Dark chocolate is one of those foods that we've been hearing great things about, but are a little sceptical about actually trying. Dark chocolate contains a higher percentage of cocoa solids than milk chocolate, and can also be higher in caffeine. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and is full of flavonoids, including catechins. It also contains flavanols, which may help improve blood pressure, heart health and cognitive function. Just a couple of pieces a day will be enough to reap the impressive dark chocolate health benefits.

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Reduces stress hormones

We're sure we are not the only ones who binged on chocolates before a stressful meeting or exam. However, if you're doing it with dark chocolate, it wouldn't be that bad for you. Cocoa was proven to help reduce stress hormones. This is very good for your skin, as fewer stress hormones mean fewer collagen breakdowns and fewer wrinkles.

It can promote new cell growth

Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and also contains minerals like copper, iron, and zinc, all of which increase cell growth. These minerals are very important if you have eczema. Dark chocolate helps grow healthy gut bacteria! A study on dark chocolate showed that when cocoa was eaten with probiotics, it could actually help to lessen the inflammation in the overall digestive system, helping you to grow good bacteria needed for healthy skin.

Slows down the process of aging

One benefit of eating dark chocolate is that it helps slow down the process of aging tremendously. The antioxidants in dark chocolate provide your skin with a shield against free radicals and this is what prevents your skin from developing problems such as wrinkles, dark spots, pigmentation, and fine lines.

Heals skin a lot faster

Other dark chocolate benefits for skin are including, helping your skin heal faster is one of them. It is filled with minerals and other skin-healing nutrients, which ensure that your skin not only looks smooth and youthful but also reduces the appearance of acne scars and blemishes.

Prevents sun damage

While it is very important that you wear sunscreen every single day to prevent the sun from damaging your skin, you can help your sunscreen work better by nibbling on a piece of dark chocolate once a day. The benefits of dark chocolate include lesser skin damage when exposed to the sun. What this means is that eating dark chocolate will prevent your skin from sunburns and a lot of other problems that arise due to sun exposure.

Is filled with antioxidants

Antioxidants protect you from free radical damage and prevent your skin and hair from looking unhealthy. Now, it turns out that all of us spend hundreds of dollars on expensive antioxidant creams to help nourish our skin. While there is no disputing the place of those candies in your skincare routine, eating a little piece of dark chocolate only helps supplement the functioning of your skincare products for protecting your skin against free radical damage. It is filled with antioxidants and this alone makes it worth your while to have yourself a slice of dark chocolate every day.