Easy Snacks for Your Anti-Psoriasis Diet

If you live with psoriasis, you may find that certain foods cause your immune system to “misfire,” triggering the inflammation that can result in those all-too-familiar skin patches.

“I do believe patients who tell me that dietary and lifestyle changes affect their skin,” says Jessica Krant, MD, a dermatologist at Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City.

Still, the scientific evidence linking diet and psoriasis flares is inconclusive. “Some people say gluten makes symptoms worse, others say that sugar and sweets cause flare-ups. But we don’t have great data to confirm that,” says Delamo Bekele, MBBS, a rheumatologist and an assistant professor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

But it’s a good bet that people with psoriasis will benefit from a Mediterranean diet that emphasizes fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, nuts, and extra-virgin olive oil. A study in JAMA Dermatology found that participants who followed a Mediterranean diet had milder symptoms of psoriasis than those who didn’t.

Plus, the Mediterranean diet may help you lose excess pounds if you’re overweight, which can also ease psoriasis symptoms, according to Dr. Bekele. And as the JAMA Dermatology study noted, the Mediterranean diet may also decrease risks from some serious comorbidities associated with psoriasis, such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

The snacks below all focus on anti-inflammatory ingredients. Reach for them when you have a craving — and rest easy knowing you are nourishing yourself in the best way possible.

RELATED: 8 Foods That Affect Psoriasis