Psoriasis is a skin condition where your immune system causes red, itchy patches. Scientists have found that what you eat can make psoriasis better or worse. This review looked at all the latest research about diet and psoriasis. The good news? Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats (like the Mediterranean diet) seems to help reduce inflammation and skin symptoms. If you’re overweight, losing weight may also improve psoriasis. And if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, avoiding gluten might help your skin too. The key is working with your doctor to find an eating plan that works for you and that you can stick with long-term.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How different types of diets and eating patterns affect psoriasis symptoms and severity in people who have this skin condition
  • Who participated: This was a review of existing research, so it looked at findings from many different studies involving people with psoriasis rather than conducting one new study
  • Key finding: Three main eating approaches appear helpful: the Mediterranean diet (lots of plants and healthy fats), weight loss for people who are overweight, and avoiding gluten if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity
  • What it means for you: You may be able to improve your psoriasis by changing what you eat, but it works best when you partner with your doctor or a nutrition expert to create a plan that fits your life and health needs

The Research Details

This is a review article, which means researchers looked at all the best scientific studies already done on nutrition and psoriasis. Instead of doing one new experiment, they gathered information from many different research projects to see what patterns emerged. They examined studies about different diets—like the Mediterranean diet, low-calorie diets, and gluten-free diets—and looked at how each one affected people with psoriasis.

The researchers focused on the most recent and highest-quality studies available. They looked for evidence that was strong and reliable, not just one or two small studies. This approach helps doctors understand what the overall scientific evidence says about food and psoriasis, rather than relying on just one experiment.

Review articles are important because they help doctors and patients understand the big picture. Instead of reading hundreds of individual studies, a good review pulls together the most important findings and explains what they mean. This is especially helpful for nutrition and psoriasis because there are many different diets people try, and it can be confusing to know which ones actually work. By reviewing all the evidence together, doctors can give better advice to their patients.

This review was published in a well-respected dermatology journal, which means it was checked by experts before publication. The authors looked at current research and focused on studies with solid evidence. However, because this is a review of other studies rather than a new experiment, the strength of the findings depends on the quality of the studies they reviewed. Some areas of nutrition and psoriasis have more research than others, so some recommendations are stronger than others.

What the Results Show

The Mediterranean diet appears to be the most helpful eating pattern for people with psoriasis. This diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils like olive oil. It’s anti-inflammatory, which means it helps reduce swelling and irritation in the body—something that’s important because psoriasis involves too much inflammation. This diet also helps protect your heart, which matters because people with psoriasis have a higher risk of heart disease.

Weight loss is another important finding. If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight may significantly improve your psoriasis symptoms. There’s a strong connection between carrying extra weight and having more severe psoriasis. Even modest weight loss can help reduce how often flare-ups happen and how bad they are.

For people with celiac disease (a condition where eating gluten damages your intestines) or those who test positive for gluten sensitivity, avoiding gluten may help reduce psoriasis severity. This doesn’t mean everyone with psoriasis should avoid gluten—only those with these specific conditions.

The research suggests that diet affects psoriasis through several pathways. Certain foods increase inflammation in your body, which can trigger or worsen psoriasis. Other foods have anti-inflammatory properties that calm your immune system. The gut health connection also matters—what you eat affects the bacteria in your digestive system, which influences your immune system and skin health. Additionally, diet can affect your weight, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, all of which are connected to psoriasis severity.

This review builds on earlier research showing that lifestyle factors matter for psoriasis. Previous studies showed that genetics play a big role, but they also found that environmental factors—including diet—can turn psoriasis on or off. This new review confirms those findings and provides more specific guidance about which diets work best. It also emphasizes that diet should be part of a complete treatment plan, not a replacement for medical treatment prescribed by your doctor.

This review has some important limitations to understand. First, it’s based on other studies, so it’s only as good as those studies. Some areas of nutrition and psoriasis have lots of research, while others have very little. Second, people are different—what helps one person’s psoriasis might not help another’s. Third, many nutrition studies are hard to do perfectly because people don’t always follow diets exactly as planned. Finally, most studies looked at diet’s effects over weeks or months, so we don’t know as much about very long-term effects.

The Bottom Line

If you have psoriasis, consider trying the Mediterranean diet as your first dietary approach (moderate to strong evidence). If you’re overweight, working with a healthcare provider on gradual weight loss may significantly improve your symptoms (strong evidence). If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, avoiding gluten is recommended (moderate evidence). Work with your doctor or a registered dietitian to create a personalized eating plan. Remember that diet works best alongside your regular psoriasis treatments, not instead of them.

Anyone with psoriasis should pay attention to these findings, especially if you’re interested in managing your condition through lifestyle changes. This is particularly relevant if you’re overweight, if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, or if you want to reduce your risk of heart disease (which is higher in people with psoriasis). However, these dietary changes should complement, not replace, medical treatment prescribed by your dermatologist. People without psoriasis might also benefit from the Mediterranean diet for general health, but that’s a different topic.

Don’t expect overnight results. Most research suggests it takes 4-12 weeks to notice improvements in psoriasis when you change your diet. Weight loss effects may take longer—typically 3-6 months to see significant changes in psoriasis severity. For gluten-free diets in people with celiac disease, improvements may take several weeks as your gut heals. The key is consistency: stick with dietary changes for at least 8-12 weeks before deciding if they’re working for you.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your daily meals using food logging, and rate your psoriasis symptoms (itching, redness, flaking) on a scale of 1-10 each day. Look for patterns between what you eat and how your skin feels over 2-4 week periods. Note which foods seem to trigger flare-ups and which meals make your skin feel better.
  • Start by adding more Mediterranean diet foods: eat a colorful salad with olive oil dressing at lunch, snack on nuts or fruit, use olive oil for cooking, and eat fish twice a week. Make one small change per week rather than overhauling your entire diet at once. This makes it easier to stick with and helps you identify which changes actually help your psoriasis.
  • Create a weekly summary that combines your food log with your symptom ratings. Every 4 weeks, review the data to see if certain eating patterns correlate with better or worse psoriasis days. Share this information with your doctor or dietitian to refine your approach. Adjust your diet based on what the data shows, not just how you feel in the moment.

This review summarizes current research on nutrition and psoriasis but is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Psoriasis is a complex condition that requires individualized treatment. Always consult with your dermatologist before making significant dietary changes, especially if you take medications or have other health conditions. While diet may help manage psoriasis symptoms, it should complement—not replace—medical treatments prescribed by your healthcare provider. If you have celiac disease or suspect gluten sensitivity, work with your doctor before eliminating gluten from your diet. Results vary by individual, and what works for one person may not work for another.