Does Chocolate Really Cause Acne?

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Though it may be your taste buds' best friend, chocolate is your skin's worst enemy, or so one decades-old tale claims. But is there any evidence behind chocolate's supposed pimple-producing powers? In 1969, research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that chocolate doesn't worsen acne, and several subsequent studies have backed up that conclusion. Now both the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease say there's no connection between chocolate and acne. In fact, the organizations assert that your diet, in general, has little effect on pimple development. Still, recent research shows the issue isn't so clear-cut. Last year a study published in the journal Clinics in Dermatology concluded the 1969 study was flawed in several ways, while a study published in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found a link between pure chocolate and pimple formation. Despite the new findings, the major medical associations aren't ready to change their rulings just yet. As usual, more research is needed.

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Joseph Bennington-Castro is a Hawaii-based contributing writer for Live Science and Space.com. He holds a master's degree in science journalism from New York University, and a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Hawaii. His work covers all areas of science, from the quirky mating behaviors of different animals, to the drug and alcohol habits of ancient cultures, to new advances in solar cell technology. On a more personal note, Joseph has had a near-obsession with video games for as long as he can remember, and is probably playing a game at this very moment.