1 of 6
Have you noticed your psoriasis gets worse after eating a cheeseburger? Perhaps you can't have eggplant parmigiana without having a flare-up. Or maybe it's red wine that seems to worsen your red patches.
An estimated 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. It’s an immune disease that often results in scaly, itchy blotches appearing around your knees, elbows, and scalp, though they can pop up anywhere on your skin. Many things can trigger or exacerbate psoriasis symptoms, including your diet.
The science on food and psoriasis is developing, but these eats are frequently named as no-nos.
Sources: Gamret AC, Price A, et al. Complementary... + 23
- Gamret AC, Price A, et al. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies for Psoriasis: A Systematic Review. JAMA Dermatology. 2018;154(11):1330–1337.
- American Academy of Dermatology. Association between disease severity and body mass index in psoriasis patients enrolled in the Corrona Psoriasis Registry. 2017.
- American Academy of Dermatology. Skin Conditions by the Numbers. Accessed October 10, 20222020. Accessed October 20, 2020.
- American Heart Association. Dietary Fats. Last reviewed November 1, 2020.
- Ford AR, Siegel M, et al. Dietary Recommendations for Adults With Psoriasis or Psoriatic Arthritis From the Medical Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation: A Systematic Review. JAMA Dermatology. 2018;154(8):934–950.
- Bhatia BK, Millsop JW, et al. Diet and Psoriasis, Part II: Celiac Disease and Role of a Gluten-Free Diet. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. August 1, 2015. 71(2), 350–358.
- Phan C, Touvier M, et al. Association Between Mediterranean Anti-inflammatory Dietary Profile and Severity of Psoriasis: Results From the NutriNet-Santé Cohort. JAMA Dermatology. 2018;154(9):1017–1024.
- Svanström , Lonne-Rahm SB, Nordlind K. “Psoriasis and alcohol.” Psoriasis (Auckland). August 21, 2020. 2019;9:75-79.
- Carter MC, Burley VJ, Cade JE. Weight Loss Associated With Different Patterns of Self-Monitoring Using the Mobile Phone App My Meal Mate. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2017;5(2):e8.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight. May 15, 2015.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What is Psoriasis? August 18, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020.
- Fuller NR, Fong M, et al. Comparison of an electronic versus traditional food diary for assessing dietary intake—A validation study. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. November–December 2017, Volume 11, Issue 6, Pages 647-654.Accessed October 20, 2020.
- Jensen J & Skov L. Psoriasis and Obesity. Dermatology. 2016;232(6):633-639.
- Afifi L, Danesh M, et al. Dietary Behaviors in Psoriasis: Patient-Reported Outcomes from a U.S. National Survey. Dermatology and Therapy. June 2017. 7(2), 227–242.
- Barrea L, Balato N, et al. Nutrition and psoriasis: is there any association between the severity of the disease and adherence to the Mediterranean diet? Journal of Translational Medicine. Jan 27, 2015. 13:18.
- Wolters M. Diet and psoriasis: experimental data and clinical evidence. British Journal of Dermatology. October 2005. 153(4):706-14.
- Mayo Clinic. Weight loss: Feel full on fewer calories. March 22, 2022.Accessed October 20, 2020.
- National Psoriasis Foundation. About Psoriasis. October 1, 2020. Accessed October 20, 2020.
- National Psoriasis Foundation. Dietary Modifications. October 1, 2020. Accessed October 20, 2020.
- Laurenti R, Gubinelli E, et al. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet model and psoriatic disease (skin, joint and metabolic expression of psoriasis. Beyond Rheumatology. August 31, 2020. 2:2.
- Paroutoglou K, Papadavid E, et al. Deciphering the Association Between Psoriasis and Obesity: Current Evidence and Treatment Considerations. Current Obesity Reports. 2020. 9, pages165–178.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. Psoriasis Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid If You Have Psoriasis. Accessed October 12, 2022.
- National Psoriasis Foundation. What We Are Learning About Psoriasis and Heart Disease. Accessed October 12, 2022.
- Passali M, Josefsen K, et al. Current Evidence on the Efficacy of Gluten-Free Diets in Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis, Type 1 Diabetes and Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases. Nutrients. 2020 Aug 1;12(8):2316.
