Rescue Your Skin This Summer With CHOCOLATE!
Your skin is the largest organ in your body and your body’s first line of defense against the outside world
. Due to this, your skin is most vulnerable to attack from pollution, chemicals, the elements and harmful UV rays. What if there was a way to protect your skin using one of the most delicious foods in the world? Well, chocolate could be the answer to your skin issues.
Dark chocolate is made from the cacao bean, it is quite strong and a little bitter however, it has numerous health benefits as well as beauty benefits. Dark chocolate is rich in nutrients, minerals and antioxidants which are great not only for the body but also for the skin.
The Skin Benefits of Dark Chocolate
As mentioned above, dark chocolate is rich in minerals, vitamins and most importantly, antioxidants. Antioxidants are one of the best substances to consume when looking after your skin. Antioxidants work by oxidising harmful free radicals which can cause your skin cells to become damaged and breakdown. Antioxidants are perfect for reducing the appearance of aging. Eating dark chocolate, high in cocoa solids, can help to keep your skin young, fresh and healthy.
Consuming dark chocolate in small amounts, regularly can help keep your complexion clear and retain the moisture and nourishment within your skin cells.
Stress can certainly contribute to unhealthy skin, so limiting the amount of stress you put on your body can relieve some of your skin care conditions. Chocolate has a number of ‘anti-stress’ properties which can reduce the levels of stress hormone within your body, meaning that your skin 
can remain healthy and stress free.
Dark Chocolate also has a number of sun protection properties. It helps to defend again the harmful UV rays and the conditions associated with these damaging rays, such as sunburn and skin cancer. Using skin care products containing cocoa solids is a good place to start when protecting your skin.
When dark chocolate is mixed with caffeine, they work in combination to detox the body and skin. It can remove dead skin cells and can moisture and replenish the new fresh skin cells underneath.
The Hair Benefits of Dark Chocolate
Not only is dark chocolate amazing for skin, is can also be very good for the hair. With all the daily pollution, environmental factors and attack from the elements, your scalp can become dry and damaged which can leave you open to infection and inflammation, such as dandruff or other scalp conditions. Dark chocolate has amazing anti-inflammatory properties, which are perfect when trying to tackle scalp conditions. Using hair care products that contain cocoa solids/dark chocolate can also help to minimise your chances of getting a scalp infection.
Not only does dark chocolate have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, it also contains a high moisture and nutrient content that can keep your locks feeling healthy, lush and thick.
If your hair is feeling a little thin and seems to be falling out in clumps, which happens to many of us at some time in our lives, then dark chocolate might be the answer for you. Dark chocolate helps to promote circulation, so slathering it onto your scalp can help to increase hair growth of healthy and happy hair. As it does such a good job at promoting circulation, it can also stimulate the hair follicles, which in turn, reduces hair loss.
The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is full of minerals which are good for stabilising blood pressure. Minerals such as magnesium and copper found in dark chocolate, can be a great addition to a healthy diet for individuals suffering with blood pressure fluctuations.
Dark chocolate can also help individuals who suffer with high cholesterol. It works to reduce the LDL’s (bad cholesterol) which can clog your veins and arteries.
Due to the high antioxidants in dark chocolate, it can also help to protect the heart from free radicals which can cause the heart cells to breakdown, causing such things as heart disease.
Dark chocolate is a mood stabiliser. Stress takes up a lot of our lives due to our hectic lifestyles and schedules. However, when we eat dark chocolate, our body releases endorphins which lower the amount of stress hormone produced. As the stress hormone lowers, so does our bad mood and our body begins to relax.
Dark chocolate is the perfect all-rounder for your skin, hair and overall health. Remember, all types of chocolate should be added to a healthy diet and consumed in moderation.