It is hard sometimes to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the food you eat. There are so many corporate marketing incentives behind the promotions and advertising surrounding any given food, that it is hard to figure out who is telling the truth. There are also always rumors that float around, and nobody seems to know where they originated or what kind of evidence supports their claims. Rumors can quickly become a widespread accepted belief if they spread far enough and aren’t challenged with scientific evidence.
Fortunately, plenty of evidence has surfaced recently in defense of the most universally treasured foods; Chocolate. It turns out, despite the rumors that have circulated for years, chocolate doesn’t cause acne, it is actually good for your skin.
There are a lot of different foods that provide great benefits to your skin. Foods like seafood, citrus fruits, nuts, whole grains, and red and green vegetables. These foods contain ingredients like Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Omega-3 fatty acids, Zinc, and Vitamin C, which all contribute to skin health in different ways. Vitamin E is known to fight inflammation and reduce skin-aging free radicals in the skin. Vitamin C also fights inflammation and neutralizes free radicals that prematurely damage and age your face. It also aids the body in its production of collagen, an essential protein that forms the basic structure of your skin. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce dryness and inflammation in the skin and also help to clear the heart’s arteries to improve circulation. Good circulation is crucial to skin health. Zinc is also an important nutrient that assists in new cell production and the sloughing off of dead skin, which helps to give the skin a nice glow.
Although most people wouldn’t include chocolate in a list of obviously healthy food choices like whole grains and green vegetables, it actually has some super nutrients of its own. It contains catechins and flavonoids. Polyphenols, such as the catechins found in cocoa, are actually reported to absorb UV light, which may contribute to the recent findings that daily cocoa consumption actually reduces UV sensitivity in the skin. These catechins are also responsible for improved blood flow, which is so important for healthy skin. Flavonoids are also a little understood nutrient in cocoa with substantial health benefits to the skin. Recent studies show that a diet rich in flavanols decreases sensitivity of human skin to UV light and helps maintain skin health by improving skin structure and function.
The mechanisms by which cocoa flavanols improve skin texture are not known, but the rise in skin blood flow caused by these nutrients is likely to be one of the primary causes for an improved appearance in the skin. Although the tests that show these findings are still relatively preliminary, further study has confirmed many of the health benefits that come from a consistent diet of flavanol rich cocoa. Of course, chocolate should be consumed in moderation. There is a new type of healthy chocolate that provides the perfect bite-sized portions for a healthy daily dose. It also comes complete with added nutrients and vitamins that help promote overall health as well as skin health.
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