Chocolate For Weight Loss?

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Chocolate for weight loss may sound too good to be true, but is it? According to a new study, people who eat chocolate frequently actually weigh less than those who eat it less frequently. Good news for chocolate lovers! However, before you go running for the closest king-size chocolate bar, make sure to read below.

The study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that people who ate chocolate five times a week had a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate it less frequently.

The study also showed that frequent chocolate eaters actually reported eating more calories and saturated fat than the people who ate chocolate less frequently. This is interesting because this may show that the calories in chocolate may be offset by its other ingredients that may boost your metabolism.

Beatrice A. Golomb, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego says, "With modest amounts of chocolate, may have the effect of being free calories of even better than free - at least, the associations look that way." Dr. Golomb stated that the weight difference between the two groups was modest, but interesting given that more calories and saturated fat were consumed.

Dr. Golomb says that chocolate contains antioxidants that other research shows to possibly boost the energy-producing elements of the body's cells. She also states that chocolate appears to have favorable metabolic effects because fewer calories end up as fat deposited in the body. Chocolate contains polyphenols which can improve blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and blood sugar. Other studies link eating chocolate to lowering your risk of a heart attack, boosting weight loss and protecting your skin from sun damage.

Before you go overboard with your consumption of chocolate, it still needs to be eaten in moderation. Try limiting your portions to a one ounce piece of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is the better way to go because it has a higher concentration of antioxidants and has less sugar than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is bittersweet, which suppresses the appetite, whereas sweet stimulates the appetite.

Eating chocolate is not the only thing you need to do to lose weight. Eating chocolate needs to be partnered with exercise and a healthy diet. Remember, a one ounce portion of dark chocolate a day is recommended.

Source:
Goodman, MA, Brenda. "Eat More Chocolate, Weigh Less?" WebMD. WebMD, 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 31 Mar. 2012. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20120326/eat-more-chocolate-weigh-less.

Mandal, Dr. Ananya. "Chocolate for Weight Loss: Study." THE MEDICAL NEWS. 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 31 Mar. 2012. <http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120327/Chocolate-for-weight-loss-Study.aspx>.