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Does poppadom cause acne?
Photo: Ryshy S / Pexels
Poppadom is one of the more skin-friendly foods you can eat.
One serving brings some glycemic load and a little saturated fat or omega-6. It also gives polyphenols, which the research links to calmer skin.
Why this score
- Glycemic: 7.2 g carbs at GI 45 = glycemic load 3.2 (low to medium). A small, slow rise in blood sugar.
- Dairy: none.
- Inflammation: 0.4 g saturated fat and 0.6 g omega-6, a small load.
- Skin Boost: medium polyphenols, which small trials link to fewer inflamed spots (+5).
Evidence: Smith 2007 RCT (n=43): a low-glycemic-load diet for 12 weeks lowered acne lesion count by 23.5 on average, versus 12 on the control diet (study). Khayef 2012 (n=13): fish oil for 12 weeks cut inflammatory lesions from 10.1 to 5.8 on average (study). All 13 sources.
Score breakdown
| Axis | What it measures | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Glycemic | Glycemic load GL 3.2 | −5.8 / 50 |
| Dairy | Dairy grams (milk hormones) | −0 / 25 |
| Inflammation | Saturated fat + omega-6 | −2 / 25 |
| Skin Boost | Omega-3 + polyphenols | +5 / 25 |
| Skin Score | 97 / 100 · GLOW |
Nutrition in one serving (12 g)
| Carbs | 7.2 g · GI 45 |
|---|---|
| Dairy | 0 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.4 g |
| Omega-6 | 0.6 g |
| Omega-3 | 0 g |
| Polyphenols | medium |
Estimates for a typical serving eaten with a meal. Real foods vary by brand and recipe.
Compared with
- Poppadom vs white rice 61
- Poppadom vs white bread 67
- Poppadom vs naan 57
- Poppadom vs pita bread 65
- Poppadom vs french fries 51
- Poppadom vs hash browns 67
- Poppadom vs cornflakes 67
- Poppadom vs instant noodles 54
- Poppadom vs pasta 67
- Poppadom vs mashed potato 53
- Poppadom vs roast potatoes 63
- Poppadom vs baked potato 66
- Poppadom vs rice noodles 66
- Poppadom vs udon 62
- Poppadom vs ramen noodles 53
- Poppadom vs sushi rice 57
- Poppadom vs dumplings 58
- Poppadom vs tteok 53
Not medical advice. This score is for poppadom on its own. What you eat with it changes the result: protein and fat slow the sugar spike, and breakouts usually show up 3 to 7 days after a meal, which is why SpotBite tracks your meals over time rather than judging one food. Diet is one factor among many (hormones, genetics, skincare, stress, sleep).
See your own pattern
Scan what you actually eat and SpotBite shows which foods line up with your breakouts a few days later. Free on iPhone and Android.
Related foods
- White rice 61
- Brown rice 74
- White bread 67
- Whole grain bread 87
- Tortilla 77
- Naan 57
- Pita bread 65
- French fries 51