We all love our chocolate and recent research has given us myriad health reasons why that daily dose of dark chocolate is good for us.
Now recent research shows us that chocolate—or at least a component of chocolate—can also erase wrinkles.
What’s not to love?
The benefit actually comes from the flavonoid-rich cocoa pod, the outer part of the cocoa fruits discarded during cocoa bean processing.
Malaysian research published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, showed that the extract of the cocoa pod not only improved skin elasticity and helped build skin-plumping collagen, it also provided skin-renewing antioxidants and acted as a natural sunscreen and skin lightener.
More delightful health benefits from the chocolate family:
1. Antioxidants: It’s loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants and has more flavonoids that almost any food.
2. Magnesium: It’s a great sources of hearth healthy magnesium
3. Endorphins: It’s a rich sources of those feel-good endorphins that reduce anxiety.
4. Diuretic: It helps reduce water and bloating, and is especially effective in combating PMS.
5. Lowers cholesterol: Several studies show regular consumption of dark chocolate lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
6. Prevents heart disease: In other ways, chocolate helps improve blood flow and it is theorized that its theobromine (toxic to dogs, BTW) helps release artery expanding nitric oxide.
7. Internal sunscreen: In addition to the skin protecting effects of cocoa, eating chocolate. German research shows that regular chocolate eaters were less likely to get sunburn or peel. Other research shows that chocolate does not cause acne.
8. Improved brain function: Not only does chocolate improve blood flow to the brain, it also has been shown to significantly improve cognitive function in elderly people with memory impairment.
9. Anti-inflammatory: Gut bacteria have been shown to break down and ferment the components of chocolate, effectively turning it into a natural probiotic.
The big but…
There’s a big “but” here: The chocolate you consume must be dark chocolate (I recommend organic with at least 70% cocoa content). Milk chocolate is high in sugar and the milk in it may actually block some of the health benefits.
Even the “lighter” dark chocolate may have large amounts of sugar, which will undo all the good you may have done.
A good dark chocolate will contain large amounts of cocoa butter, making it melt in your mouth.
Then take a little cocoa butter (not from your chocolate bar!) and rub it on your skin to banish wrinkles.
Kathleen, thanks for the reassurance about dark chocolate’s benefits. I’ve been enjoying one or two cubes of Trader Joe’s perfect chocolate for some time now. But did you see the recent Consumer Reports report that said chocolate also carried heavy levels of lead and cadmium? And said Trader Joe’s was one of the worst How do you square those separate opinions. I hope your research is right.
We all love our chocolate and recent research has given us myriad health reasons why that daily dose of dark chocolate is good for us. 
Kathleen, thanks for the reassurance about dark chocolate’s benefits. I’ve been enjoying one or two cubes of Trader Joe’s perfect chocolate for some time now. But did you see the recent Consumer Reports report that said chocolate also carried heavy levels of lead and cadmium? And said Trader Joe’s was one of the worst How do you square those separate opinions. I hope your research is right.
Gail Livingston