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“I can’t live
without chocolate!” I hear you say. Well, you don’t have
to give it up to enjoy a healthy diet. Here are some
facts and some simple tips to help you beat those
chocolate cravings.
CHOCOLATE AND SATURATED FAT Compared with other foods,
like milk fat, cheese and fatty meats, chocolate is much
less likely to push up you cholesterol level, plus we
need Saturated Fats for our body to function properly.
CHOCOLATE AND CALCIUM White chocolate provides about
220mg calcium per 100g which makes a small but
significant amount to your daily needs. With no added
milk, dark chocolate has only 33g per 100g. (So Milk
chocolate contains more calcium)
CHOCOLATE AND ANTIOXIDANTS Research shows that
antioxidants called polyphenols in the cocoa part of
chocolate reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) . Polyphenols can
also be found in a variety of foods including tea, red
wine, fruits and vegetables. (There is more cocoa in
dark chocolate so therefore more antioxidants, there are
none in white chocolate).
CHOCOLATE AND CAFFEINE Chocolate contains very little
caffeine, with only 24mg of caffeine per 100g of milk
chocolate. (Dark chocolate contains more caffeine).
HEADACHES Its hard to find research that directly links
chocolate with headaches. Other causes, including
muscle tightness, stress, lack of sleep and hormonal changes are more
likely to be the culprits.
SPOTS Similarly, chocolate and spots are mostly
unrelated. If you think you have an allergy or
intolerance a dietician can help you identify which
foods are causing the problems.
THE BOTTOM LINE A little chocolate each day (a few
pieces rather than a few bars) can be part of a healthy
eating and exercise routine. When chocolate cravings get
in the way of achieving a healthy diet, its emotional
rather than biological triggers that are likely to need
attention and support.
TIPS TO BEAT CHOCOLATE CRAVINGS
Only eat in small amounts after a meal
Choose the best quality.... Organic if possible.
Don’t buy choc as often & don’t keep it in the house,
this eliminates the trigger to eat it because its there
When you buy choc, choose small serves like individually
wrapped bite-sized bars
Eat it slowly & savour every bite. You may feel
satisfied before you consume too much
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