| Handful of dark chocolate chips a day keeps the doctor away ;) |
In Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter there was a study that found those that ate chocolate regularly may be thinner than those who do not. What?! Sign me up! Well...I already eat it everyday ;). Anyway, in this study they had over 900 adults who consumed chocolate at different frequencies but who had similar BMI’s and exercise routines. They found that those who ate chocolate more frequently had lower BMI’s than those who ate it less often (even though the exercise was similar and the higher chocolate eaters ended up eating more calories overall because of the chocolate consumption). Frequency was the key, so it would not work to eat 5 days’ worth of chocolate in one day and reap the same benefits-although that would be easy to do! They are careful to say that they cannot definitively prove a cause and effect but it is enough (for me) to continue enjoying my daily chocolate! The study did not determine how much a day was eaten or what kind of chocolate was consumed but we do know for sure that the darker the better for you. White chocolate…well, really isn't chocolate and contains no antioxidants. Milk chocolate is much higher sugar and fat and has significantly less flavonoid content than dark chocolate. 1oz a day of dark chocolate is a healthy addition to your diet. Dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or higher, is loaded with antioxidant power that has been linked to cardiovascular protection, improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and insulin sensitivity. Dark chocolate is one of those things I have never been willing to give up. Whether it's a handful of my favorite dark chocolate sea salt almonds from Trader Joe's or a chunk of chocolate, everyday I have some. So if chocolate is something you love and have been sacrificing in the name of health, don’t sacrifice it anymore! Enjoy a small amount (~1oz/day) several days a week and your health will thank you.
XO Joy
No comments:
Post a Comment