Because I work in the chocolate industry, I probably consume at least one kilogram of chocolate every single month, if not two.
Yet I’m not overweight.
Yes, this is partially owing to my age and the genetics in my family, but there are days when the quantity of chocolate I consume is nearly barbaric. I’ve gone through phases where I’ve been off-kilter. But doing out regularly, even while I’m on the road, and consuming a diet that is (usually) well-balanced are simply two parts of my secret. In addition, I believe that I am able to do this because of the thoughtful food choices that I make on a daily basis.
It may come as a surprise to find out that chocolate is healthy for you, but it won’t come as a surprise to realize that the majority of people stretch the term of “chocolate” to its breaking point. The mere presence of a chocolate taste does not guarantee that an item has preserved the beneficial qualities associated with cacao. Fudge brownies, you have my attention right now. It is impossible to make a Snickers bar healthy in any manner, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. However, there are methods to make genuine chocolate healthier, and these approaches may be categorized into one of three groups: quality, amount, or perception.
Quality
1: Buy better chocolate.
Purchasing higher-quality chocolate does not always imply shelling out a greater sum of money, despite the fact that this is often the case. Because you have placed your faith in the item by purchasing it, it has been shown that increasing the amount of money you spend on a thing causes you to appreciate it more. However, the key to enjoying great chocolate is to get familiar with the history of a certain chocolate bar and to develop a fundamental emotional connection with the item you eat. Choosing chocolate producers who have ties to the farms from which they get their cocoa is another way to help cacao growers.
To obtain the full impact of this adjustment, I recommend participating in a chocolate tasting or matching class.
2: Go dark.
If you want to get the most out of chocolate for your health, choose either dark chocolate or dark chocolate made with coconut milk. It’s not just that milk chocolate has a lesser cacao level; there are other factors at play as well. The antioxidants in chocolate are rendered useless to your body as a result of the proteins in cow milk, which bind to and inactivate the antioxidants. Dark chocolates, on the other hand, tend to contain more complex taste components than milk chocolates, which leaves you feeling more satiated after eating them than when you eat a regular, sugar-filled milk chocolate bar.
Choose a chocolate with a high percentage of cacao (at least 55%) and a milk replacement (coconut, soy, almond, etc.) if you have a low tolerance for more robust tastes. This will allow you to enjoy the silky flavor of milk chocolate while still receiving the same health advantages as dark chocolate.
Quantity
3: Create Routine.
Including chocolate in your regular diet may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of healthy lifestyle choices, but stay with me here. You are practicing mindful eating when you decide the kind and then the amount of chocolate that you can consume on a daily basis without negatively affecting your health, taking into account any calorie limitations or other concerns you may have. Establishing a pattern about the frequency with which you consume chocolate entails selecting a time and location at which you will consume part of your stockpile, with the intention of enjoying it rather than just consuming it in large quantities.
4: Find balance.
I know better than anybody else that despite the fact that you are meant to eat in a way that is always healthy and balanced, there are occasions when the scales wind up tipping more strongly in one particular direction (usually the direction of the dessert table). After eating chocolate, I make sure to have a lot of fresh or stir-fried vegetables as well as a substantial portion of protein so that I may compensate for the fat and simple carbohydrates that are included in the chocolate (or before, if I plan to devour a box of 12 bonbons).
Some examples of this kind of meal include a chicken caesar salad, vegetable stir fry accompanied with a large handful of almonds, and steak accompanied by a salad. The concept that life is about striking a balance may be applied on a more local level as well. People have taught me my whole life that “you can’t have chocolate for breakfast,” yet here I am, holding a chocolate bar in one hand and a handful of almonds in the other.
If you eat just half of a chocolate bar and give the other half to your daughter or dog (no, don’t give the other half to your dog), you are reducing the amount of chocolate that is hazardous for your health. However, studies have shown that sharing a sweet with others makes the experience that much more delightful. [Citation needed] In addition to this, it gives you the opportunity to sample a greater range of bars, allowing you to manipulate the number of chocolates you may sample without affecting the quantity.
Perception
6: Work for that chocolate.
When I’m working on a new chocolate guide, I make it a point to walk several kilometers every day. This has never failed me.
This compels me to exercise caution when selecting my sweets, and it also teaches me all I can about the public transportation in the area (usually buses). It allows me the opportunity to exercise all of my muscles, from my head to my toes, including my calves. If you intend on participating in a self-guided chocolate tour similar to one that I lead, you should get accustomed to the idea that you will be exercising, most likely unintentionally. But you should also keep working out in the back of your mind at all times, and you should think about how you might incorporate your weekly responsibilities into a more effective form of physical activity. Always keep in mind that any kind of meal that includes sugar is a pleasure, and you need to think of it as such.
7: Chocolate for breakfast.
As I’ve said in the past, eating chocolate for breakfast is a completely acceptable decision in life. However, a Snickers bar does not qualify as chocolate for this discussion.
Therefore, try out a variety of chocolates in their various shapes (nibs, whole cacao beans, cocoa tea, chocolate chips, etc.). You may include chocolate into a different component of your meal, such as by using nibs in your trail mix or by preparing a molé sauce to go with the chicken you’re having for supper. Learn to enjoy the core taste of cocoa, along with any additional subtleties that come out when you consume chocolate in its many forms, and change your view of chocolate as being sweet. Chocolate comes in a variety of forms, and each one has its own unique flavor.
I have high hopes that reading this essay has prompted you to reconsider the role that chocolate plays in your life. What new information have you found out about chocolate today?
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FAQs
Can you eat chocolate in a healthy diet?
Chocolate may be a component of a diet that is healthy and balanced if it is used in moderation. If chocolate is one of your “favorite” foods, you should make room for it in the calorie allotment that you have for each day. If you completely cut out chocolate from your diet, you can end up bingeing on it and eating much too much of it.
What chocolate is good for diet?
According to a number of studies, eating dark chocolate may help decrease food cravings and enhance feelings of fullness, both of which can assist successful weight reduction. In a study involving 12 women, the researchers found that smelling and eating dark chocolate both led to a reduction in appetite as well as a fall in levels of the hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for stimulating hunger.
What makes chocolate healthier?
Flavanols such as epicatechin and catechin, as well as anthocyanins and phenolic acids, may be found in particularly high concentrations in chocolate. All of these substances work together to defend your cells against inflammation, enhance your brain’s function, and strengthen your immune system and cardiovascular system.
How can I eat chocolate and stay healthy?
If you want to get the most out of chocolate for your health, choose either dark chocolate or dark chocolate made with coconut milk. It’s not just that milk chocolate has a lesser cacao level; there are other factors at play as well. The antioxidants in chocolate are rendered useless to your body as a result of the proteins in cow milk, which bind to and inactivate the antioxidants.
How much chocolate can I eat on a diet?
According to the opinions of many specialists, the “dosage” should be between between 30 and 60 grams or one to two ounces. If you consume anything more than that, you run the risk of eating an unhealthy amount of calories. There are 190 calories in a Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar that weighs 1.45 ounces (41 grams).
