Talk to someone who’s gone dairy-free for more than five minutes and you’ll find out 1. you should get an award for talking about diets for that long, and 2. their skin “magically” cleared up as soon as they cut out dairy. Once you start to question their sudden glowing skin, you’ll begin to wonder if your beloved gouda really *is* the enemy. It’s not like you haven’t heard the rumors before. It’s all over the media, celebrities talk about it, and now your friends are into it. So let’s investigate.
“There seems to be an association with dairy and acne,” says Yale dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, adding that although there are studies suggesting possible links between the two, “we have yet to see any research that makes a definitive connection.” She says, “when it comes to acne patients I always review their dietary habits and recommend reducing dairy intake, just in case.”
And that’s not all. Cow’s milk has hormones that react with the testosterone in your body causing an increase in oil production (this clogs pores, which leads to the dreaded whiteheads, blackheads, cystic acne, etc.), as well as promoting skin inflammation.
However, cutting out dairy doesn’t work for everyone. It will work for a lot of people (myself included), but for some people it’s just not the magical cure. Either way, I think you’ve gotta weigh your skin issues against food happiness (think delicious cheese, rich chocolate, etc.). I choose both. And by that I mean, I just cheat – A LOT.
