Q. I was having problems with acne on my face and head. It seemed to keep coming back in the same spot and getting worse every day.
I stopped eating some of my usual foods for two weeks at a time. When I gave up eating bananas, every pimple on my face and scalp went away completely! Six months later, I’m still pimple-free. So what happened?
A. Decades ago, teenagers with acne were told to avoid burgers, chocolate, shakes and fries to keep their faces clear. The idea of staying away from fatty foods was later discredited, and most dermatologists will tell you diet has no impact on acne.
A study of people living in non-industrial societies suggests that may not be quite true. Dermatologists found fewer blemishes among people eating a low-carb diet that does not raise blood sugar quickly (Archives of Dermatology, Dec. 2002).
Bananas rank in the middle of the glycemic index, a measure of how quickly blood sugar rises in response to a food. We don’t know whether anyone else would benefit from avoiding bananas, but we’re glad your experience was fruitful.
