For adults navigating mild to moderate acne, a simple daily snack may offer quiet support.

A 2026 randomized controlled trial in Nutrients tested whether eating almonds every day could influence adult acne severity, skin hydration, and the mix of microbes living on facial skin in adults aged eighteen to thirty-five with acne vulgaris.

Seventy-four participants were assigned either sixty grams of whole, unsalted almonds with skins (about 350–360 calories) or an isocaloric snack made from grain-and-legumes, while continuing their usual acne care.

Over twenty weeks, researchers tracked inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesion counts, along with sebum and hydration readings, three-dimensional imaging of adult acne lesions, blood markers, and acne-related quality-of-life scores.

By week twenty, the almond group had about a twenty-two percent drop in total lesion counts, compared with roughly ten percent in the control group, with particularly strong reductions in non-inflammatory lesions.

Imaging showed that individual pimples and clusters were smaller in volume, area, and height, and more participants shifted from mild or moderate adult acne toward clearer skin on a standard clinician-rated severity scale.

Skin moisture levels improved in the almond group, and the facial microbiome became more diverse and richer in different bacterial types—changes the authors interpret as signs of a more resilient skin ecosystem.

At the same time, several cardiometabolic markers, including LDL and non-HDL cholesterol, fasting glucose, and the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, improved, suggesting broader anti-inflammatory and metabolic benefits.

Because almonds are naturally rich in monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, fiber, magnesium, zinc, and polyphenols, the researchers propose that antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood-sugar-modulating effects may help quiet pathways that drive excess sebum, clogged pores, and local inflammation, while also supporting healthier skin microbes.

They emphasize that almonds should be seen as a complementary, food-based strategy alongside standard acne treatments—not a replacement for medical care, and not yet a one-size-fits-all solution across different populations.

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Adapted from: Moitra P, Madan J, Shah K, et al. “Almond supplementation improves acne lesions and skin microbial diversity in adults with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.” Nutrients. 2026;18:625.