So you ate that box of chocolate your S.O. or BFF gifted you for Valentine’s Day in two days when you had big plans to make it last a least a week? Don’t be too hard on yourself yet! While we can’t speak on the benefits of chocolate on your waistline, there are some good news to be had: chocolate can benefit your skin, as long as what you indulge in is dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa content and you keep your daily serving to an 1oz square. Intrigued? Read on to learn the 5 major ways chocolate can actually help you achieve healthy skin!

  • Protects skin from UV Damage and fights free radicals

    • If you’re a chocolate lover, you probably heard of “flavonols” by now- these magical antioxidants found in cocoa benefit skin by helping protect it from UV damage, as well as fighting free radicals, increasing blood flow, and improving hydration and thickness of the skin.

  • Helps combat stress

    • Cocoa has been proven to help reduce stress hormones, which is great for skin since less stress means less collagen breakdown and in turn, fewer wrinkles!

  • Decreases Inflammation

    • Inflammation can take a toll on the skin in many ways, including: acne breakouts, rosacea, and signs of aging (such as wrinkles and sagging skin). But a study on dark chocolate concluded that when cocoa is eaten with probiotics, it can help lessen inflammation in the digestive system, therefore helping you grow good bacteria needed for healthy skin.

  • Promotes New Cell Growth

    • Chocolate is full of minerals like copper, iron, and zinc. These minerals all promote new cell growth, which means new, healthy skin cells for you!

  • Reduces Sugar Cravings

    • We all know by now that sugar is not an ally to healthy skin since it causes insulin levels to spike, leading to inflammation. Inflammation, as we discussed above, is not good for skin either. But the good news is that cocoa is one of the only substances studied that reduces sugar cravings, leaving you more satiated, less hungry, and less likely to eat more sweets after eating dark chocolate. The reduced sugar cravings and indulgences mean your body will not have to deal with inflammation, which in turn means your skin will be healthier!

Now that you know dark chocolate can be great for your skin, why not treat yourself? If you’re in the Boulder/Denver area, we highly recommend checking out PIECE, LOVE & CHOCOLATE for all your decadent chocolate needs!