Does Groundnut Causes Pimples?

Groundnuts are very rich in protein and oil are also rich in over 25 vitamins, such as niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, riboflavin, thiamin, choline, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin E, and rich in minerals like magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, iron, manganese and selenium. But this nutritious nut has been held responsible for causing pimples in many parts of the world including Nigeria.  

So is it true, does groundnut cause pimples?

Most of the time, the genuineness and factuality of this claim come to mind when one sees people who like and eat groundnuts too much but have no pimples while you see people who don’t like groundnuts naturally but have pimples all over their faces. 

This thought calls for more knowledge about the scientific, medical, and nutritional properties of the product without having to resort to unconfirmed claims about this popular food in many parts of the world.

Keep reading to find out if groundnut can cause pimples.

What is Acne and what are pimples?

Most people think Acne and pimples are the same thing. While they share similarities, they are actually different. Acne is a skin disorder or condition that can result in several types of blemish; which includes whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. Pimple is just the symptom and acne is the condition itself. 

Curing pimples are a bit easier compared to acne. Both pimples and acne can occur anywhere on your body but they are mostly on the chin, nose, and forehead.

What causes Pimple?

Our skin pore contains sebaceous glands. These glands secrete sebum, which is an oily substance that oils the skin and hairs. Sebaceous glands are present in every skin pore on the body excluding the palms of your hands and soles of your feet. And there are more sebaceous glands on the face and scalp than anywhere on your body.

Sebaceous glands produce sebum in the pores, while new skin cells constantly grow out, and the outer layers of skin are being shed (dead skin cells).

When the dead skin cells are not shed, they remain in the pores and are stuck together by the sticky sebum, which blocks the skin pore to cause pimples.

To summarize all I’ve said, pimples occur when pores become blocked with sebum and dead skin. This usually leads to infection and inflammation.

Does Groundnut cause pimples?

Although groundnuts, cheese, peanut, butter, peanut butter, and a whole lot of other foods have been said to be the cause of pimples, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Acne and pimples are one of the most common dermatological conditions, affecting millions of people worldwide. And unlike chickenpox, where you only get to have it once,  pimples and acne can affect you anytime at any age in your life.

It is also largely accepted that diet that includes excess sebum, hormones, bacteria, and hyperproliferation of follicular cells are the major factors for pimples.

You see, Acne is an inflammatory disease, and changes in sebum composition such as an increase in sebum excretion, changes in fat composition, and how clogged your skin pores are, are the major factors that trigger acne lesions.

And pimples are caused when pores become clogged and oil which is meant to be drained to the surface of the skin gets trapped, causing inflammation.  

So it’s partially wrong to say groundnut causes pimples because there are a lot of factors that cause pimples to just tie it down to one source of food. The truth is that you can stop eating groundnuts and still suffer from pimples.

Other processed foods from groundnut such as peanut butter can cause pimples. Just two tablespoons of this peanut butter have about 19% of fats in it. Now the fat present in a peanut butter jar can be classified as saturated, mono-saturated, and poly-unsaturated. The issue is with the poly-unsaturated fat which has Omega-6.  And Omega-6 is capable of causing acne in a very bad way!

There are other factors that could cause pimples such as sun exposure, stress, and poor skin hygiene. Even your make-up and phone can cause pimples, so putting all the blame on just groundnut alone is wrong and just a myth. 

While there are some research that suggests groundnut or peanuts can negatively affect your skin, it is also probable for groundnuts to help you out.

Groundnuts are actually nutritious with carbohydrates, fats, and protein, lowering the risk of heart disease and improving brain function. In fact, they can help fight inflammation and maintain good skin moisture levels. They are filled with potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants, all of which help your body in various ways.

They make for a great nutritional snack because they fill you with energy and keep you fuller longer. So you are less likely to indulge in sugary foods before your next full meal.  And Antioxidants are great for keeping blemishes off your skin.

And if there are people who do in fact get pimples when they eat groundnut, it could be a mild allergic reaction to groundnut because there are people who eat groundnut but their skin remains fresh. Also, the quantity of how it is eaten could affect the occurrence of pimples. If you eat it too much, it could cause a breakout. In such eating anything too much, no matter how good, is bad and can lead to health issues.

It is not entirely possible to say that groundnut causes pimples, as there is no medical evidence to back up that claim. The science is still out on how exactly groundnut interacts with your skin.

Foods That Can Trigger Pimples?

While more research is required to find a link between groundnuts and pimples, other types of food have shown more correlations and links with pimples.

1. Dairy products.

Cow’s milk is known to stimulate IGF-1 production within the liver, which has been linked to the development of pimples.

2. Refined Sugars.

Sugar’s oxidative properties can trigger pimples. Sugar and foods high on the glycemic index (meaning foods that, once consumed, change quickly into glucose and make your body’s insulin levels rise), lead to a burst of inflammation that goes throughout your entire body.

3. Grains such as pasta, cereals, soda, rice noodles, white rice, and sweeteners.

4. Fast food such as French fries, burgers, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and milkshakes. 

5. Whey protein powder.

6. Chocolate.

Overall, instead of eating less and more of some food, you should work towards maintaining a balanced diet. Eating your favorite snacks in moderation helps reduce the likelihood of having skin issues. 

How to prevent pimples

You are on this page because you have pimples and you are wondering if what you ate (which is groundnut, or if any other type of food) can cause pimples. And while we have shown you that the cause of pimples are numerous and can’t be tied down to just one cause, we also want to provide cures or rather ways you can prevent pimples from breaking out on your beautiful face

1. Eat healthy food – reduce your intake of oily foods. Stick to a low sugar diet and avoid whey protein and cow’s milk, as they are known to worsen pimples.

2. Wash your face regularly, at least twice daily.

3. Reduce or be careful of the products you use on your face.

4. Less makeup or at least gently wash away makeup at night before you sleep.

5. Reduce your stress levels.

6. Don’t pick or pop your pimples.

7. Keep hair clean – If excess oil in the hair touches the skin, it can worsen the pimples; hence, regularly washing the hair may stop pimples from developing.

8. Use topical treatments – Over-the-counter treatments can reduce pimples, especially if they tend to occur in certain areas.

9. Stop excess exfoliation – Exfoliation is the process of getting rid of dead cells from the skin. While exfoliation can help improve pimples, too much can worsen breakouts; this happens when too much natural oil is removed from the skin, the skin will compensate by producing more oil, which will clog the pores and lead to more pimples.

10. Avoid touching your face with your hands or phone.

Conclusion

For a while, nutrition was viewed as one of the primary factors influencing general “well-being” and  “health” in humans, as the skin provides the first impression about one’s biological condition.  Nutrition has always been associated with skin health and beauty. 

The start of several common skin diseases, especially acne, pimples, atopic dermatitis, and hair loss, have been thought to be critically affected by nutrition patterns and habits, which is why you need to know how your body works, the food and kind of environment your body reacts to, keep proper body hygiene, monitor your body and what you do, to detect what your body is reacting to.

These small but important steps, according to experts, will help to prevent and control pimples on your face.

Nutritionists, dietitians, dermatologists, researchers, and medical experts do not agree with the claim that groundnuts can cause pimples but they still encourage a healthy diet, good hygiene, exercise, and other healthy activities to make your body fit and beautiful.