Does chocolate cause you pimples? explains the dermatologist

“Chocolate gives you pimples,” is an expression we all have stored somewhere in our brains. But is this really true? Does chocolate cause you pimples?

According to hScientific Journal research Science has been addressing this problem for a long time. Because we sometimes claim that something very strong, like chocolate, will be bad for sleeping at night, but are these things true?

Look for chocolate and pimples

As for the chocolate and pimples story, opinions are divided. It turns out American research from 1969 Chocolate does not cause pimples. But opposite offers Another small-scale US study from 2014 Young people who are allergic to acne are more likely to develop pimples from chocolate. And a Thai study 2016 It concludes that eating dark chocolate causes pimples.

In other words, different theories. However, recent studies only examined men. Because hormonal fluctuations can also cause acne in women and this makes research difficult.

Dermatologist about chocolate and its skin effect

Dermatologist Frances Wu explains to the scientific journal that there are big differences in the types of chocolate. “Mars has a completely different texture than Swiss chocolate. And Belgian chocolate is different from dark chocolate.”

They also point out that your entire lifestyle and diet affects your skin. Stress and hormones also play a role. Blaming the chocolate alone, she says, is not true.

Milk, proteins and carbohydrates

But it is common knowledge that what you eat can also appear on your skin. “There is a link between diet and pimples, especially milk and protein play a role,” says Wu. But it also lists pasta, cake, white rice and fast food as “food” for pimples. This is mainly due to unhealthy carbohydrates and saturated fats. A dermatologist confirms that carbohydrates activate certain hormones that can cause inflammation in the skin.

A pimple is an inflammation of the sebaceous gland of the hair, Wu explains. According to her, there are several reasons that contribute to this. Such as, for example, the overproduction of the hormone androgen, which stimulates sebum secretion. Pores are clogged. “This creates an airtight environment and acne bacteria thrive in that environment, causing skin inflammation. When bacteria multiply in a clogged pore, it can exacerbate inflammation and contribute to the formation of a pimple.”

Blisters from other materials

So to get back to chocolate, you have to look at all the substances in the sweets. A milk chocolate bar or bonbon also contains carbohydrates and milk (powder). According to Lu, you may have a pimple from it. But a dermatologist confirms that an occasional bar of chocolate doesn’t really hurt.

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