Myths About Chocolate Debunked
The Cocoa Confection Has Gotten a Bad Reputation Over the Years
Nov 5, 2009
Luckily for all the chocoholics out there, no.
There are a lot of myths about the creamy candy floating around. Most of them are just that – myths. They have very little or no basis in fact. Some of the most common myths are explained here.
Acne
For years, it was thought that chocolate caused the appearance of acne on millions of teenage faces all over the world. There have been numerous studies done on this subject over the past three decades, and none have found a link between eating chocolate and breaking out. In a 1969 study done at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 65 subjects with moderate acne were given either a chocolate bar containing 10 times the regular amount of chocolate or a bar that tasted like chocolate but actually contained none. After four weeks, the subjects who ate the excessive amounts of chocolate showed no signs of increased acne.
So if chocolate isn’t responsible for acne, what is? And how did this rumor get started? Blame it on hormones. Acne occurs when excess oil combines with dead skin cells to clog pores. Hormone surges – typical of teenagers going through puberty – can cause increased oil production. The key to avoiding or decreasing acne is keeping the hands and face clean and eating a nutrient-rich diet. There are many theories as to how this myth got into circulation. The most common theory: Chocolate contains theobromide, which is similar to iodine. Some people are sensitive to iodine and their skin breaks out when exposed to it. Somewhere way back, some dermatologist was aware of this similarity and put these two things together, concluding, falsely, that chocolate is responsible for acne.
Headaches
Chocolate is commonly named as a trigger for migraines and headaches. Science has given us little evidence to prove this theory. In fact, more often, scientific studies have disproved it. In the most recent study, conducted jointly by the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Washington School of Medicine at Seattle, chocolate was once again proven innocent as the culprit for headaches. To do this, researchers compared the effects of chocolate and carob, which has a different chemical makeup. They used 63 women who suffer from chronic headaches and had them eat a diet free of suspected headache triggers, with one exception. Half of the women were given chocolate while the other half were given carob. The results showed that chocolate was no more likely to bring on a headache of any kind in the women than carob was. The research does show, however, that when large amounts of chocolate are consumed, it can cause headaches, hives and upset stomachs. But these reactions are very rare.
Hyperactivity
Chocolate does not cause hyperactivity in children, as many people still believe. Recent studies have found no scientific link that sugar causes hyperactivity. Chocolate and other sweets are often blamed when children get overly wound up. This tends to happen at parties or other special events. Experts believe that the special event and not the foods eaten are responsible for children’s increased excitement and activity.
Allergies
Chocolate is often thought of as the most common food to cause allergic reactions. This can be true, but is very seldom that the food causing the adverse reaction is the chocolate itself. Other ingredients used in the manufacture of chocolate are usually what cause the reaction. These ingredients can include milk, nuts, corn syrup and soy. A true chocolate protein allergy is extremely rare. Studies show that only about two percent of the total population has a true chocolate allergy.
 |
