Common Eczema Food Triggers and What to Eat Instead

If cow's milk triggers eczema symptoms for you, try switching to unsweetened oat milk instead. Oat milk is creamy and often fortified with calcium and vitamin D, which can help you replace nutrients milk provides for bone health. You can put it in cereal, smoothies, oatmeal, or coffee — anywhere you'd typically use milk. If you don't have an allergy to them, try almond, coconut, or cashew milk.

Sugar can kick off an inflammation response that causes an eczema flare. Instead of drinking sodas or other sugar-filled drinks, add flavor to water with fresh fruit such as sliced strawberries, lime, lemon, blueberry, or even cucumber and mint. For hot drink options, try chai tea with cinnamon or an almond milk latte with cocoa powder. You'll hydrate and prevent eczema symptoms all in one.

Having eczema doesn't automatically mean you'll have a sensitivity to wheat or gluten (a protein found in grains like wheat and rye), but it does raise your risk of it. To see if gluten or wheat could be contributing to your flares, swap your breads and pastas for gluten-free versions. Typically, you'll find a whole section of these options in the grocery store, or they may be scattered within each section separately. You can also stick with ancient grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat, and millet.

Eggs are a common food allergen that can affect people with eczema. When eggs are behind your flares, you'll also need to avoid foods with eggs as an ingredient, like baked goods. When baking, you can substitute mashed banana, applesauce, chickpea liquid, or a flax or chia mixture (flax or chia seeds mixed with warm water) to get the same results.

When nuts are at the root of your eczema symptoms, you can sub in seeds for many of the foods you'd find them in. For example, sunflower butter or pumpkin seed butter can work well as swaps for peanut butter, and the whole seeds work well for a crunch in granola or bread.

To avoid eczema reactions from soy, you'll need to take away any foods made with soybeans. Soy products include foods like tofu, edamame, miso, soy sauce, and tempeh. For a soy sauce substitute, try coconut aminos, which have a similar salty flavor profile. You can also find soy-free margarine, if you're also avoiding dairy.

A nightshade allergy is one of the less common causes of eczema symptoms, but if you suspect it could be making your flares come more often, you'll want to take tomatoes, white potatoes, bell peppers, and eggplant off your menu. Luckily, there are veggies you can eat in their place. Try sweet potatoes instead of white, red, or yellow potatoes; mushrooms in place of eggplant; zucchini instead of pepper; and beets or carrots instead of tomatoes.

For some people, handling citrus can cause an eczema skin reaction. You may find that simply wearing gloves and washing your hands well afterward solves the problem, or you may need to pick alternatives to oranges, lemon, lime, and pineapple. Good vitamin C-rich options include strawberries, kiwi, papaya, guava, and cantaloupe.

Packaged snacks, fast food, and highly processed meals often have additives, excess sodium, and added sugars. For your meals, stick with simple, whole foods like roasted vegetables, brown rice, beans, and grilled chicken.

Studies show that alcohol increases skin inflammation in nearly everyone, not just people with eczema. Limit your alcohol intake and instead enjoy sparkling water with added natural flavors such as ginger, mint, or fruit. Or opt for nonalcoholic versions of wine and beer, or a mocktail. Be sure to keep your sugar intake in mind as you drink alcohol-free options.

Fried foods and some packaged snacks that are high in saturated fats may ramp up inflammation in your body and also weaken your skin barrier. Replace them with foods rich in unsaturated fats, such as avocado, olive oil, and seeds. Try avocado toast on gluten-free oat bread or a salad with olive oil dressing.

Seeing the list of potential eczema triggers may feel overwhelming, but your best bet for overall health is to eat a whole-food diet focused on lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables, and to avoid heavy amounts of sugar, alcohol, processed foods, refined grains, and high-fat foods.