Saturday, September 04, 2004

Chocolate Pimples

Chocolate Pimples

Chocolate pimples! hah! No such thing! I got into a small discussion today on whether the myth that chocolate actually causes pimples is true. I have been avoiding chocolate for some time, simply because of i always assumed that chocolates will ruin my face filling it with nasty pimples. Well got an article of the net on "The Chocolate and Acne Myth" which proves me wrong. For those of you who thought the same way i did, read on.

The allegation that consuming chocolate causes acne is a myth that has been going around for years. Doctors and scientists have refuted the old myth that chocolate causes acne after considerable research. A chocolate candy bar is innocent, but is blamed regularly. Other foods that are blamed include pizza, potato chips and dairy products. No foods have been proven to cause acne. If a person maintains a healthy diet and consumes healthy vegetables and fruits, acne can be prevented.

Overactive oil glands, heredity, dead skin cells that lodge in skin pores and hormonal changes cause acne. Androgen hormone production is at its highest during the teenage years. Outbreaks of pimples and blackheads can become a traumatic event for young boys and girls.
In recent studies, scientists have demonstrated the possibility of regulating hormones as a significant reduction element of acne.

Teenagers are not the only ones with acne. Women who are pregnant or in their 40s can have outbreaks, but by the time a person is 50 it usually has run its course. During the teenage years, boys are more susceptible to stronger breakouts than girls, but when they reach around 40, the women take the lead in numbers of flare-ups. Chocolate has been faulted by many arguments between teens and adults as the cause of acne, tooth decay, being overweight and lacking any food value. It has also been known as an anti-depressant, a cause of hypertension and even an aphrodisiac.

We know that chocolate is basically harmless unless, like everything else, it is over-consumed. Chocolate has been found not to cause nor aggravate outbreaks of acne. These results are backed up by further research that shows acne in no way is affected by chocolate.
Recent scientific studies have suggested chocolate boosts the serotonin in the brain that produces a calming effect and stability. Stress has been identified as a cause of acne. If chocolate stimulates the serotonin and calms the nerves, then chocolate could be found to assist in acne restraint.

Chocolate lovers will be pleased to know that nutritionists believe chocolate plays a nutritional role in a balanced diet. The facts are that chocolate carries about one-third of an adult’s daily requirement of antioxidants. Food of any kind is not responsible for acne. There are, however, other elements for acne such as hereditary, hormones, skin type, cosmetics and the environment. If eating something in particular causes an outbreak of zits the next day, it is advisable to stay away from that food for a while. If eating the same food again after a few days the result is an outbreak, the chances are it is an allergic reaction rather than an outbreak of acne.

So you see, im proven wrong. Chocolate is not the cause for pimples!