Mindful Meals: Food That Causes Cellulite

Unsightly cellulite, most commonly found on the thighs and buttocks, have more recently become the bane of our existence. Not only can the appearance of cellulite bring about feelings of self-consciousness and low self-esteem, it is also extremely difficult to rid, which can also be stressful. While a large portion of cellulite sufferers believe that its’ production is normal, hereditary or genetic, while this all may be true, one key factor is commonly overlooked, diet. Unbeknownst to the majority of those with cellulite, its’ production has much to do with our diet. Without much thought put into the products we are consuming and how it may affect our body, we are unknowingly ingesting food that causes cellulite.

What Food Causes Cellulite?

Although the list is extensive, it’s important to ensure that we aware of the food we are putting into our body and how it may be affecting how we look and feel.

Dressing, Sauces, And Spreads

For all the ranch, ketchup and mayo lovers out there, your tried-and-true condiments may be more of a problem than a delicacy. Although some dishes seem incomplete without the delicious additive of dressings, sauces and spreads, they are playing a key role in the production of those unsightly dimples on our buns and thighs. With the ever so quotable line, “Is butter a carb?” Regina George was on a mission to lose some weight and although cheese fries weren’t the best alternative, it was smart of her to avoid the butter. Trans fats, like butter and margarine, are actually considered dangerous to the arteries and the heart. These products, and others of the like, can harden after consumption, making blood and oxygen circulation difficult. Additionally, products like butter and margarine cause the skins tissue to weaken, causing a more pronounced rippling of the skin.

Other items to avoid: BBQ Sauce, soy sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, processed salad dressing, and canned tomato sauce

Processed Meats And Cheese

While deli sandwiches are both delicious and easily accessible for a quick bite, cold cuts and select cheese products are loaded with sodium, often throwing us way over our recommended daily intake in one small meal. The standard serving size of deli meat is 790 milligrams of sodium, that’s ⅓ of our overall daily recommended sodium intake. This also goes for processed cheese like feta and cottage cheese.

Many think that these are the “healthier” alternatives and tend to work these into their daily diet, however, they are both loaded with high amounts of salt. So what are we getting at here? High sodium = water retention. Water retention is what makes us appear bloated and adds excess weight onto our “problem areas”, making cellulite more visible.

Other items to avoid: deli meats, bacon, red meat, sausage, processed cheese and whole dairy products

Carbonated, Caffeinated and Alcoholic Beverages

Although alcoholic beverages do not directly cause cellulite to form, they tend to constrict blood vessels in the skin which can make the appearance of cellulite more prominent. Additionally, when consuming alcohol, you are filling your body with empty calories while providing your body with no usable nutrients, further causing weight gain. As we age, our body tends to produce less collagen with time, thus causing more visible cellulite as the proteins to support the skin decrease. This also can be said for drinks that contain caffeine, like coffee and soda, or an overabundance of artificial sweeteners, like juices and energy drinks, which can be harmful to the state of your skin.

Other items to avoid: specialty coffee combinations, artificially flavored fruit juices, carbonated soda and energy drinks

Fast and Fried Foods

Fast and fried foods, although tasty and convenient, are quite obviously one of the most harmful foods we can put into our body. Fried foods are high in fat content and, when cooked at an extremely high temperature, create toxic substances that are no good for the body. When ingested, these toxins gather far away from vital organs, making it difficult to flush them out of our system. Beyond genetics, eating a large amount of fried foods can contribute to poor blood and oxygen flow while causing fat accumulation in all the wrong areas, a.k.a. the buns and thighs. In addition to causing cellulite, the consumption of fried foods that are loaded with toxic substances can wreak havoc on your skin, causing clogged pores, oily skin, breakouts and acne.

Other items to avoid: pizza, cheeseburgers, french fries, chicken nuggets and tenders, mozzarella sticks and any other deep fried, battered foods

Sweets And Treats

We all have a sweet tooth every now and then (or more often than we like to admit) and sometimes a snack can help curb a strong craving. However, these snacks are offering no nutritional value or benefit to our body and overall health. Besides, no one is capable of self-control when it comes to crispy, delicious potato chips or chocolatey treats.

Items that contain refined salt, trans fats, refined flour and sugar can be extremely harmful to the body. The overindulgence of processed foods over a long period of time can have an alarming effect on our overall health, increasing the risk of coronary disease. When the body is fed these refined salts and sugars, it goes into confusion mode, unaware of where to send this food. The body then counts these calories and sodium as “miscellaneous” fat and sets it on reserve, resulting in accumulated fat and cellulite.

Although these treats are knowingly delicious, they tend to keep us feeling hungry longer, as processed ingredients are needed in large quantities to give us that “full” feeling, resulting in overindulgence.

Other items to avoid: candy, chocolate bars, potato chips, dessert cakes, cookies and ice cream.

 It’s worth mentioning that although you would benefit from eliminating these items from your daily diet, you are not required to go “cold turkey”. Don’t deprive yourself of the food and drinks that you enjoy simply because they contribute to cellulite production. However, we do advise that it would be smart to indulge wisely and in moderation.

A cheat meal here and there is A-okay, so long as you are monitoring your intake and don’t over do it. Besides, we don’t want you to lead a cranky, miserable life and rob yourself of all the confectionary goodies in the world. Use this guide of food and drink that causes cellulite as a reminder to incorporate your cheat meals wisely and to ensure that you don’t fall off the wagon. More important than cellulite production, your health is extremely vital in leading a well-rounded lifestyle.

This list of foods that cause cellulite can also help you explore alternative cooking methods or substitutes to curb your craving without depriving yourself of the good stuff. If you find yourself having a hard time to rid stubborn dimpling in the thighs and buttocks and have already altered your diet to a more healthier regime, it may be beneficial to explore other options. At BeautyFix, we offer a wide variety of body contouring options such as Venus and Vacuum Butt Therapy that can help with the elimination of cellulite, resulting in a smoother, cellulite-free appearance.