Chocolate would give us acne... Or not. Studies say yes, others than not at all. It's complicated, even for scientists. In the fo...
Chocolate would give us acne... Or not. Studies say yes, others than not at all. It's complicated, even for scientists.
In the food sector, many analyses suggest that products with a high glycemic index, i.e. high in carbohydrates and fast sugars (sweetened drinks, snacks, etc.), are harmful to skin with an acne tendency. They would cause a peak of insulin in the blood, which would lead to an increase in the level of androgens, causing in turn an increased production of sebum.
This oily substance, secreted by the sebaceous glands, keeps the skin hydrated. But when too much sebum is produced, the oil and dead cells get stuck in the pores of the skin, creating pimples.
Insulin peaks are acnegenic, but with regard to the role of chocolate in particular, the influence is not demonstrated. "The chocolate your child consumes is a small amount wrapped around a piece of sticky caramel or ice cream. He probably has less influence than the rest," Patricia Farris, dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology, told CNN.
Unconvincing results
Previous research, some of which was funded by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association of the United States, has shown that there is no link between chocolate and acne.
But a recent study by Gregory R. Delost, from the Department of Dermatology at Cleveland Medical Center University Hospitals, who evaluated the effect of 25 Jelly Beans candies and a chocolate bar on the skin of 56 students, concluded that food could be a contributing factor. A minor drawback, however, is that Delost's analysis may have been distorted because the chocolate distributed contained milk, an acnegenic food.
For a research study dating from 2016, 25 men with acne tendencies consumed chocolate containing 99% cocoa once a day. After four weeks, Pravit Asawanonda, author of the study, noticed a significant increase in blackheads and pimples.
A similar experiment was conducted by Brian Berman, Professor Emeritus of Dermatology and Skin Surgery at the University of Miami. Unlike Asawanonda, he used a placebo in addition to pure cocoa capsules. The result is the same, acne has increased. However, his study could not be taken completely seriously: only fourteen young men participated.
It is interesting to note that cocoa flavonoids are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Unfortunately, even dark chocolate contains butter, which contains oleic acid, famous for clogging pores in animals.
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