How To Lose Weight And Still Eat Chocolate
Chocolate and weight loss. Two phrases that most dieters consider to be incompatible. However, recent research has shown that eating chocolate in moderate amounts has many health benefits, and may also be helpful with weight management. Read on to justify that next piece of chocolate.
The Health Benefits of Chocolate.
Chocolate is a food that is naturally high in phenolic acids, natural flavonoids, and antioxidants. Antioxidants have been proven to fight the ageing process, mop up free radicals, and help protect against heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Antioxidants have now been shown to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, to help prevent the risk of obesity, and to lower the bad blood cholesterol.
Watch this brief video (it’s informative)
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4WSvE7owc
Other foods rich in natural antioxidants include berries, cocoa, red wine, tea, vegetables, nuts, and fresh fruits. Experts now acknowledge that those who consume a well balanced diet containing many of these rich sources of natural antioxidants rarely suffer from obesity related issues. (That is not to say that if you live on a diet consisting only of Hershey’s bars that you will not gain weight. You will. The magic words are “well balanced”, and “in moderation”.)
The Cornell Study and Hot Chocolate.
The Cornell University performed a recent study that has concluded that drinking hot chocolate is extremely beneficial for your health. Hot cocoa may well contain up to twice the levels of antioxidants as those contained in green tea and red wine, and five times the levels of black tea. An important fact to note was that much higher levels of antioxidants are to be found in hot cocoa than in the conventional block of chocolate.
The Taiwan Study, Chocolate and Fat Loss.
Researchers in Taiwan have discovered the link between chocolate and fat loss. Fat cells from lab mice were exposed to naturally occurring phenolic acids and flavonoids from plant sources. As we all remember, chocolate has a high content of both of these compounds. These fat cells were recorded as producing less fat releasing enzymes and triglycerides than the fat cells who did not receive these goodies. Triglycerides have been proven to contribute to high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Chocolate Health.
There is considerable scientific evidence to show that chocolate, and in particular, cocoa, and hot chocolate, contain high amounts of beneficial antioxidants, flavonoids, and phenolic acid. While these ingredients have important health benefits, no-one is recommending that anyone live on a diet of chocolate alone.
It is important to remember that antioxidants are contained in many other health giving foods including berries, fruits vegetables, nuts, and seeds. A well balanced diet will contain many foods from the various food groups to ensure an adequate intake of all essential nutrients.
Indeed many would say, that due to to the quality of antioxidants contained in chocolate and cocoa, that only a tiny amount is needed to reap the benefits.
Chocolate in small amounts may well assist your weight loss campaign due to the fat burning properties contained in the phenolic acids and flavonoids. While this is great news for those who can’t maintain a chocolate free diet, it should be noted that more than a small amount, and the calories and fat grams contained in the chocolate will soon be counter productive.
For those who want the best of both worlds, chocolate consumption and weight loss, what about a hot chocolate made with skim milk?
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