Chocolate Increases Weight Loss

As I was slowly dissolving my daily ration of dark chocolate on my tongue last night and savoring the rich taste, it occurred to me that I had not yet mentioned the many health and emotional benefits of eating chocolate, particularly if you’re trying to lose weight. If you are someone who loves chocolate and has had to give it up for your diet, then deprive yourself no further. Not only are some types of chocolate healthy, but they may also help to increase weight loss, which is a win-win for all of us dieting chocolate lovers.

Eating dark chocolate in moderation can offer many health benefits, including an increase in weight loss.

If someone were to tell you that you can have chocolate in your diet and lose weight, you would probably think they had gone mad. Chocolate is full of fat and sugar, which are two huge no-no’s when trying to lose weight. However, there is a time and place for chocolate in any diet if you know more about it. If you learn how much you can consume, you can have some. Not only are some types of chocolate good for you, but there is growing evidence that chocolate increases weight loss when eaten in moderation.

The key to enjoying chocolate on a diet is not only moderation, but the type of chocolate that you have. Your common milk chocolate bar is not okay, and will add empty calories to your diet. However, if you learn to use unprocessed dark chocolate, you have found the key to enjoying the taste of chocolate and all of the health benefits that come from it.

Dark chocolate has the same mood lifting benefits as milk chocolate, but it also delivers Serotonin, dopamine, and tryptophan (also see this article “L-Tryptophan – Tryptophan and Weight Loss“) in a more healthy way. Not only do these components of chocolate give you an emotional high, but they can lower your risk of becoming depressed (or lift existing depression), and help curb food cravings. Cocoa in dark chocolate can also help suppress appetite. Not bad for something you probably considered off limits.

Not only does eating chocolate increase weight loss by these means, but dark chocolate cocoa also includes fiber, which is always great for the body. It keeps the digestive system working and moving. Fiber will also leave you feeling fuller for longer periods of time, and some believe it can block some fat absorption (for more information, see the post “How Fiber Helps Weight Loss“). There are also vitamins and minerals in cocoa too that can help the body with muscle repair after exercise and may offer a small energy burst when you need it. If you feel good, and have energy, exercise is going to be much easier and welcome.

If all these wonderful health benefits weren’t enough, it is also thought that chocolate increases weight loss by means of the antioxidants it contains, called flavonoids. These antioxidants aid digestion and help to stabilize blood sugar levels, which keep your mood stable and your food cravings under control. As an added benefit, antioxidants also help to rid the body of free radicals that can cause cancer.

The trick to enjoying dark chocolate without blowing your diet is to eating it in moderation. You should find some great recipes that incorporate dark chocolate without too much extra sugar. There are great ways to make diet desserts that have chocolate and that can be enjoyed on any diet. You can sprinkle unsweetened dark chocolate over fruit. The natural sugars add the sweetness you desire.

Of course, for the true chocolate lovers, savoring a small piece of dark chocolate can be a soothing and delightful experience. I will often buy an organic dark chocolate bar and ration it over a week. One piece in the evening when I’m craving a treat is all it takes to make me feel better.