Eczema and Nutrition: Can Changing Your Diet Help?

Around 1 in 10 people will experience eczema at some point in their lives. The condition, also known as atopic dermatitis, causes skin to become dry, itchy, cracked, and sore. While it often begins in childhood and may ease with age, for many it remains a long-term and sometimes debilitating condition.

The exact cause isn’t fully understood, but genetics, immune system overactivity, and environmental triggers all play a role. For some, flare-ups are linked to soaps, detergents, stress, seasonal changes — and in some cases, diet.

Can diet play a role?

Certain foods don’t cause eczema, but they can worsen symptoms for some people. This usually happens through an immune response that triggers inflammation. Keeping a food and symptom diary can be a useful way to spot patterns and potential triggers.

In children especially, common food allergens such as eggs, milk, fish, and peanuts are linked to flare-ups. Beyond allergies, dietary patterns high in processed foods, red meats, and sugars — and low in fruits, vegetables, and nuts — are associated with worsening symptoms due to their pro-inflammatory effect.

Can elimination diets help?

Some people experiment with cutting out potential trigger foods to reduce flare-ups. Research suggests that an elimination diet can improve itching, sleeplessness, and skin severity in mild to moderate eczema.

However, there are important guidelines:

Remove one food at a time for at least 3 weeks to properly test its impact.
Avoid cutting too many foods at once, to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
Consider other non-food triggers (stress, weather, skin products).
Always maintain prescribed treatments alongside dietary changes.

It’s also important to focus on what you add to your diet. Many patients report better skin when increasing vegetables, organic produce, and omega-3 rich foods like oily fish or flaxseed.

Eczema and gut health

The gut-skin connection is gaining increasing attention. The gut microbiome helps regulate the immune system, and imbalances in gut bacteria have been linked to inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema.

Supporting gut health with prebiotic fibres, fermented foods, or probiotics may help reduce symptoms in some people. Detox-focused protocols such as Flush GBI — designed to clear waste from the gut and support a healthy microbiome — may also provide an additional layer of support by improving nutrient absorption and reducing systemic inflammation.

Does gluten play a role?

Gluten is often blamed for worsening eczema, but the evidence is mixed. Some studies suggest that people with atopic dermatitis improve when removing gluten, while others find no effect.

If you suspect gluten is a trigger, don’t remove it without professional guidance — a poorly planned gluten-free diet can quickly become nutritionally inadequate. Speak with your doctor or a dietitian before making changes.

Key takeaways

Diet can influence eczema, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle alongside stress, environment, and genetics.
Identifying trigger foods with a food diary is a practical first step.
Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet: more plants, less processed food.
Consider elimination diets carefully, under professional guidance.
Support your gut microbiome with fibre, probiotics, and cleansing protocols like Flush GBI.
Gluten may affect some people with eczema, but not everyone.

While dietary changes may not replace other treatments, they can be an empowering way to reduce flare-ups, improve skin health, and support overall wellbeing.