Love your dark chocolate and a glass of red wine? It may be better for you than you think.

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Dark Chocolate

Lets start by talking about dark chocolate since there are so many of us me included that need chocolate it seems to survive. The first thing to consider is that you must be eating the chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa. Higher the percent of cocoa the better although less people will want the bitter 85% or higher since its likely less satisfying although less sugar means healthier as in any case.

Why Dark Chocolate and not Milk Chocolate

The simple answer is “sugar”! Sugar is the worst possible thing you can put into your body for your skin and overall health for that matter. Dark chocolate 70% or better has much less sugar than milk chocolate which in most cases is only around 30% cocoa and will have the opposite effect on your skin. Dairy is also bad due to its effects on hormones and insulin but for the sake of this article we will stick with the worst reason and that is no doubt sugar.

The official reason you want to stay away from sugar is that it adds a rush of glucose to the blood that causes something called glycation. What this does is cross-links with collagen and elastin fibers making your skin tissue weak and destroying its elasticity. Side effect is wrinkles and sagging skin. This holds true to all candy and sugary snacks not just milk chocolate.

Finally the Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate which of course is made from cocoa has a potent antioxidant called flavonols proven to fight wrinkles by increasing your skins elasticity. There are even studies that show dark chocolate may even protect your skin from UV damage in turn reducing your chance for things like skin cancer.

All in all this does not mean to go crazy and eat a bar of chocolate every day but anywhere from 1oz - 3oz per day is good depending on your level of activity as chocolate is high in calories.

Red Wine

My father was actually told after going through prostate surgery to start drinking a glass of red wine every night before bed by him doctor. Seemed weird at the time but after reading about the benefits of red wine I’m glad I use that as my excuse to drink a glass at night as well. Found out along the way that red wine while good for your heart and bone health proves to be beneficial to skin as well.

Why Red Wine and its Benefits

I outlined the issues with sugar above and red wines have less of it than white although something found more abundantly in red’s called polphenols are antioxidants that fight free radicals that damage the skin. By fighting these skin-damaging free radicals it reduces acne and other infections as well as skin cancers and some fungal infections.

Again too much of a good thing can have the opposite effect. Be sure that you don’t go crazy as one glass is beneficial but more than that can have negative effects on your skin. Alcohol is a diuretic, causing your body to release water which will in turn dry out your skin. Also Vitamin A is important for healthy skin and heavy alcohol use may even decrease vitamin A levels enough to cause more damage than good.

Conclusion

This is all things that I have learned over time as I suffer from severe eczema and have all my life. I can tell the difference when I drink a glass of red wine at night before bed (with a glass of water as well). When I drink more than a glass I dry out and my skin turns white and flaky. No matter what thought there is no substitute for water and it doesn’t have to be drinking glass after glass as you get water from fruits, vegetables and even your coffee in the morning counts. Drink water or eat fruits and veggies throughout the day but just know its okay to have that glass of wine and piece of chocolate as well.