According to some UK scientists based in London, wrinkle-resistant skin could be just a square (OK, perhaps two) away.
Wrinkles that are the result of overexposure to the sun’s UV rays may be prevented by consuming dark chocolate with high flavanol content.
Dark chocolate has been used for a myriad of conditions, such as dysentery, constipations and fevers. Small amounts of dark chocolate have been linked to improved heart health which in-turn helps to prevent heart disease. The health benefits have been well documented all over the world but is important to stress that eating small amounts (grams, not kilo’s) is key. A small enough amount to satisfy our chocolate craving without resulting in zits and pimples – despite being well beyond our teenage years – should be the guide. (In case you were confused, it is how much sugar chocolate contains that leads to zits, not the chocolate itself).
Assertions like these—that chocolate is good for our skin—seems to contradict what many of us have learned when it comes to consuming chocolate. Well, the researchers aren’t talking about your typical milk chocolate bar. They’re talking about the high flavanol variety of dark chocolate. That chocolate is more bitter than sweet.
So as you go in search of the chocolate variety that is best for your skin, remember the higher the cocoa percentage is, the better (look for 70% and up). Your typical chocolate bar is low in flavanol’s because this is what most people prefer, a sweet rather than bitter confectionary. However, bitter should not mean it will taste bad; good quality dark chocolate is simply less sweet.
Fortunately, there are well-known commercial varieties of high flavonol content dark chocolate, so what more do you need? Enjoy the benefits without the guilt – heaven!
