Find out the top foods to avoid with psoriasis so you can prevent bad flare-ups in future and manage your symptoms better.

7 Foods to Avoid with Psoriasis

1.    Red Meat 

Red meat may be one of the top foods to avoid with psoriasis. This is because it contains arachidonic acid. Research has shown that arachidonic acid may actually cause psoriasis lesions to form. 

So avoid eating red meat such as beef, pork, sausages, and other processed red meats to see improvement in psoriasis lesions. 

 2.    Dairy 

Severe psoriasis sufferers can avoid dairy in their diets to see if they have any improvements. Dairy can be eaten in moderation but it can be problematic for psoriasis sufferers. 

This is because it contains arachidonic acid and casein, two proteins that have been linked to worsening psoriasis symptoms and causing flare-ups.

3.    Processed Foods 

Everyone knows processed foods should be eaten in moderation or best avoided for perfect health. But when you have autoimmune diseases including psoriasis, it’s imperative that you cut out processed foods from your diet. Not only are these foods low in nutrients but they also contain a slew of additives like artificial preservatives, food coloring, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavoring, trans fat and refined sugars. 

These ingredients can mess up with your internal system, lower immunity, throw hormones out of balance, cause insulin resistance, obesity, allergic reaction, inflammation and other health problems that aggravate psoriasis and give you a hard time when you’re in the healing process. 

Avoid processed foods like candy, confectioneries, pastry, cookies, biscuits, cake, packaged food and foods that are not fresh. 

Add more fresh food into your diet such as greens, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, home cooked meals and organic foods. 

4.    Alcohol 

Drinking alcohol has so many health risks such as liver damage, inflammation, yeast infections, neurological conditions and other infectious diseases. 

Alcohol consumption increases inflammation in the body and causes dehydration, which will have a negative impact on your skin when you have psoriasis. 

5.    Nightshades 

Nightshades are vegetables that include egg plants, tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. They are on the list of foods to avoid with psoriasis because they contain solanine, a compound that may make psoriasis worse. It may promote human mast cell activation and cause release of histamine. 

 6.    Gluten 

When you have an autoimmune condition like psoriasis, it’s best to quit gluten. Many people have seen improvement in their skin after saying goodbye to gluten-containing foods like grains.

Avoid grains like wheat (bread, tortillas, cakes, cookies, pies, pasta and noodles among others), rye, malt and barley because they contain gluten. Alcoholic beverages should also be avoided for this same reason. 

It may be hard to quit gluten but the good thing is that there are many gluten-free foods out there in the market that you can enjoy! 

 7.    Citrus Fruits 

This might seem something new to many people but it’s best to avoid citrus fruits when you have psoriasis. Though they are jam-packed with vitamins and minerals, they are also a common allergen. 

Try to avoid eating citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon and lime, among others and see how your skin actually improves!