Eczema Diet Tips

Food to eat and food to avoid

Planning the best eczema diet can be an experimental process but here are some general guidelines to follow with foods to avoid and foods in increase in the diet.  Foods that are the most common triggers to eczema as well as foods that will help the skins moisture to remain balanced.  

It goes without saying that any effective eczema treatment plan should be prescribed by a specialist dermatologist and usually requires the use of medicated creams and ointments.  

For the purposes of diet and eczema related food, the following guidelines should help accompany an eczema treatment plan.

Which Foods Cause Eczema?

Avoid substances or foods that you suspect may produce an allergic reaction.  Common foods associated with eczema and food allergies are:

• Cows milk
• Eggs
• Fish
• Cheese
• Food additives
• Sugar

Safe foods such as free-range chicken, vegetables, fruit and rice can be eaten instead.

Reducing animal fat intake from dairy produce, red meat and fried foods may also be helpful.  Also remember that poor quality margarines may be chemically no better than animal fats.

Also cut out

• Citrus fruits
• Wheat
• Peanuts
• Radishes
• Dairy

Replace with soya milk and low-fat and non-dairy products such as tofu.  

Avoid

• Tea
• Coffee
• Cigarettes
• Sugar
• Chocolate
• Alcohol

Foods to include in an eczema diet

Increase your intake of dark green vegetables (rich in beta carotene, which converts naturally into vitamin A in the body), such as cabbage, watercress, courgettes and broccoli, wholegrains, beans, lentils, vegetables and fruits.

Dietary oils. Include high quality sunflower, safflower or linseed oil in the eczema diet. These oils promote healthier skin and reduce allergic tendencies. Including pumpkin and sunflowers seeds in the diet as they contain essential fatty acids and zinc and will help to repair the skin. Both zinc and essential fatty acids, which come mainly from dietary vegetable oils, are important in maintaining skin quality and health.

Magnesium and vitamin B6 deficiencies, which are found sometimes in women with pre menstrual symptoms, might cause or contribute to eczema at these times of the month.

Deficiencies of zinc and B vitamins may be particularly important as they effect the metabolism of essential fat and a lack of them may contribute to the development of dry skin and eczema.

Changes in diet alone are unlikely to cause eczema present to clear up.  That has to be done with the careful prescription of creams and ointments by a doctor or skin specialist.  However changes in diet will help to keep eczema under control and potentially prevent future outbreaks.