How to Eat To Ease Psoriasis

Psoriasis is one of the most common chronic skin conditions in Canada, currently affecting about one million Canadians.  In 2014, the WHO recognized psoriasis as a “chronic, non-communicable, painful, disfiguring and disabling disease for which there is no cure and with a great negative impact on patients’ quality of life” due to the huge emotional, social, and economic burden of the disease. (1)  Psoriasis is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks itself, resulting in a rash of itchy, scaly patches of red and inflamed skin often covered with thick white or silver-coloured scales.  The patches occur most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp and bleeding can occur where the skin cracks. Psoriasis patches are cyclical and will flare up for a few weeks or months and then subside.  There is currently no cure for psoriasis, but treatment can relieve its symptoms and appearance and may help to interrupt its cycles.  (2,3)

The good news is that emerging science is revealing that relief for psoriasis may be obtainable simply through a simple lifestyle change.   A new investigation from the UK, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, suggests that the severity of psoriasis may be alleviated by choosing to eat high quality foods.  (4)

This analysis collected and analysed data from 257 adults with psoriasis.  Using a food frequency questionnaire researchers looked at the adherence of participants to foods outlined in diet quality scores including the Mediterranean Diet Score, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score, and the Healthy Plant-based Diet Index (hPDI).  Psoriasis severity was self-assessed by the participants using a validated questionnaire.  Possible confounding factors including age, sex, smoking status, alcohol intake, energy intake and mental health were taken into account to ensure that the results reflect the actual relationship between the variables being studied.  (4)

 

What Are the Characteristics of the Foods Found in the Diet Scores Used in This Research?:

The Mediterranean Diet Score highlights whole or minimally processed foods.  It is rich in foods that protect health (fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, fish and olive oil) and low in adverse dietary factors (fast food, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grain products and processed or energy-dense foods) and allows a low amount of red meat and alcohol intake.

The DASH Dietary Score emphasizes fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and limits salt, sugar, saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol by allowing low intake of low-fat dairy and lean meat.

The Healthy Plant-Based Diet Index is based on healthy plant foods including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes and unsaturated plant oils while limiting animal-sourced foods, refined starches and sugary foods and drinks.

 

Results of the Study are as Follows (4):

• Participants with very low adherence to the DASH diet index and the Healthy Plant-Based Diet Index reported significantly higher severity of their psoriasis.
• Within the DASH dietary pattern, higher intake of red and processed meat was associated with more severe psoriasis while intake of fruits, nuts and legumes were associated with less severe psoriasis.

The researchers advised that incorporating this dietary information into the regular care of psoriasis patients would offer a promising additional approach for managing their condition.

This new research adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of diet in the management of psoriasis.  (5,6,7)

  

Why Does Increasing the Intake of Plant-Sourced Foods Calm Psoriasis?

Eating Plants Promotes a Healthy Gut Microbiome (6): 

Gut dysbiosis is known to lead to metabolic problems.  Psoriasis is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome with the two conditions often occurring together.  This may be because they share the same underlying factors including oxidative stress and inflammation. When both conditions are present at the same time in one person the severity of the psoriasis is increased.

Note:  Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of three or more of the following conditions conditions existing together – increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, high triglyceride levels and abnormal cholesterol levels. (9)

 In addition, plant-based diets increase the population of beneficial bacteria in the gut which reduces gut dysbiosis and promotes overall health.

  

Eating plants reduces inflammation (6,8):

Psoriasis is a disease driven by chronic systemic inflammation and many of the medications used to treat psoriasis are aimed at decreasing inflammation.  However, there is more than one way to reduce inflammation.

• Eliminating animal-based foods greatly reduces the intake of saturated fatty acids which are known to have inflammatory effects.
• Eating plant-based results in weight loss and reduced metabolic syndrome, thereby reducing inflammation and therefore psoriasis severity.
• Many plant-based foods (soy, green leafy vegetables, colourful fruits and vegetables) contain phytonutrients such as carotenoids and isoflavones that are anti-inflammatory.
• Plants are rich sources of fiber. Increased fiber consumption can reduce gut dysbiosis and its related inflammatory effects.
• Plants are an excellent source of potassium which has anti-inflammatory properties.

  

Many Recent Studies Have Linked the Consumption of Plants with Reduced Severity of Psoriasis (6,8,10):   

Here are some examples.

• A dietary pattern low in processed foods is associated with decreased severity of psoriasis.
• Obesity is associated with the development of psoriasis. Plant-based diets encourage weight loss.
• Reducing intake of alcohol and nightshade vegetables is linked to psoriasis improvements.
• Eating fewer berries, and nuts while consuming more dairy products and sugary soft drinks are linked to worse psoriasis.
• People with more severe psoriasis were found to be consuming more red meat, belly meat and instant noodles.
• Eating plants high in antioxidants including carotenoids and isoflavones lessens the severity of psoriasis.
• Eating a Mediterranean diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, nuts, olive oil and seafood led to improvements in psoriasis while increased consumption of red or processed meat caused worsening of psoriasis.

 

Final Message:

If you suffer from psoriasis, making dietary changes is a helpful step you can take on your own.  Try to eat mostly whole plant-sourced foods including whole fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and to limit animal-sourced foods, refined starches and sugary foods.  With this lifestyle modification there are no medications to take so you need have no worries about possible side effects. In fact, changing to a healthier diet has only positive side effects.  You never know, this simple alteration might transform other aspects of your life too.

 

SOURCES:

1  Man, A.M., Orăsan, M.S., Hoteiuc, O.A., Olănescu-Vaida-Voevod, M.C., Mocan, T. Inflammation and Psoriasis: A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 8;24(22):16095. Doi: 10.3390/ijms242216095. PMID: 38003284; PMCID: PMC10671208.

2 https://www.canadianpsoriasis.ca/en/psoriasis/what-is-psoriasis/

3  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/psoriasis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355840

4  Zanesco, S., Maruthappu, T., Griffiths, C.E.M., Dalrymple, K.V., Gibson, R., Hall, W.L. Associations between diet quality indices and psoriasis severity: results from the Asking People with Psoriasis about Lifestyle and Eating (APPLE) cross-sectional study. British Journal of Nutrition. Published online 2025:1-36. doi:10.1017/S0007114525000340

5  Lewandowska, M., Dunbar, K., Kassam, S. Managing Psoriatic Arthritis With a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet: A Case Study. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2021 Feb 12;15(4):402-406. Doi: 10.1177/1559827621993435. PMID: 34366737; PMCID: PMC8299928.

6  Min, M., Tarmaster, A., Bodemer, A., Sivamani, R.K. The Influence of a Plant-Based Diet on Skin Health: Inflammatory Skin Diseases, Skin Healing, and Plant-Based Sources of Micro- and Macro-Nutrients. Life. 2024; 14(11):1439. https://doi.org/10.3390/life14111439.

7  Bonjour, M., Gabriel, S., Valencia, A., Goldhamer, A.C., Myers, T.R. Challenging Case in Clinical Practice: Prolonged Water-Only Fasting Followed by an Exclusively Whole-Plant-Food Diet in the Management of Severe Plaque Psoriasis. Integr. Complement. Ther. 2022; 28, 85–87.

8  Barrea, L., Balato, N., Di Somma, C., Macchia, P.E., Napolitano, M., Savanelli, M.C., Esposito, K., Colao, A., Savastano, S. Nutrition and psoriasis: Is there any association between the severity of the disease and adherence to the Mediterranean diet? J. Transl. Med. 2015; 13 (18).

9  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10783-metabolic-syndrome

10  Barros, G., Duran, P., Vera, I., Bermúdez, V. Exploring the Links between Obesity and Psoriasis: A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jul 6;23(14):7499. Doi: 10.3390/ijms23147499. PMID: 35886846; PMCID: PMC9321445.