What we know: Do chocolates cause acne?

The million dollar question we ALL want the answer to: does chocolate cause acne? Can we really blame this delicious sweet treat for our annoying blemishes or breakouts? Well lucky for you, we’ve done our research!

Believe it or not, but the everlasting question between chocolate and its association with acne has been studied since 1969! That is a VERY long 53 years… We’re constantly wondering if it could be the fats, sugars, or even the chemicals used to create these delicacies that are causing breakouts on our skin. Thankfully, science has some answers!

Before I get you too excited, there aren’t any OFFICIAL answers I can give you, although there are some studies which point in the direction of chocolate being the culprit of acne - suggesting that chocolate may however exacerbate existing acne or encourage new breakouts in acne-prone skin. A 2014 scientific study found that after eating 25 grams of 99% dark chocolate every day, 25 acne-prone males showed a significant increase in breakouts after two weeks. As another two weeks passed, the results continued to persist. 

On the other side of the coin, there are studies which ignore the link between chocolate and acne altogether. Scientists have found that high sugar and high dairy intake can increase sebum production, which therefore causes extensive oil production in the body and ultimately leads to breakouts. Other research also suggests that the cocoa beans used in quality dark chocolate are an excellent source of antioxidants! Antioxidants are known to reduce the production of free radicals that are actually bad for your skin, eradicating damaged skin cells to keep your skin feeling and looking fresh!

We at Ritology believe that it’s important to follow a diet that is suitable for you - avoid chocolate with a high sugar and dairy content… or simply eat it as you wish! Stay up to date with @RitologyDaily for more scientific discussions!