Eczema Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid for Healthier Skin

Atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema, is a long-term condition that leads to skin inflammation, redness, and irritation. While it often starts in childhood, it can affect people of any age, making it a widespread and persistent skin issue. This can be treated with an eczema diet.

Eczema Nutrition Guide:

In this blog, you will learn to create an eczema-friendly diet on your own. You will be given different diet options. You can choose the one that suits you the best.

Dyshidrotic diet

In dyshidrotic eczema, small blisters are formed on the soles of the feet, palms of hands, and edges of the fingers and toes. These are 1-2mm itchy vesicles. Its flare usually takes 3-4 weeks to settle down. So, you should take care of your skin both externally and internally. You shouldn’t apply antibiotic cream on your skin, rather use fragrance-free soaps, and moisturizing creams. Use lukewarm water for baths. 

Try to avoid scratching! 

You also have to be conscious of what you eat. It is said that nickel, cobalt, and chromium are the common causative agents of eczema. These metals are found in particular items of the food groups (1):

There is a pro tip for you!

Focus on vitamin C intake as well because it can reduce the absorption of nickel in your body. Bell pepper, orange, mango, lemon, berries, tomato, and grapes are excellent sources of vitamin C.

Elimination diet

You can get tested for food allergies. Make a list of triggering food items and exclude them from your diet one by one and see the difference. Allergies to milk, eggs, peanuts, fish, soy, wheat, gluten, citrus, and chocolate are the most frequent causes. Eliminate these allergens one by one and monitor your symptoms. Consulting with an expert dietitian can help you better understand how your body responds to different foods.

Anti-inflammatory diet:

Inflammation is the root cause of many chronic diseases. There are many replicated anti-inflammatory diets that include DASH, Mediterranean, MIND, and low-histamine diets. All of them are focused on providing antioxidants, good fats, lean protein, and multivitamins to the body.  

An anti-inflammatory diet for eczema includes low-glycemic foods that are high in refined carbohydrates and sugars. Both of these are pro-inflammation sources. Low GI foods help to lower insulin-like growth factor that mediates adipokines profile. Apple, avocados, and bananas are safe for eczema patients. 

You might have seen people saying that I can’t eat chocolates because it triggers acne. The reason is that it contains a lot of sugar. Some people can also experience eczema flare-ups because of their milk intake.

Besides this conscious use of processed oil should be done. It contains omega-6 pro-inflammatory fatty acids. Sources are soybean, safflower, sunflower, and corn oil. You can use extra virgin olive oil if you find oil as a triggering factor!

Gluten-free diet:

Some people are allergic to gluten and suffer from celiac disease. Gluten can also trigger eczema. It is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Therefore, a gluten gluten-free diet is a skin-friendly diet. You can try out this and record the improvements in your symptoms.

Use of prebiotics and probiotics:

Probiotics contain powerful microorganisms that can confer numerous health benefits when ingested. Research shows that infants with allergies tend to have fewer bifidobacteria in their gut compared to healthy individuals. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is another bacteria that promotes gut health and prevents eczema.

Prebiotics are naturally available in asparagus, banana, nuts, oats, garlic, almonds, lentils and leeks. Probiotic sources include yogurt, fermented foods, tempeh, buttermilk, cheese, pickled cucumber, and apple cider vinegar. 

It is advised that the consumption of probiotics during the last trimester and their administration to the infants during weaning can significantly reduce the chances of suffering from atopic eczema (2).

Supplementation

–Vitamin-D

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining a durable skin barrier and also protects from sun damage. The National Eczema Association has shared the findings of a research study on vitamin D supplementation in children. They have reported that 80% of the participants who took 1000IU doses for 1 month experienced an improvement in their eczema symptoms (3).

It also prevents it from getting flaky and dry. So, get tested for your vitamin D and start supplementation.

–Vitamin E

Vitamin E’s top food sources are salmon, spinach, broccoli, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds. 15-1000mg/day is the safe dietary intake of vitamin E. Inculcating it in diet can manage eczema severity since it fights against oxidative stress and inflammation.

Consumption of any triggering food is decoded to the body as a pathogen. Immunoglobulin E stepped ahead to tackle this situation. Production of IgE activates the inflammatory process and causes eczema. It is proven that vitamin E can lower IgE levels. Thus, it alleviates the symptoms and provides relief .

–Omega-3 fatty acids and Zinc:

Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, which can alleviate eczema symptoms, while zinc supports skin healing and immune function. Together, they can improve skin health and manage eczema flare-ups.

In a nutshell, you can have eczema-free healthy skin by having an anti-inflammatory diet, elimination diet, dyshidrotic diet, and gluten-free diet. Moreover, supplementation of vitamin D, vitamin E, omega-3s, and zinc is recommended. Another effective tip is cooking with primrose oil, olive oil, cod liver oil, hemp seed oil, or coconut oil.

If you need help on how nutrition can help you, please feel free to connect with our dietitian or download our mobile app to get in touch.