Find out the opinion of professional athletes and nutritionists about whether to include real dark chocolate in the diet and how much to slow down fat burning. Many women would like to eat sweets without gaining weight, and even better - to lose weight. Today, dark chocolate is often positioned as almost the only delicacy that can be eaten while losing weight. Scientists have shown that this product has positive properties, for example, it is able to suppress depression and positively affect the work of the heart. Read on to find out what the benefits of dark chocolate are for weight loss.
Is chocolate allowed during weight loss?
All nutritionists agree that only dark chocolate containing at least 70 percent cocoa can be consumed as a healthy dessert. Moreover, now even special dietary nutrition programs based on chocolate have been created. However, not all chocolate can be consumed while losing weight. Surely you know that there are three types of this product:
- Bitter (dark) - contains three main ingredients: at least 55 percent cocoa beans, at least 30 percent cocoa butter and sugar. Some food and flavor additives are also present.
- Lactic - the amount of cocoa beans in this product is reduced and ranges from 35 to 50 percent. But the content of sugar, milk powder and other additives is increased.
- White - the content of cocoa beans does not exceed 35 percent and, in fact, this product is not chocolate at all.
For the first time, the Mayan and Aztec Indians began to prepare chocolate. It happened more than three thousand years ago. When the expansion of Europeans to the American continent began, chocolate ended up in the Old World. Since the sixteenth century, rich people have been able to afford this delicacy, which has become almost currency.
However, in the past century, one could often hear accusations against chocolate in various troubles, for example, increased cholesterol, obesity, the development of caries, etc. However, today scientists have found that dark chocolate in moderation is a healthy product. Everyone knows that during the period of losing weight, you have to deny yourself many of your favorite dishes.
In this case, chocolate can be consumed, but in moderation. According to the special chocolate nutrition program, you can only consume this product in an amount of a maximum of 100 grams per day. As a result, the indicator of the energy value of such a diet will be only 540 calories. In theory, a person can lose weight on any product, using it in small quantities.
Let's still find out what the benefits of dark chocolate are for weight loss:
- The product contains a large amount of magnesium, as well as vitamins B1 and B2.
- Chocolate is a source of theobromine, which has a stimulating effect on the heart muscle and the nervous system. However, theobromine is ten times inferior to caffeine in this.
- The content of high density lipoprotein compounds helps to normalize the cholesterol balance.
- The work of the intestinal tract is stimulated.
As you can see, the benefits of dark chocolate for weight loss are there and they are quite large. However, remember that you cannot abuse this product, and this applies not only to the period of weight loss.
Can sweets be used for weight loss?
Nowadays, there are many dietary nutrition programs, and you can choose the one that suits you best. But we still recommend that you first consult with your doctor so that there are no problems. If you love sweets and cannot refuse them, then you probably want to know if you can use them while losing weight? It should be said right away that not all sweets are harmful and some can be safely eaten while losing weight.
It is more obvious that cakes and pastries are not included in this list, as they contain a large amount of simple carbohydrates. However, no one forbids you to make healthy sweets from certain foods. For example, a honey-based fruit cake will not only be a delicious treat, but will also supply many nutrients to the body. The conversation about recipes is still ahead, but for now let's consider those sweets that can be consumed in moderation on a diet.
- Honey. Everyone knows the benefits of honey, and during a diet, you not only can, but also need to use it. There is one dietary food program that involves the use of exclusively honey-lemon solution prepared in water. All other products are prohibited. Most people using this diet were happy with the results. This is understandable from a scientific point of view, because honey is a supplier of a huge amount of nutrients. Many nutritionists recommend that their patients consume a couple of tablespoons of honey every day, which will not affect your figure in any way. It should also be remembered that honey should be only natural and cannot be abused, because the energy value of the product is comparable to sugar. Purchase honey only from trusted suppliers, as some beekeepers use sugar as their bee feed. This allows you to increase the amount of the final product, but negatively affects its quality.
- Dried fruits. Another type of sweetness that is allowed during weight loss. You can painlessly replace sweets or cookies with them. During the period of weight loss, first of all, you should pay attention to dried apricots, prunes and raisins. These products have a positive effect on the work of the heart muscle and the digestive system. They should be eaten raw, and if you are afraid of microbes, then just bark the dried fruits with boiling water. In extreme cases, you can make compote from them, but in this case, some of the nutrients will be irretrievably lost. If you feel hungry during the diet, then you may well eat a few dried fruits.
- Fresh fruits. Many fruits taste sweet and can replace your favorite sweets. However, it is worth remembering that even fruits have a certain indicator of energy value, which must be taken into account when drawing up a diet.
- Chocolate. This article is dedicated to this product. Despite the fact that nutritionists are still debating the possibility of including chocolate in the dietary program, it can be consumed in small quantities. However, remember that this is a high-calorie product and you should not eat more than 30 grams of chocolate throughout the day.
- Pastila and marshmallows. These foods can only be allowed on the diet if they have been properly prepared. Marshmallow contains a large amount of pectin, which can accelerate the utilization of excess fats. Without this substance, marshmallows become useless during the diet.
- Marmalade. The point is again in the pectins contained in properly prepared marmalade. Unfortunately, the product that you can buy in the supermarket is extremely rarely useful and you should cook it yourself. Recall that you cannot eat more than 25 grams of marmalade during the day.
The benefits of dark chocolate for weight loss
Let's return to the main topic of this article. It is quite obvious that when using this product in large quantities, you will not only not lose weight, but you can even harm the body. But at the same time, the benefits of dark chocolate for weight loss can be quite high, if you do not abuse it.
- Reduces tissue insulin resistance. Chocolate contains a fairly large amount of flavonols that can slow down the development of insulin resistance and normalize glucose uptake by body tissues. This fact has scientific evidence. Recall that insulin resistance is often the main cause of weight gain up to the development of obesity.
- It has anti-inflammatory properties. Scientists have established a relationship between the consumption of chocolate and the performance of the intestinal tract. Several years ago, it was believed that some of the substances contained in chocolate (in particular, epicatechin and catechin) are extremely poorly absorbed by the body due to the large size of the molecules. However, scientists were able to prove that in practice everything is not so. The beneficial microflora of the intestinal tract is able to actively assimilate the above substances and at the same time convert them into anti-inflammatory agents. Let us also remember that chocolate also supplies the body with fiber, which has a positive effect on the work of the intestinal microflora.
- Suppresses stress. Stress can be your main enemy while losing weight. This is due to the fact that people often seize their experiences, and during such periods, the metabolism slows down. Chocolate can help fight stress.
As we said at the beginning of the article, the benefits of dark chocolate for weight loss are possible only if the product contains at least 70 percent of cocoa beans. From this we can conclude that this particular ingredient is the most valuable in chocolate. Scientists have confirmed this assumption, because cocoa beans have antioxidant properties, and in terms of the amount of minerals and amines they surpass almost all plant products.
The chocolate diet
Let's find out what benefits this nutrition program has:
- Lipolysis processes are accelerated.
- A person can consume sweetness, which is difficult to give up completely.
- The work of the brain is stimulated.
- Flavonoids have a positive effect on the work of the heart muscle.
- Using this food program for seven days allows you to get rid of two kilos.
However, there are contraindications to using the Chocolate Diet Nutrition Program. First of all, this concerns the presence of problems with the functioning of the kidneys and liver. In addition, some people may have allergic reactions to this product. This nutritional program is a mono diet, and they often end in a breakdown. For this reason, we recommend spending chocolate fasting days, consuming a third of the bar in one go along with a cup of coffee. You shouldn't use them more than twice a week.
Also in cosmetology, the procedure for chocolate wrapping has recently been very popular. For it, it is worth combining chocolate with a ginger horse or cayenne pepper. Since these spices have warming properties, toni are able to act on subcutaneous adipose tissues, accelerating their destruction. In addition, a chocolate wrap can be very effective in fighting cellulite. You can carry out the procedure at home, having previously checked the skin for allergies to the ingredients.
What kind of chocolate you can eat while losing weight, see here:
