A dilemma that lovers of chocolate all over the world face whenever they pop a heavenly piece of delicious chocolate in their mouth is-Does chocolate cause acne! Well, you can finally heave a sigh of relief if you are an ardent lover of chocolate. Skin care experts have come to a conclusion that acne is not caused by the food we eat. Instead, it can be the result of dead skin cells that accumulate within our pores, excess skin oil or sebum or certain bacteria that cause skin problems. This also solves the riddle as to why so many of us who gorge on French fries and candies have luminescent skins, while others who survive on green leafy vegetables get a crop of acne every now and then.

The biggest myth that has haunted food lovers for long has been that oily foods result in oily skin that finally leads to acne. However, the truth is that greasy food does not result in oily skin. Even though that does not mean that you should head straightaway for a bag of French fries, it surely means that you need not worry about waking up with fresh acne in the morning if you have indulged yourself on some sumptuous dishes at dinner.  Changes in skin texture are mostly the result of hormonal fluctuations in the body. So, oily skin is mostly the result of hormonal changes within the body that in turn may be the result of a host of other reasons.

Foods and Acne; Breaking the link

The good news is that till date no definitive study has been able to link diet and acne. Most skin experts will advise you to thrive on fresh fruits, juices and raw vegetables for a clear, healthy skin but believe me, the chances of someone who practically lives on burgers and chips having a peaches and cream complexion is equally bright. Well, that still does not rule out that eating a particular food may result in a breakout as you could be allergic to that food. So, if you get frequent breakouts on eating a particular food, avoid it.

The possible link between chocolate and acne has been propagated mostly because of the high fat content of chocolates. Since it has been established that acne is caused by skin oil called sebum, it came as a natural conclusion to many that fatty foods, such as chocolates, will result in producing more sebum and thus lead to acne. However, research has established that eating fatty foods, such as chocolates, does not produce sebum. So, there is no definitive link between chocolate eating and the production of sebum.

Foods and skincare

Well, despite all the arguments above, we still cannot completely rule out the effect of diet on our overall health, and that includes skin. Many people claim that they get an outbreak of acne when they eat a particular item of food. While, as discussed above, no clinical study has proved a causal link between food and acne, it is possible that certain foods can cause an allergy related to the skin or may make acne worse.

So, even though, no one has been able to establish a clear association between foods and acne, it is better to eliminate certain types of foods from your diet if you feel they are making your acne worse. A simple test would be to remove that food item from your food intake for a few weeks and watch the results. If your skin shows a marked improvement after few weeks, then it is possible that you were allergic to that food.

Even though medical experts have not proved that acne can be caused by the intake of chocolates or greasy food, eating right still remains the best choice for those who wish to stay healthy and have a clear, radiant skin. Even though one cannot eliminate greasy foods from one’s diet altogether, foods like chocolates and French fries should be eaten in moderation as they may cause other complications such as obesity, high cholesterol and so on.

The fact also remains that eating healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, is surely good for our system and this eventually has an effect on our overall appearance that includes our skin. It has been proved that drinking lots of water flushes out the toxins from our body and this again is sure to improve the texture of our skin. On the other hand, the absence of a causal link between greasy food and acne should not be treated as a recommendation to intake oily food. Even if it’s your skin that is not being affected by this intake of oily foods, there are other detrimental effects of greasy food that you should be cautious enough to avoid.

Chocolate and skincare; something to celebrate!

In fact, chocolate lovers around the world may actually have something to celebrate. Food experts have proved that Dark chocolate contains flavenoids, an antioxidant that has been proven to lower cholesterol. This means that by eating a bar of dark chocolate occasionally, you may actually be lowering your chances of a heart disease. In fact, certain research studies have proved that eating a chocolate may actually reduce your chances of having acne. The credit for this again goes to flavonoids and the presence of antioxidants in a dark chocolate that not only fights acne, but prevents wrinkles as well.

Chocolate is also known to reduce stress, the most common enemy of healthy skin.  Stress results in stimulating the sebaceous glands, which in turn causes acne.  Chocolate activates the pleasure receptors in our brain, thus inhibiting stress. A hot cup of cocoa facilitates blood flow to the skin cells, resulting in a more hydrated and better looking skin.

Talking of the benefits of eating chocolate, it’s also worthwhile to mention a researcher who has claimed that eating chocolate leads to sexual desire and fulfillment. So, chocolate lovers around the world can now take their next bite of this heavenly delight without a care in the world!