Here's What Happened When I Ate No Ultra-Processed Foods For A Week

What you consume shows up on your skin—full stop. The gut-skin connection is very real, with research showing that anything damaging to your gut microbiome1 (like refined sugar and inflammatory foods) also influences what's happening to the skin. 

Before diving into my experiment, let's define what "no processed foods" actually means. Essentially, they're foods that have been altered in some way before consumption—frozen, roasted, spiced, bagged, canned, etc. 

The amount of processing exists on a spectrum, ranging from simply prepared, minimally processed foods (think bagged spinach or frozen blueberries), to ready-to-eat processed foods (like deli meat), to ultra-processed foods (think chips, ice cream, and even some plant-based milks). 

And let me be clear: The processed food category as a whole is not the enemy. You can find plenty of quality packaged options these days with minimal additives, and some processed foods can be part of a healthy diet. It's the ultra-processed foods laden with artificial colors, flavors, and unhealthy fats that can pose a problem, especially if you consume them more than whole or minimally processed foods. 

"Ultra-processed foods are also nutrient-poor, meaning they lack essential vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds," Harvard-trained, board-certified internal medicine physician Anant Vinjamoori, M.D., chief medical officer at Modern Age, tells mindbodygreen about the food category. "Consistently consuming these foods can lead to nutritional deficiencies and inflammation, which can shorten one's life span and lead to obesity and a variety of diseases." And, for the purposes of this article, compromise skin health. 

The biggest thing I learned throughout the week? Eating no processed foods takes a whole lot of prep. The main reason I even reach for processed items is because they're so dang easy. The last thing I want to do during a busy workday is grill up some chicken breast—much easier to grab some deli turkey slices or heat up a frozen meal. 

So on the first day of my experiment, I made sure to make enough easy-to-grab options for my weekly lunches. I grilled and sliced chicken, boiled lentils and quinoa, and washed and cut all my veggies so that I could easily whip something up midday. 

Instead of buying my favorite plant-based milk at the grocery store (which contains seed oils and emulsifiers—sigh), I also decided to make my own cashew milk at home. I blended up 2 tablespoons of raw cashews with 4 cups of water and was left with a creamy concoction to pour into my coffee. It didn't froth as well as my store-bought milk (likely because of the lack of fillers), but it did the job! 

This will likely come as no shock, but sticking to whole, natural foods really did make a difference in my skin health, not to mention my energy levels and overall digestion. 

As I mentioned, I frequently wake up puffy and inflamed depending on my new food rendezvous the night before. Without the sugar, salt, and alcohol (a "dry week," if you will) my skin looked way more refreshed in the a.m. 

I also experience occasional breakouts that I have long suspected crop up due to refined sugar—once I indulge in sweet treats, pesky zits aren't too far behind. It hasn't stopped me from giving up dessert completely (treats are good for the spirit!), but when I was more strict about the types of sweets I eat (namely, natural fructose), my skin appeared way calmer. 

All acne stems from inflammation of some kind, and now I know the inflammation from sugar has a significant impact on my complexion. Will I relinquish refined sugar forever? No, not likely. But now that I'm aware of sugar as a major trigger, I can tweak my diet accordingly—maybe I won't open up a bag of candy the night before an event where I want to show up with an even-toned glow.

Aside from the skin perks, I also noticed way more energy throughout the day. I typically succumb to the dreaded afternoon slump around 3 p.m., which I thought was just the natural order of being a working adult. Now, I know it's because I wasn't eating enough protein to maintain my energy levels. 

I won't sit here and say raw nut butter is the secret to glowing skin, but there's a reason experts tell you to stick to a whole, balanced diet for a better complexion: It works. Smart topicals, facials, and innovative treatments do pull their weight, but you also need to feed your skin the basic nutrients it needs to thrive.