Have you ever wondered if the zits on your chin or forehead are caused by chocolate? You are not the only one. Scientists have also debated this question for decades, but opinions have so far been divided.
Here’s What Science Says About Beans and Chocolate
Researchers at the Medical University of Pennsylvania concluded in 1969 that chocolate was not to blame for acne. In recent years, other studies have produced conflicting results.
For example, a small 2014 University of Miami study showed that young men with a history of acne developed acne faster after eating chocolate. According to a similar 2016 study conducted by Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, eating dark chocolate can lead to more pimples.
One piece of chocolate is not the same as another
Both studies had a small test group consisting only of men. This is a conscious choice, because for women, hormonal fluctuations can also lead to increased acne. This makes it more difficult to study the relationship between chocolate and grains. Regardless, it’s already a challenge, says dermatologist Francis Wu of the Dermatology Center in Utrecht.
“Chocolate is often lumped together, but it’s hard to standardize. The composition of Mars chocolate is very different from Swiss chocolate. Belgian praline is also different from dark chocolate.”
Furthermore, chocolate consumption is not independent of your other lifestyle and eating patterns. Stress and hormones can also cause acne. Do you eat an extra bar of chocolate because you don’t feel well? So it’s hard to tell if the pimples that follow are the fault of the chocolate or the stress you’re going through.
Carbs Can Cause Skin Inflammation
However, what you eat does have an effect on your skin. “There is a link between diet and grains, especially milk, where protein plays a role,” Wu said. “Pasta, cakes, white rice and fast food can also contribute to acne. This is mainly due to unhealthy carbohydrates and saturated fat.”
Why Do I Get More Pimples After Eating Carbs? Carbohydrates activate certain hormones, which can cause skin inflammation.
This is how particles form
“A pimple is actually an inflammation of the sebaceous follicle,” says the dermatologist. “Several processes lead to the formation of pimples. Overproduction of androgens (a hormone that occurs naturally in the body) stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum.”
Excess sebum can clog pores. “This creates a closed environment in which acne bacteria can multiply, causing skin inflammation. When the bacteria multiply in the clogged pores, this can exacerbate inflammation and lead to the formation of pimples.”
Does chocolate really cause more pimples/acne?
Chocolate bars or candies also contain carbohydrates and milk (in powdered form). Therefore, pimples may appear after eating a bar of chocolate. But is chocolate really the culprit? Wu explained that this conclusion cannot be drawn.
“When I see patients with (teenage) pimples in the clinic, I’m not against it if they eat a piece of chocolate once in a while.” That’s good news for those who love chocolate.