As the clock ticks down to the day of love, many are running around looking for last minute treats for their Valentine. I was among these people looking for the perfect gift for my sweetheart when I went to store after store and all I found was CHOCOLATE.
Yummy, ooey, gooey chocolate.
Who doesn't love to give a nice big heart shaped box of chocolate candies to their loved one on Valentine's Day? This year though I've decided to skip that tradition, because my spouse has become conscious of her skin and has developed a wonderful skincare routine that she is so proud of and I would hate for my Valentine's Day gift to derail that for her.
While there really is no scientific evidence linking chocolate to bad skin, scientists have found over the years that milk chocolate which is loaded with sugar and dairy can lead to inflammation and can dry out your skin. Sugar is also linked to early aging of your skin and the fats in chocolate can increase inflammation as well.
Does that mean that chocolate of all kinds is off limits? Not at all.
Dark chocolate has much lower levels of refined sugar in it and significantly less dairy and therefore does not pack with it a harmful punch to your skin. There are even some benefits to dark chocolate which include vitamins, antioxidants, and the lowering of bad cholesterol levels.
A little bit of dark chocolate won't hurt, but the store bought creamy, fatty, chocolates in a heart shaped box may need to stay on the shelf this season.
Share some love with your spouse this Valentine's Day, but don't sabotage his or her skincare routine. They will thank you for it in the end.
