How To Feed Your Chocolate Addiction Without The Extra Calories

True chocolate connoisseurs know that Valentine’s Day isn’t the only time of year to fall in love with the cocoa. Sure, receiving a heart-shaped box filled with candy is enough to make anyone forget about dieting, but there are healthier ways to satisfy your sweet tooth.  For years, the beauty industry has coveted cocoa for its antioxidant sources; five times that of green tea and double the amount found in red wine to be exact. According to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, founder of the skin care brand Perricone MD, its chemical makeup is scientifically proven to “help protect skin from the damaging effects of sun exposure and can play a role in impacting the visible signs of aging.” “On top of that, chocolate and cocoa can also help protect the cardiovascular system, ultimately playing a role in helping to reduce the incidence of atherosclerosis—a disease in which fatty deposits build up on the arteries’ inner walls.” Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest in hair, beauty, style and celebrity news. However, it’s important to remember that not all chocolate is created equal, especially when you’re eating it. The darker the chocolate (70-85% cocoa), the more antioxidant benefits you’ll get.  Dr. Perricone adds, “It’s also better to choose non-Dutched cocoa, since the process of ‘dutching’ significantly reduces the amount of flavanols (which is really just a fancy name for the beneficial plant-based nutrients found within cocoa).” Dark chocolate specifically contains phenolics, a fancy word for the antioxidants that fight cells which lead to chronic diseases, as well as chronium, which regulates blood sugar levels.  Naturally, all of these benefits lend themselves to your skin’s health and overall appearance, making cocoa-infused products that much more covettable. Right now, our guilt-free indulgence is Perricone MD’s Cocoa Moisture Mask, an extra boost of hydration that literally looks (and feels) like cake frosting. I’ve been using once a week for about a month and the results are a godsend in the dead of winter. My face doesn’t feel dry, it looks visibly brighter and although I haven’t started to develop wrinkles , my skin definitely feels firmer. The moral of this story is: your chocolate addiction is a good thing! Shop the Cocoa Moisture Mask and our other tasty favorites below!