Ranch dressing vs ketchup for acne
Ranch dressing scores 67/100 (WARN) and ketchup scores 100/100 (GLOW) on SpotBite's Skin Score. Ketchup is the safer choice by 33 points, and the gap comes mostly from dairy.
Where the gap comes from
- Glycemic: Ranch dressing has glycemic load 0.5 (2 g carbs), Ketchup has 2.8 (5 g carbs). Faster sugar means more insulin, which can raise skin oil.
- Dairy: Ranch dressing has 25 g of dairy, Ketchup has 0 g. Milk proteins can act like growth signals in the skin.
- Inflammatory fats: Ranch dressing has 2.2 g saturated fat and 6.8 g omega-6, Ketchup has 0 g and 0 g.
Evidence: Hoppe 2004 (n=24): 1.5 L of skim milk a day raised IGF-1 by 19% within 7 days (study). All 13 sources.
Score breakdown, side by side
| Ranch dressing | Ketchup | |
|---|---|---|
| Glycemic (of 50) | GL 0.5 −0.9 | GL 2.8 −5 |
| Dairy (of 25) | 25 g −20.8 | 0 g 0 |
| Inflammation (of 25) | 2.2 g sat · 6.8 g ω-6 −15.6 | 0 g sat · 0 g ω-6 0 |
| Skin Boost (of 25) | 0.6 g ω-3 · low polyphenols +4.5 | 0 g ω-3 · medium polyphenols +5 |
| Skin Score | 67 · WARN | 100 · GLOW |
Estimates for a typical serving. Real foods vary by brand and recipe.
Verdict
If you are acne-prone, ketchup is the better pick of the two. A 33-point gap is the kind of swap that can show up in your skin within a week or two.
Not medical advice. Both scores are for the food on its own. What you eat with it changes the result, and breakouts usually show up 3 to 7 days after a meal. Diet is one factor among many.
See your own pattern
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