Does chocolate actually cause acne?

What the evidence says

The idea that chocolate causes acne, pimples and blocked pores on the skin, has been debated by scientists for decades. Early studies from the 1960s and 70s found no clear connection between eating chocolate and breakouts.

More recent, better-designed studies tell a different story. In one small trial, 14 young men took cocoa capsules and showed more acne lesions, comedones, papules, pustules and nodules, within four to seven days. A 2016 crossover study of college students found a similar short-term worsening of acne after chocolate compared with jelly beans that had the same sugar content. A 2024 study using 85 percent dark chocolate over four weeks also found lesions got noticeably worse.

Scientists think this may relate to how chocolate affects insulin and a related hormone called insulin-like growth factor. These can boost oil, called sebum, production and skin cell buildup, both of which contribute to clogged pores.

That said, these studies are all small, ranging from about 13 to 92 people, and use different chocolate types and doses, so they can't tell us exactly how much chocolate, if any, is safe for a given person's skin, or prove chocolate is a major overall cause of acne.

There is no specific Canadian guideline addressing chocolate and acne directly. Canadian dermatology sources focus mainly on topical and oral acne treatments rather than specific diet advice, so people curious about their own skin reaction to chocolate may need to observe their own patterns, ideally with a healthcare provider's input.