10 years of research has finally brought us "Esthechoc", the anti-aging chocolate bar developed by Cambridge-based company Lycotec, and also referred to as "Cambridge Beauty Chocolate."

The small 7.5g bars are supposedly able to be consumed for improved skin conditions. And by "improved skin conditions", they mean wrinkle reduction. How exciting is that!

According to developer, Dr. Ivan Petyaev, the chocolate is based on 70 percent cocoa dark chocolate and contains an abundance of the antioxidants astaxanthin and cocoa polyphenol. These properties improve circulation and blood supply to the skin, thus reducing wrinkles and making skin look younger.

The small chocolate bars are said to contain as much astaxanthin as a fillet of Alaskan salmon, and equal amounts of free-radical fighting cocoa polyphenols as 100 grams of dark chocolate.

Surprisingly, the bar only contains 38kcal, and its makers say it's even safe for diabetics.

After four weeks of eating the anti-aging chocolate every day, tests showed that volunteers had less inflammation in their blood and an increase in blood supply to skin tissue.

“We used people in their 50s and 60s and in terms of skin biomarkers, we found it had brought skin back to the levels of a 20 or 30 year old,” Petyaev said to The Telegraph. "So we’ve improved the skin’s physiology.”

Don't get too excited - these chocolate bars likely won't be showing up on candy store shelves or supermarkets anytime soon.

Plans for the chocolate to be released in the U.K. are set for sometime this month, but it will only be available as a three week supply of individually wrapped bars. Lycotec hopes to sell it high-end retailers such as salons and spas.

The company's target client market is defined as ‘elegant, educated and affluent’ city-dwelling women in their 30s, and businessmen ‘to support their appearance in a stressful environment and on their business travels.’ 

Photo: "Cambridge University" by foshie is licensed under CC BY 2.0 / cropped from original

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Ashleigh Rader

Content Developer at Chocolate University Online

All her life, Ashleigh has enjoyed, indulged in, and spread the gift of chocolate. She says, "life's too short to skip dessert." Ashleigh joined CUO to help share on our blog and social networks more about the wonders of chocolate.

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