that hormones can cause acne to flare up. Women for centuries have seen the problem occur during their menstrual cycle. You may also notice food cravings associated with hormones. During this time you might not be able to resist snacking on cheese curds and again turn to this as the culprit for the unsightly pimples.

Is There A Link Between Cheese And Acne?

There are some studies that are pointing to the hormones in milk products inciting acne flare ups. Others have also noted that the link may be because of lactose intolerance. If you have come to believe you need to alter your diet to avoid acne and are looking at removing cheese you might like to try these suggestions first. Instead of getting rid of cheese all together try enjoying aged cheeses. Mozzarella is a cheese that has a relatively short aging process. Because of this it could have more lactose in it and perhaps you might try something older. Consider going for the aged Cheddar cheese. These cheeses tend to have less lactose and might be gentler on your system. In addition you’ll get powerful flavor which should allow you to enjoy it without having to overindulge.

Goat’s Or Sheep’s Milk

Another thing to consider is cheese made from goat’s or sheep’s milk. Goat milk, in particularly is known to be gentler on a person’s system, therefore the cheese might not aggravate your condition. Sheep’s milk has a higher fat content so should be considered as a final option. Whatever cheeses you choose to still include in your diet it’s important that you take into account there are likely other causes to your acne. If you’re going to try restricting your diet then make sure you know it isn’t stress, hormones or medication. In addition, when eliminating items make sure to do so carefully so you can track your changes and pin point what is working.