Chipotle & Acne

As a relatively healthy eater, Chipotle has always been one of my top destinations. The food (aside from the 300 calorie tortilla) is made from mostly healthy ingredients. Even as I became stricter in my diet, I was still able to eat a Chipotle bowl. Rice, green peppers & onions, beans, chicken, steak, lettuce, and salsa are all natural ingredients. As I started to follow a Paleo diet, I had to cut out the rice and beans, but I could still eat a relatively filling meal by ordering a bowl with extra chicken, extra steak, green peppers & onions. As my diet became stricter and stricter, my skin cleared up. But I noticed that 2-3 acne cysts formed virtually every time I ate at Chipotle. Further research helped determine what caused this: Virtually everything in Chipotle is completely soaked in soy oil. As a general rule, anyone who suffers from acne should only consume one of two types of oil: extra virgin olive or oil coconut oil. Anything else is likely to cause inflammation, leading to acne. Several Chipotle employees informed me that their chicken in steak were not in fact marinated in soy oil, so for a time I would order 4 sides of chicken/steak and eat that by itself.  Sadly, I still broke after every meal.  It turns out those employees are wrong.  Even the chicken and steak are cooked on soy oil.  In my opinion, if you suffer from acne and would like to cure it using diet, you will have to stay away from Chipotle until they start using Olive Oil to cook.  As a general rule of thumb, you should find out what type of oil any restaurant you eat at uses.  If they are using soy oil, it’s a red flag for several reasons.  First of all, soy (and soy oil) are common causes of acne.  Second, soy oil is a cheap ingredient and so there is a good chance the restaurant is using lower grade meat as well, and skimping in other areas.  Not everyone can afford to eat at fine dining establishments 7 days/week, but you are far better off cooking your own food than eating at a restaurant that uses low quality ingredients

2 Replies to “Chipotle & Acne”

  1. I know this is an old article, but it took me years to figure out that I had suddenly developed cystic acne out of the blue and couldn’t get rid of it. It was from eating at Chipotle! Stopped eating there and my digestive problems and horrible cysts stopped within a few weeks. I just happened to eat at a Chipotle-like restaurant (foolishly thinking they would have different ingredients) the next day. I had a sore nose and a cretain dread I’d have big cysts the next morning. 2 days later, still trying to get rid of them. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! I had no idea it was soy. Thanks for the explanation.

  2. I know this is an old article, but it took me years to figure out that I had suddenly developed cystic acne out of the blue after a Chipotle moved in near my work. I thought it was stress from work. Couldn’t get rid of it. It was from eating at Chipotle! Stopped eating there and my digestive problems and horrible cysts stopped within a few weeks. I just happened to eat at a Chipotle-like restaurant a few years later (foolishly thinking they would have different ingredients). The next day, I had a sore nose and a certain dread I’d have big cysts the next morning. Needless to say, 2 days later I’m still trying to get rid of them. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! I had no idea it was soy. Thanks for the explanation.

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