Actually, pasta isn’t the only villain. There’s a link between inflammation and any refined carb – we’re talking white rice, bread, bagels; all of which are high on the glycaemic index. (The glycaemic index is a way to measure a food’s effect on blood sugar.) A study published in 2016 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found a connection between acne and high glycaemic index foods.
“Sugar is tied to inflammation,” explains Dr Day. “You want to manage your glycaemic index to help minimise inflammation. The easiest way to do this is to eat a plant-based, whole food diet as much as possible.” For carb lovers, that means brown rice, whole grain bread and whole wheat pasta. She also recommends intermittent fasting, a way of eating that involves periods of voluntary abstinence from food and drink. “It has great benefits for skin health,” adds Dr Day. “It may be an indirect benefit, but it’s still powerful. I do a daily 16- to 18-hour fast.”