At one point or another, I think all parents have told their children, “If you eat too much chocolate it will give you pimples!” I was always the one to argue with my parents, saying that acne comes from blocked pores, which eating certain foods has no effect on. But is there any truth behind this claim, or is a just a ploy for parents to get their children so stop eating so much candy? Many other factors have been proven to contribute to the appearance of acne such as family history, age, and stress levels, but could diet have something to do with it as well?
One study included 65 participants with a ranging severity of acne and divided them into two groups. “One group was given a chocolate bar enriched with 10 times the normal amount of cocoa. The other group was given a placebo bar (without the extra cocoa). The groups were told to eat the bars daily for a month.” (bbc.com) After three weeks, the groups switched bars and scientists, who were monitoring the students’ acne weekly, reported no effect on acne development. This, however, does not account for the fact that breakouts may have occurred mid-week. Also the fact that the Chocolate Manufacturers’ Association of the United States of America conducted this study leaves room for some skepticism. (bbc.com)
Another study took 27 college-age students and told them to “eat large amounts of chocolate, milk, fizzy drinks and roasted peanuts every day for a week.” (bbc.com) No outbreaks were recorded, but the study is not dependable based on the small amount of subjects and timescale as well as the lack of control group.
There have been some smaller, more conclusive studies that show strong links to chocolate and acne, but for the most part, scientists are still somewhat unsure exactly how some diets can affect the skin. (bbc.com)
There is the possibility that there are other factors in affect as well. Stress causes inflammation, and therefore, acne and stress can also lead people to binge eat junk food, including chocolate. Until there is more concrete evidence, it looks as thought chocolate and acne share nothing more than a casual link.
I think that even if chocolate caused skin SORES people would still find a reason to eat chocolate. It has historically been one of man’s most beloved snacks, desserts, and treats. However, it is also possible that different types of chocolate can be the cause of slight acne. Chocolate with more sugar could cause the skin to react differently than an unsweetened chocolate.
I have been told by my doctor that eating chocolate can cause acne. So after that statement, I stopped eating chocolate. However, today while I was reading other peoples blogs, I came across something very interesting. I found out that eating dark chocolate could be beneficial for our skin. Dark chocolate contains high concentration of cocoa and the chemicals in the cocoa act as antioxidants within the body. This protects the body’s cells from free radicals. So in a way, chocolate can help us control acne. If you want to know more, here’s a link.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/05/does-chocolate-cause-acne_n_1566076.html
I certainly think there is validity in the idea that eating junk food can lead to acne. It is already known that most junk food is high in grease and other non healthy ingredients. I also definitely agree that the time people are most prone to eating junk food is definitely after a breakout. When people don’t feel good about their outward appearance they turn to fatty foods for comfort. However chocolate in moderation seems like it shouldn’t do any real damage to your skin.