Chocolate and Acne
With Valentine’s Day come and gone, you may have some extra chocolate on your hands. For some acne sufferers, high-sugar foods such as chocolate are a scary thing, as many believe they can lead to acne. This is a debated subject on the net, with sites such as Acne.com openly stating that “contrary to popular belief, chocolate does not cause acne.” While I expect this is true for most people, most of the time, my more recent research has led me to believe that it’s not quite the universal fact some sites would lead you to believe, and you really should pay attention to your diet if you want to maintain clear skin.
The reasoning here is related to B5 theory: that Coenzyme-A (which your body creates using vitamin B5) is required for the metabolism of acne-causing sebum. In the case of sweets such as chocolate, these may also contribute to draining your supply of Co-A, since your body uses plenty of Co-A in order to metabolize all that sugar. The unpredictable factor is that some people’s bodies are simply more efficient at metabolizing these foods than others, and as such, a box of chocolates can have no effect on one person, and potentially lead to a break out for another.
A Priest once told me “All things in moderation,” and this is really some of the best advice you can follow when it comes to sweets and your skin. A few pieces of chocolate are not going to make you break out, but if your metabolism has a weakness for sugar, a box of chocolates very well could. You may have noticed that certain foods often lead to skin problems, so just put some limits those foods. You don’t need to totally cut our your favorite treats, and by practicing a little more moderation, you may even find them more enjoyable when you do indulge. Don’t forget that B5 can help in a big way! B5 increases your Coenzyme-A supply, thus allowing your body to do a lot more work at once - metabolizing sugars with plenty of Co-A left over to take care of breaking down your skin oil.
