What do salmon, flaxseed, and cinnamon have in common?
These are all foods known for their anti-inflammatory properties.
And according to the TikTok wellness community, they’re the go-to food for clear, glowing skin.
However, nutritionists are skeptical about the true effectiveness of these foods in fighting skin problems.
TikTok remarks
These days, it’s not uncommon to come across TikTok videos extolling the benefits of anti-inflammatory foods.
And one of the promised benefits is healthy, good-looking skin.
To date, the #antiinflammatoryfood hashtag has received more than 50 million views on Chinese social networks.
An anti-inflammatory diet consists of:
- Foods containing healthy fats (olive oil, walnuts, avocado, etc.)
- Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. salmon, tuna, mackerel, flaxseed oil, chia, hemp seeds)
- fruits and vegetables
- Foods rich in fiber and antioxidants, especially berries and cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage and broccoli)
- oilseeds
- legumes
- whole grains and
- Certain spices such as turmeric.
This diet is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease.
It also protects against chronic inflammation associated with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and osteoarthritis.
For the TikTok wellness community, inflammation-fighting foods are also a source of skin-clearing benefits.
For example, a TikToker named nastblog recommends three foods to treat acne in a video: flaxseed oil (rich in omega-3s), green tea (rich in polyphenols), and cinnamon (an anti-inflammatory spice). is.
Please also read: Thinking about the benefits of spirulina and green tea
Please also read: Various health benefits of cinnamon
But is an anti-inflammatory diet the only one truly effective in achieving clear skin?
Be careful with online advice
For Florence Foucault, a Paris-based nutritionist and nutrition expert, these foods can certainly help you achieve healthy skin, but they’re not the whole story.
Reacting to a video on the Nast blog, this nutritionist warns that opinions shared on social networks should be approached with caution and that one should rely only on real scientific data as the only guarantee of reliability are doing.
“Yes, flaxseed is indeed rich in omega-3s.
“The problem is that this influencer is encouraging internet users to consume it whole, like sprinkling it on salads.
“But to get these benefits, you need to eat ground flaxseed, and most importantly, you need to keep ground flaxseed away from light to avoid oxidation.”
She also recommends a mix of nuts, also ground, to increase absorption of omega-3 fatty acids.
Green tea and matcha are also among the ingredients that influencers claim have anti-acne properties.
“Green tea contains catechin (EGCG), a compound known to have the following effects:” [anti]Inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
“So is cinnamon,” Foucault added.
But she continues. “To reap the benefits of these anti-inflammatory properties, you would need to absorb astronomical amounts of green tea and cinnamon every day, which is simply not possible on a daily basis.”
However, many before-and-after videos posted on social media seem to claim that you can improve your skin condition simply by incorporating these foods into your daily diet.
For people with skin problems, nutritionists recommend a balanced and varied diet.
“In fact, diet plays an important role in skin health, especially if you have acne and even more so if you have too much fat.”
Nutritionists point out that other factors are also involved in improving the appearance of the skin.
“Other factors may also play an important role in maintaining good skin, such as avoiding sun exposure and taking certain prescription medications.
“Alcohol and tobacco consumption are also determining factors.
“Diet can help alleviate the condition, but it’s not the only key to healthy skin.”
To treat skin diseases, experts advise consulting a specialist before switching directly to an anti-inflammatory diet.
“First you need to see a dermatologist to diagnose the cause of your skin problem. Then they will prescribe treatment if necessary and tell you if you need to make changes to your diet.” – AFP Relax News
