7 Foods To Eat And 7 To Avoid For Psoriasis - Health Digest

Complete this sentence: Processed meats are a) cured, b) smoked, c) salted, d) preserved, or e) any of the above. If you guessed e, you're absolutely right. As Southeast Dermatology Specialists explains, a manufacturer might use any of those processes on muscle or organ meat to produce processed meat. And there's no denying that some of these meats are quite popular, but they also can be problematic for psoriasis patients.

According to Good Housekeeping, the additives and preservatives used to turn regular meat into processed meat can also cause inflammation. These include salts, which can draw water out of skin cells and cause dehydration and damage, per Southeast Dermatology Specialists. Plus, processed meats can contain sugars, and that can lead to increases in blood glucose levels. This, in turn, can result in higher levels of a fatty lubricant matter called sebum, which could worsen psoriasis. In fact, there is concern that even unprocessed meats might still have hormones that could increase the body's sebum production.

Additionally, processed meats are usually loaded with saturated fat, which can also increase the amount of inflammation in one's body (via Good Housekeeping). So, if you always have a hot dog at a baseball game or enjoy having a slice of pepperoni pizza or a sub loaded with deli meat when eating out with friends, you might have to give those up if you have psoriasis.