Although all of the benefits of chocolate as an ingredientin skin care products and treatments are still unclear, you can still enjoy the benefits of its skin softening properties. Chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties and is now considered to be a health food. Because of the antioxidants in cacao that defend against free radicals, they might be able to stave off lines, wrinkles and discoloration. The antioxidant properties prevent the free radicals from causing damage to the skin’s elastin, other protein and collagen. Cocoa’s antioxidant potential is comparable to green tea. Dark chocolate, in particular, has a very high antioxidant potential. Chocolate is considered dark if it has 35 percent cocoa. Cocoa has a nourishing effect on the skin. Hydration of the skin is possible – chocolate is a good moisturizer. Chocolate has skin softening properties, probably as it contains cocoa butter. One can exfoliate the dead skin cells and regenerate new ones – thus, cocoa rejuvenates the skin. Eating foods that are rich in flavanoids, help to fight against sun damage. According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, participants who drank a special chocolate drink every day for 12 weeks experienced “25 percent less skin redness in response to UV exposure and also improved their skin texture and hydration. Want to read more? Subscribe to one of our monthly plans to continue reading this article.