Watch out: You'll find these ingredients all over your supermarket—and probably in your kitchen, too.
Cellulite.
It's what happens when the connective tissue within the dermis layer of
your skin weakens and allows fat—the subcutaneous kind—to bulge
through, ultimately creating that dimpled appearance we all know and
love to hate. And a lot of women who have it want to know not only what exercises will help fight cellulite, but whether there are foods that cause cellulite in the first place. Before we get to that, understand this: 80 to 90 percent of women,
including super-fit athletes, are affected by cellulite, and there are a
hell of a lot of things that can contribute to it. But, yes, the
biggest one may just be your diet. (Also, here's everything you ever wanted to know about cellulite.)
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Weight
gain contributes to cellulite—this is true. But just because you have
cellulite doesn't mean you're overweight. (Make sure you're up to snuff
on these five cellulite myths you should get out of your head.) That said, the same types of foods that can cause you to pack on the pounds are the same foods to avoid for cellulite.
Before
you purge your pantry, though, understand that this isn't just about
swearing off pizza and tossing all those snack bags. There's no magic
list of foods that cause cellulite, mostly because there isn't a ton of
research connecting diet and cellulite, whether for prevention or
treatment. (Though these foods can help fight cellulite.)
But if you educate yourself about what exactly is in the food you're
eating, you may be able to make some healthier decisions that could come with the bonus of helping you fend off that pesky dimpled flesh. These are the things to watch out for.
Refined Carbs
One of the most important ways to know if foods cause cellulite is to look for foods that cause inflammation. Why? "With chronic inflammation, your fat cells start to enlarge and retain fluid and toxins," explains Stefanie Mendez, R.D., cofounder of Matriarch,
a women's fitness and nutrition service. "As the fluids accumulate,
circulation worsens and those toxins start contributing to the breakdown
of the collagen and elastin that keeps the skin smooth and firm."
[post_ads]Refined
carbs, or foods that are missing one or more of the key components that
make a grain a whole grain, is one of the main inflammation-causing
food groups, says registered dietitian Maya Feller.
"In refined carbs, the bran (outer layer), germ (inner layer), and/or
endosperm (middle layer) have been removed, stripping the grain of
protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants," she explains.
"They're quickly digested into simple sugars and readily absorbed into
the bloodstream, resulting in a glucose spike." You'll find refined
carbs in foods like white bread, white flour, and white rice. (Are you
sensing a theme here?) It's also best to avoid a subset of refined
carbs—refined sugars or simple carbs—because they're just as
inflammatory, says Mendez. Those you'll find in baked goods, cereals,
sugary drinks, candies, and pasta.
Processed Foods
Processed foods are another cause of inflammation. They're even more ubiquitous and some of the worst foods for cellulite. (But should you really hate on all processed foods?)
Most foods that you find in the supermarket have been processed to some
extent, whether that means bagged, canned, or cleaned. But from a
health perspective, "processed products often have inflammatory foods
such as sugar, fat, and salt added to them to preserve the food and
enhance flavor," says Kristen Smith, R.D.,
a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That's going
to be foods like chips, snack foods, baked goods, sodas, meat products
like hot dogs and sausages, and convenience meals and foods.
[post_ads]Here's
what all that has to do with cellulite: "There's evidence that suggests
that cellulite may occur in response to hormonal changes," says Feller.
Insulin, for example, is a hormone that regulates how the body uses and
stores sugar and fat. "When you have a diet that's really high in
refined carbs, you're going to have a lot of spikes in your blood sugar,
because there's no fiber to keep it even," explains Mendez. "To counter
those spikes, your body needs to produce huge amounts of insulin. That
can trigger the process of the fat cells enlarging, retaining fluid and
toxins, and breaking down collagen." And so we're back to inflammation,
stuck in a vicious cycle.
Salt
There's
one other major ingredient to watch out for: salt. While it hasn't been
linked to foods that cause cellulite specifically, it could be making
any pre-existing cellulite appear worse. "Salt makes your body hold on
to fluid in the fat cells and tissue, which creates this puckered and
sort of inflamed look," says Mendez. "It's one of the main causes of
that rippling effect." Now here's the real bummer: Most Americans
consume an average of 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day—about 1,100
milligrams over the American Heart Association's recommendation—and that increases the risk of fluid retention, says Smith.
The Good News
Just
like there are certain "cellulite foods" to avoid, there are foods that
may help prevent it. You'll want to pack your diet with
anti-inflammatories—foods that are full of antioxidants and polyphenols,
which help reduce inflammation and damaged cells in your body—including
berries, vitamin C–rich foods like citrus fruits, leafy greens like
spinach, kale, and collard greens, and foods that have really healthy
fats, like nuts, salmon, tuna, and olive oil.
[post_ads]Oranges—and other foods high in vitamin C—may
be particularly helpful. "Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and helps
your body produce collagen," says Mendez. "We know that with cellulite,
collagen and elastin begin to deteriorate, so potentially having a lot
of vitamin C–rich foods in our diet could help us counteract that." And
since collagen is a protein, making sure you're eating enough lean
proteins—think chicken, turkey, egg whites, and low-fat dairy—could help
as well, says Smith. (Here are 10 plant-based proteins that are easy to digest.)
Bottom line: Remember, cellulite is more the norm than something to be ashamed of. (This plus-size model is determined to stop seeing her cellulite as ugly.)
And no matter what your weight status, your goal should just be overall
health. "There really is no quick fix for cellulite," says Mendez.
"Focus instead on making changes for a more natural, more balanced
diet—and that just may help with the prevention of and the appearance of
cellulite."
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