Have Your Chocolate and Eat It, Too
by Susan Tito

That seemingly innocent bag of M&Ms on your kitchen counter is calling you like a siren song, but you fear the dermatological repercussions. You have a choice: Resist temptation and look better for it, or break out the chocolate — and break out on your face. Luckily, your decision is a no-brainer: You can have your chocolate and eat it, too.

The assertion that chocolate causes acne is "just an old wive's tale that has been handed down through the years," says Dr. Jerome Shupack, a professor of clinical dermatology at New York University School of Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology. "Many parents pass this misinformation along to their kids and perpetuate the myth."

Shupack says the medical profession has long known that there is no connection between chocolate and acne. In fact, he says, a far-reaching study conducted approximately 20 years ago debunked that theory.

Blame It on Hormones

But if chocolate doesn't cause acne, what does? A number of factors, but primarily hormones, says Sheah Rarback, a registered dietitian in Miami and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Acne occurs when excess oil combines with dead skin cells and clogs pores. A surge in hormones — typical of what takes place during puberty — can cause increased oil production. Bacteria collect in the pores and cause the much-maligned blackheads, pus-filled whiteheads, and inflamed pimples characteristic of acne.

"I wish it were possible to clear up a complexion by not eating chocolate — that would be an easy fix," Rarback says. "Preventing a bad complexion is all about keeping your face clean, eating a nutrient-rich diet, and understanding that hormones play a major role in the formation of acne."

Chocolate: Victim of Circumstance

There's no doubt that chocolate has gotten a bad rap all these years. But how did this factual "meltdown" happen in the first place? Several theories abound.

Food allergies and sensitivities could play a role. Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which is similar to iodine.

"There are some people who are sensitive to iodine whose skin breaks out when exposed to it," says Shupack. "Somewhere way back when, some dermatologist, aware that the theobromine in chocolate is similar to iodine, put one and one together and got three."

For these individuals, even multivitamins that contain trace amounts of iodine can cause unwanted skin eruptions.

Teenage Connection to Candy

Susan Fussell, a spokeswoman for the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, in McLean, Va., offers a simpler explanation for the myth's origin: "We all know that one of the biggest contributors to acne is hormones, and teenagers are famous for hormonal changes."

Rarback concurs. "Teenagers are just at an age group where acne is an issue. Simply put: Teens eat a lot of candy and they get pimples."

So it's not far-fetched that someone along the way would make the correlation that chocolate causes acne, she adds.

At least acne-prone teens can take solace in the fact that the Hershey's bars they down by the pound aren't causing their skin breakouts. And for millions of people who consider chocolate the "confection of perfection," knowing there is no connection between consuming it and developing acne is the sweetest news yet.

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