Unfortunately, we have to disappoint you right away: after decades of research, it has still not been definitively established whether chocolate is an enemy for your skin. That’s because previous studies used chocolate bars that were packed with sugar. It gave a distorted picture with contradictory results. For example, it was difficult to determine whether chocolate was the culprit, or just the amount of sugar in such a bar.
Too much sugar causes an increased insulin level in the blood. This, in turn, can stimulate sebum production and thus increase the risk of acne. Hormones during puberty, stress and other diets also have that effect. Those sebum factories can be the cause of your pimples.
Conflicting studies
Anyway, back to the scientific claim. Several studies show that there is no direct link between eating chocolate and acne. In 2016, The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found no significant correlation, and in 2014, the International Journal of Dermatology found no correlation either.
Still, other studies indicate that chocolate may contribute to the development of pimples. That is what the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology suggested in 2011. According to that study, it is simply due to the high amounts of sugar and milk that are found in most chocolate products.
Conclusion
So, chocolate doesn’t necessarily deserve the blame when it comes to pimples. But if you indulge in the sweetest chocolate bombs with sugar and milk, it could be the culprit. Keep in mind that only you know how much chocolate your skin can handle.
