Study shows photoprotective effect of chocolate

An independent study conducted by the London University of the Arts has revealed that eating chocolate rich in flavanols can significantly help to protect the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. The study demonstrated that regular consumption of specially produced chocolate with preserved high cocoa flavanol levels can more than halve the sensitivity of the skin to UV light. These results could pave the way for new possibilities in nutritional protection against damage caused by the sun.

The double-blind, randomized, in vivo study involved the daily consumption of 20g doses of chocolate by two random groups of each 15 healthy adult males and females. One group was given Barry Callebaut Acticoa dark chocolate, the other was given the same dose of chocolate made according to the same recipe but using conventional production methods. In the Acticoa group, the mean minimum erythema dose – or minimum dose of UV to cause reddening of the skin – more than doubled while no significant increase was observed in the conventional chocolate group. The authors of the study state that the photoprotective effect of Acticoa is most likely to be caused by the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of the cocoa flavanols found in vastly greater concentrations in the chocolate.

“Chronic UV exposure is the main cause of premature skin aging and also plays an important role in cutaneous carcinogenesis. Our study demonstrated that regular consumption of chocolate rich in flavanols confers substantial photoprotection and can thus be effective at protecting human skin from harmful UV effects,” says Dr Stefanie Williams, dermatologist, Cosmetic Science Group, London University of the Arts and private dermatology clinic European Dermatology London.

Previous studies have linked the regular consumption of cocoa flavanols to a host of beneficial effects from maintaining cardiovascular health to improved brain function or anti-ageing in general. However, this study demonstrates a link between chocolate and natural protection from UV radiation.