Juicing for Beauty: The Best Juices to Clear Up Acne

Discovering the best juice for acne might seem like a simple addition to your skincare routine, but not all juices are created equal. If you’re reaching for a glass filled with vibrant color hoping for clear skin, it’s still crucial to choose wisely to avoid exacerbating your skin issues.

Learn how to choose the ones truly good for skin health and help you achieve that clear and healthy glow.

Hi, I’m Hazel

I gave up on skincare after years of issues with acne and sensitive skin.

But after going plant-based, my skin cleared up and even started to glow. Now I help women reveal their natural beauty with simple, delicious plant-based food.

I also used to be a nurse, and love nerding out on nutritional science (high-quality science, that is).

SEE MY JOURNEY HERE

As usual, this post is based on the strongest nutritional evidence I could find with a focus on the simplest, most delicious foods

…because who has time to waste on actions that don’t work?

The quick version:

You can enhance your skincare routine with the best juices for combating acne, such as purple grape and wheatgrass, which are rich in phenolic compounds and have strong anti-inflammatory properties to help clear your skin and improve overall skin health.

Contents

Why Juicing Works for Your Skin

Juices are more than just a refreshing treat. They contain nutrients and skin-loving vitamins from your beloved fruits, playing a role in maintaining your healthy skin.

Vitamin C and ascorbic acid, abundant in many fruit juices, are powerhouse ingredients that enhance collagen production and neutralise free radicals. This not only helps prevent acne breakouts but also supports the overall resilience of your sensitive skin.

Moreover, the hydration and detox benefits of juicing help flush out toxins, leaving your skin clean and refreshed.

While plain water is essential for hydration, water lacks the active anti-inflammatory properties and vitamins found in juice. Vitamins which can directly benefit skin health.

Compared to flavoured waters and sugary/energy drinks, fresh juice doesn’t contain additives and high sugar levels that may trigger acne-prone skin.

By choosing the right juice, you’re not just quenching your thirst. You’re also fuelling your body with everything it needs for radiant skin and a healthy diet.

Top Juices to Help Clear Acne

High Phenolic Juices for Skin Health

Juices rich in phenolic compounds tantalise your taste buds and pack a powerful punch for skin health (1).

These compounds are renowned for their antioxidant activity, which helps reduce oxidative stress on the skin. Therefore anti-inflammatory properties of phenolics can calm acne-prone skin (2).

Their role in skin cell renewal and collagen and elastin synthesis may contribute to a firmer, more youthful appearance. Enhancing skin pigmentation and overall tone, these juices can be a key part of your diet for radiant skin.

Purple Grape Juice

Leading the pack, purple grape juice contains almost twice the phenolic content of its competitors (3). This makes it exceptional for those seeking a healthy glow and effective acne treatment. Its potent anti-inflammatory properties help soothe irritated skin and reduce redness.

Cloudy Apple Juice

Unlike its clear counterpart, cloudy apple juice retains more fibre and phenolics, making it superior for enhancing skin health. Its higher fibre content helps manage blood sugar levels, preventing the spikes that can lead to acne breakouts. (3,4)

Cranberry Juice

Known for its unique citric acid content, cranberry juice may aid in collagen production. This may then help repair acne scars and improve the overall texture of sensitive skin. Its vibrant red hue is also indicative of strong antioxidant properties.

Pomegranate Juice

Although the market is rife with imitations, authentic pomegranate juice stands out for its skin benefits (5). When genuine, it dramatically enhances skin health, thanks to its high levels of antioxidants that support skin cell renewal.

Grapefruit Juice

Grapefruit Juice is rich in vitamin C, which is essential for healing acne scars and diminishing dark spots. It’s a fantastic choice for maintaining the elasticity and brightness of your skin.

Orange Juice

As a citrus fruit, orange Juice offers a significant amount of vitamin c, crucial for healthy skin. It may reduce the severity of acne and is one of the better choices for a morning boost that also benefits your skin.

Honourable mentions

Tomato Juice

Tomato juice is a standout, being the only fruit juice that contains more antioxidants than the whole fruit itself, including about twice the amount of general antioxidants and five times more lycopene (6).

Lycopene is known for its ability to support the prevention of light-induced skin photodamage and skin photoaging (7, 8). Opting for tomato juice can be a particularly wise choice for those looking to improve skin health while also enjoying a savory option that differs from typical sweet fruit juices.

Each of these juices offers unique benefits that can contribute to achieving and maintaining clear skin. By integrating these into your routine, you can enjoy the taste and the positive effects they have on your acne-prone skin.

You’ll also like:
Beating Blemishes: How Celery Juice Benefits Acne

Wheatgrass Juice

Wheatgrass Juice stands out as a powerful anti-inflammatory beverage, with compelling evidence supporting its benefits. It has been specifically proven to help alleviate ulcerative colitis, a serious inflammatory condition (9).

This strong anti-inflammatory impact makes wheatgrass juice a noteworthy addition for those seeking to improve their skin health, particularly for conditions like acne that can be exacerbated by inflammation.

Incorporating wheatgrass juice into your diet could not only contribute to better management of inflammatory skin conditions but also promote a general sense of wellness and a healthy glow.

But Don’t Forget, Real Fruit is Better

They have more nutrients

While juicing can offer a concentrated source of vitamins and antioxidants, it often removes fibre, a crucial component for maintaining a healthy diet and managing common skin problems.

They don’t create skin issues

Juices, especially those like apple juice, often have a high fructose content which can exacerbate skin issues such as acne (11). High sugar intake can lead to spikes in insulin levels and increase inflammation throughout the body, potentially worsening acne and other skin conditions. It’s important to be aware of the sugar content in your favourite juices and understand how they might affect your skin health and blood sugar levels.

So while juice can be a better alternative than some other drinks, it’s still a good idea to drink it in moderation.

There’s more variety…and antioxidants

Relying solely on juice for fruit intake may limit the variety of fruits you consume. Many juices available at the grocery store do not include fruits like blackberries, cherries, or strawberries, which are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant levels and known anti-inflammatory properties.

These fruits are essential for combatting inflammation and supporting skin health, especially for those with sensitive skin and acne-prone skin.

Juices to Avoid

High Sugar Juices

Juices that are high in added sugars, such as some varieties of apple and grape juice, can be detrimental to both skin health and overall health. These sugars can spike insulin levels and exacerbate acne breakouts.

It’s important to read labels carefully and avoid juices that list sugar or syrup early in their ingredient lists.

Low-fibre Juices

Choosing the right type of juice is key to maximising health benefits while minimising drawbacks.

Opt for cloudy apple juice over clear varieties to get more of the anti-inflammatory properties and fibre that benefit your skin health.

These elements are often filtered out in clear juices during processing. Fibre not only aids digestion but also helps regulate the release of sugars, which is essential for maintaining stable blood sugar levels and supporting overall skin health.

Watered-Down Juice Drinks

Beverages that are marketed as fruit juices but contain a low percentage of actual juice often include unnecessary additives like colourings, flavourings, and extra sugars.

These can trigger acne issues and do not provide the health benefitsyou would get from higher-quality, 100% juice products. They are also less effective for proving the health and beauty benefits you seek (12).

Artificially Flavoured Drinks

Stay away from artificially flavoured drinks that mimic fruit juices.

These are often devoid of any key ingredients necessary for a healthy diet and are packed with sugars and artificial additives that can worsen common skin problems like acne.

They offer no nutritional value and can negatively impact your pursuit of clear skin.

Avoiding Misleading Juices

Always check labels for purity and ingredient lists to ensure you’re consuming a product that is both healthy and beneficial.

For example, pomegranate juice is often marketed as 100% pure juice, yet investigations have shown that many products on the market do not live up to these claims (5).

Only a fraction of commercial pomegranate juices are actually 100% pure pomegranate; the rest may contain other fruit juices or added sugars.

Ensuring authenticity is crucial because genuine pomegranate juice has significant health benefits, notably for skin health. When shopping for pomegranate juice, seek out reliable sources that guarantee the purity of their product to truly benefit from its anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidant activity.

How to Incorporate Juices in Daily Life

Daily diet

Incorporating healthy juices into your diet doesn’t mean you have to drink them straight.

Mix them into smoothies with leafy greens and other green vegetables, or use them as a base for homemade juice recipes that include a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Add a dash of lemon juice to brighten the flavour.

These variations can enhance their flavour and increase their nutritional profile, making them a part of a well-rounded healthy diet and more beneficial than skincare products.

Juice selection tips

When selecting juices, opt for those that offer the most health benefits without added sugars or preservatives. Look for juices that are:

Fresh: fresh juices will retain the most nutrients.
Cloudy in appearance, as these often contain more fibre.
Labeled as “100% juice” with no added sugars.
From reputable brands that are transparent about their ingredients and sourcing.

This approach ensures you’re getting the maximum health benefits from the juices you choose, contributing positively to your skin health and helping to manage skin conditions effectively.

The best juice for acne

Choosing the best juice for acne involves more than just picking any fruit juice off the shelf. By understanding the benefits and pitfalls of different types of juices, and how they can affect conditions like acne, you can make informed decisions that contribute to a healthy diet and clear skin. Remember, the key to using juice as a part of your skincare regimen is moderation and variety, ensuring you receive a broad spectrum of nutrients while avoiding high sugar intake and other potential triggers for skin problems.

References

Most references below will link to the original peer-reviewed study itself. However, sometimes I will link to a video over at NutritionFacts.org instead, which is by far the single best resource of brutally transparent nutritional evidence you will ever see. Dr Greger tells a great story about the realities of the science and if I think you will benefit more from one of his videos, the link will take you there instead.

Happy nerding!

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