Cocoa butter has long been used topically in many skin creams and cosmetics because it is thought to be good for the skin. Now, new research just published in the Journal of Nutrition reveals the potential benefits of consuming flavanol-rich cocoa and how it might actually benefit skin from the inside out.

Researchers found that certain components in cocoa may actually help improve the appearance of women’s skin – increasing hydration, decreasing skin roughness and scaling, and helping to support the skin’s defense against UV damage. The German scientists attributed the observed benefits to cocoa flavanols – a group of compounds that can be particularly rich in cocoa and that have been previously reported to improve blood flow and vessel function.

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