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Can Chocolate Keep You Slim? – A New Study

December 19, 2012

A new study has found that people who regularly eat dark chocolate (with a high percentage of raw cacao) tend to be thinner. The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine and headed by Dr Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California at San Diego, showed that those who ate dark chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who ate it occasionally.

The study looked at diet, calorie intake, and body mass index (BMI) of almost 1,000 participants.

“Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight,” said Golomb. “Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favor weight loss rather than fat synthesis.”

Interestingly that link remained even when other factors, such as exercise, were taken into account. And it appears it is how often you eat chocolate that is important, rather than how much of it you eat.

The study found no link with the quantity that was consumed.

In addition, Dr Golomb and her team believe that antioxidant compounds found in raw cacao, called catechins, can even improve lean muscle mass and reduce weight. Mice fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in dark chocolate) had improved exercise performance and observable changes to their muscle composition. Dr. Golomb says clinical trials are now needed to see if this is the case in humans.

The type of chocolate consumed is important. Most chocolate used in candy bars, chocolate milk, snacks and desserts contain low percentages of cocoa and large amounts of sugar and fat, which can cause obvious problems such as weight gain and onset of diabetes.

For the health benefits of chocolate be sure you eat dark chocolate which is listed as 70% or higher. The percentage indicates the amount of raw cacao in the product. The more raw chocolate the less sugar and fat. And drink Mayesa – a great way of indulging in healthy chocolate because it’s made from healthy organic raw cacao.

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