Forget all preconceived notions of chocolate being bad for your skin. Rather than triggering a breakout, the scientists behind Esthechoc have developed a formula that could give you younger-looking skin in under a month—provided that you eat one piece of the stuff every day. The entire process was 10 years in the making for the scientists at Cambridge University in England, but after a decade of work, they were able to harness the polyphenols in dark chocolate with the antioxidant properties of salmon, then combine the two into a streamlined food product that clocked in at 38 calories a pop. “There are hundreds of studies that show that dark chocolate is good for you, but the problem there is that the data shows that you have to eat 300 to 400 calories of it a day in order to benefit from the antioxidants,” says Jay Scherer, VP of business development. “The same thing goes for salmon—it’s very good for you, but some people don’t like it, so eating one piece of Esthechoc a day has the equal amount of antioxidants in a 300-gram piece of salmon, and a 300 to 400 calorie piece of dark chocolate.” The product is both low in calories and sugar, not to mention, gluten-free, so just about everyone can reap the benefits.
Read More: How to DIY a Chocolate Face Mask
Although salmon may have gotten a shout-out for its nutritional properties, it doesn’t contain fish, or even nuts for that matter. The hero ingredients here are epicatechin polyphenols, derived from the cacao plant, and astaxanthin, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants out there, and fun fact, also gives animals like flamingos and prawns their coloring. “It’s algae-derived, and combined with the epicatechin polyphenols in the dark chocolate, you can significantly enhance your skin’s bio markers,” adds Scherer. “In our clinical trial, the data shows that after eating one piece a day for 21 days, your daily skin functions like microcirculation, cell regeneration, and oxygenation of the tissue and blood go back 20 years, behaving as that of a 20 or 30 year old.” And unlike the gummy vitamin conundrum, nothing detrimental will happen if you accidentally consume one or three more chocolates than the recommended daily intake—Scherer and his colleagues can personally attest to that. Once you finish a box, available at esthechoc.us for $55, it’s recommended that you stick to the once a day routine, which is even easier considering that 3-month options (as well as a chocolate-filled Advent Calendar) are available.
You’re not technically breaking your whole New Year’s resolution to eat healthier if the chocolate is actually good for you, right?
This article originally appeared on InStyle.com
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com