SKIN CARE : Dark Chocolate's Skin Benefits

Dark chocolate is full of flavonols, a type of flavonoid that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When eaten on a regular basis, studies have shown that flavonoids can actually protect your skin from UV rays. In one study, German scientists discovered that women who consumed a high-flavanol cocoa powder drink experienced 25% less skin redness in response to UV exposure than the group that did not. After 12 weeks, the women who consumed the flavanol-rich cocoa had skin that 16% denser, 11% thicker, 13% more moist, 30% less rough, and 42% less scaly than it was at the beginning of the experiment. Amazing!

Before you go and buy every chocolate bar under the sun, keep in mind that only chocolate that is over 70% cacao has proven benefits. Make sure you are checking the ingredients – if the first ingredient is milk or sugar, the bar is not going to have more than 70% cocoa. Also, 2-3 ounces of dark chocolate per week is all you need, so have a one-ounce square as an afternoon treat only a few times a week to make sure you’re not getting the negative effects of fat, sugar and extra calories.