The majority of sunscreens must be applied directly to the skin. However, there is another way to prevent sun damage: eating! This may sound unappealing, but it is quite tasty and it can be found in your convenience store or even your house. Dark chocolate is a skin protector. Who would have known? This is surprising news, since it has been stated that chocolate increases skin problems and stress. This is true for milk or white chocolate varieties, but dark chocolate does the complete opposite. Dark chocolate can actually reduce your stress levels. This is due to the flavonoids that are found naturally in most chocolate, though these antioxidants are often eliminated during processing. For dark chocolate, however, the flavonoids remain. Eating a Snickers or Caramilk bar will not protect your skin from sun damage, but eating dark chocolate will!
If you want to reduce your chances of skin damage, check the ingredients before purchasing a chocolate bar. The chocolate bars should contain more than 70% cocoa. Chocolate bars with less milk and sugar will give you the best health benefits. You must also be aware of how much dark chocolate a person must eat in order to use dark chocolate as protection from the sun. The amount that must be consumed in order to benefit your health is 2-3 ounces every week. Therefore, to prevent skin problems you must consume 20 grams (about one bar) of dark chocolate everyday for 3 months.
Remember that if you wish to decrease the chance of receiving skin cancer, use sunscreen and minimize your exposure to tanning beds. Doing this along with eating this tasty treat will definitely help you stay protected from the sun’s damaging rays.
