Everyone is inclined to blame chocolate as the cause of all×3 acne problems – but is chocolate really the culprit? This article delves into the subject of diet with special emphasis to acne development and the Western diet in particular.
The Chocolate Hysteria
Over the years, chocolate has become the whipping boy for many a skin’s hybernation – acne. Not this time however, some literature review considers this as a figure of speech. The largest of studies done on the topic which had 65 participants has however contradicted most of the theories by finding out that there was no relationship between the amount of chocolate consumed with the amount of acne developed.
As much as chocolate has a huge calorie content as well as high sugar, and saturated fat which are known to trigger certain inflammations, this particular tale is not a straightforward one. The anthocyanins in some dark chocolate for example greatly reduce high risks of inflammatory skin disease so that such chocolate can even be helpful for the skin.
Thus, while chocolate may not escape unscathed, it is only part of the bigger picture and not the main antagonist when it comes to acne. The attention on the other hand is becoming more and more on the all important dietary habits relative to the skin.
The Western Diet Connection
If it is clear that chocolate is not the factor responsible for acne, then what is? A recent investigation such as Preventive Psychology finds that western diet characterized by high intake of saturated fats and sugars and dairy is more to be blamed for the development and worsening of acne condition.
The justification for this is the glycemic index (GI) of some food items. Foods with high GI, for example, refined sugars, cause an increase in blood glucose levels almost immediately after intake. An increase in glucose levels signals the body to release hormones that cause the skin oil glands to go on overdrive and produce sebum (the oil that clogs pores and cause acne).
In addition, such an energy dense and poor diet also leads to chronic, low-grade inflammation in fat tissues and outlying organs such as skin. This chronic inflammation then poses out a threat towards the fighting mechanism against the acne that develops.
Surprisingly, it has also been demonstrated that ethnic groups that practice traditional low-glycemic index are not prone to these conditions hence concluding that high glycemic processed foods prevalent in western societies could be the reason for the rise of acne vulgaris in the population studied.
There are several confounding factors with respect to dietary habits and acne and yet one factor stands out that a diet pattern that includes excessive amounts of refined carbohydrates, saturated fats and sugars is associated with an increase in the incidence of acne more than what is appreciated.
Conclusion
In short, the chocolate acnes have largely been dismissed after studies were carried out that looked for direct evidence linking the twos. Rather the emphasis is moving towards the effect of westernized diet, that consists of high glycemic carbohydrates and deficiency of essential nutrients, in the formation and worsening of acne. This knowledge helps a person in making better decisions about their diet that is sanitary and helps clear the mind while reducing inflammation for fresher and clearer skin.
