How much do you know about the properties of dark chocolate? Dark chocolate is an attractive and pleasant choice for chocolate lovers. Aside from its wonderful taste, is it true that it increases the metabolism and causes weight loss?! Yes, the idea of using dark chocolate for weight loss is as popular as its taste; Even among athletes!
Well, what’s better than eating a delicious meal and losing weight? Of course, the only condition for losing weight with dark chocolate is to eat it in the golden time and in a certain amount. In this article, we will tell you about vitamin calories of this food and its appropriate amount and time for slimming and weight loss.
Dark chocolate calories
A package of 100 grams of dark chocolate has approximately 500 to 600 calories. Dark chocolate calories are so high. Of course, you can’t eat a 100-gram package of dark chocolate all at once, you’ll probably eat a square piece of dark chocolate every time, which weighs about 10 grams and its calories are about 60-70 calories.
The higher the cocoa content (percentage of dark chocolate), the less sugar it has and therefore the fewer calories it has. Therefore, if you are sensitive to your calorie intake, it is better to choose dark chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa.
Note: These amounts are approximate and depending on the brand of chocolate and the percentage of cocoa, it may be higher or lower.
Nutrition table of 100 grams of dark chocolate (70 to 85 percent)
| food item | amount |
|---|---|
| calories | 546 |
| Carbohydrate | 61 grams |
| sugar | 48 grams |
| Protein | 4.9 grams |
| fat | 31 grams |
| fiber | 7 grams |
| caffeine | 43 mg |
What is dark chocolate good for? | Properties of dark chocolate
The higher the purity percentage of chocolate, the more cocoa it contains. Cacao is rich in polyphenols that have many health benefits. In the following, we will read about the properties of dark chocolate together.
Nutritious and valuable
Fresh and high-quality dark chocolate is very valuable in terms of food because it contains soluble fiber and many minerals. By eating a piece of dark chocolate, you provide your body with substances such as iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper, phosphorus, zinc and selenium; It’s like you’ve eaten a booster capsule!
In addition, dark chocolate contains vitamins A, B, E and K. Also, although dark chocolate is a little fatty, its fat is healthy. Be careful that you should consume it in moderation so that you can benefit from the properties of dark chocolate.
heart health
Cacao is rich in natural chemicals called flavanols that are good for your heart. Flavanols help open blood vessels, improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, prevent blood clots, and reduce body inflammation. Another study also showed that dark chocolate may prevent atherosclerosis (which is caused by hardening of the blood vessels).
Also, an interesting research on the properties of dark chocolate showed that people who ate 2 grams of dark chocolate with 70% cocoa every day, after 6 months, their cholesterol and triglyceride levels improved! This is due to the anti-inflammatory effects as well as the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate.
Improve insulin resistance
Another property of dark chocolate is its insulin resistance. Eating dark chocolate daily can improve fasting blood glucose levels and insulin resistance.
Helping the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria
Research shows that dark chocolate has a prebiotic effect and helps the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria. Therefore, consumption of dark chocolate can be effective in intestinal health.
Improve mood
Did you know that dark chocolate can improve your mood? This is probably due to the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria! The more beneficial gut bacteria you have, the more positive emotions you will have. Also, the polyphenols in cocoa help to reduce the stress hormone cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline).
Improve brain function
The flavonoids in cocoa help protect neurons and improve cognitive function. Cacao can also improve blood flow to the brain. Some researches on the properties of dark chocolate have shown that this food can protect you from diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Stronger immune system
The abundant antioxidant present in dark chocolate reduces cell damage caused by free radicals. This sentence means that the death of good cells will happen less and many diseases including cancer will be prevented.
The properties of dark chocolate for weight loss
An article published in February 2014 in the American Journal of Nutrition also provides evidence for the theory that adding dark chocolate to the diet causes slimming and weight loss.
These researchers found a relationship between the consumption of this food and success in the weight loss process. According to their research, teenagers who eat more chocolate than others are less obese and have more fitness. But how does dark chocolate cause weight loss?
1. Dark chocolate controls your appetite!
The results of various studies have shown that eating dark chocolate with a high percentage, at the right time, cuts your appetite in half! Including some of this food in your diet for weight loss causes hormones that signal satiety to your brain.
The flavonoids in it help reduce the potential for insulin resistance. It also contains healthy fats that reduce the speed of sugar in the bloodstream.
This helps prevent sudden spikes in blood insulin and prevents sugar from going directly to your fat cells. As a result, a person who eats this delicious substance will feel less sudden and intense hunger or craving for snacks.
2. Dark chocolate will reduce your stress!
Did you know that stress is linked to belly fat? Falling into the cycle of stress and overweight is one of the worst possible events. Anxiety and stress stimulate your stomach to secrete acid, and as a result, you become hungry and eat more (probably unhealthy foods). Another problem of stress is the possibility of bulimia. In this case, the anxious person eats without feeling hungry.
But here is the good news: a clinical study on the properties of dark chocolate shows that eating about 40 grams of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduces the level of stress hormones in people’s bodies. Therefore, dark chocolate can help you lose weight by reducing stress.
3. Dark chocolate will keep you full for long hours!
Just like nuts, dark chocolate can make you feel full and satisfied. As you saw in the nutritional value table, this delicious ingredient contains fiber and protein that will keep you full for hours and make you want to eat.
4. Dark chocolate increases your metabolism!
A study conducted in Queen Margaret University It shows promising results about the properties of dark chocolate and how it affects fat and carbohydrate metabolism. This food has a significant effect on the synthesis of fatty acids.
Therefore, dark chocolate reduces the digestion and absorption of fats and carbohydrates. As a result, a person who eats chocolate with a high percentage burns more calories to digest it, and thus his body’s metabolism increases.
What percentage of dark chocolate is good?
The percentage of dark chocolate depends on your taste! But dark chocolate above 70% has the most benefits and a more attractive taste.
Dark chocolate above 70% has a more bitter taste and more antioxidants. But the lower the percentage of chocolate, the more sugar and additives it has.
What percentage of dark chocolate should be for weight loss?
Remember that you should not trust any brand of chocolate. Because unfortunately, many chocolates on the market are not healthy, or they do not have slimming benefits. If you want to use the properties of dark chocolate for weight loss, it is better to choose a quality brand.
The next point is to choose its pure percentage, i.e. 70% or higher. Also, do not forget that milk chocolate contains extra calories, so it will not be a good option for weight loss. If you crave chocolate, prepare your drink without adding cream and sugar.
The best time to consume dark chocolate for weight loss
You can drink this food after dinner or lunch (20 minutes before and five minutes after lunch and dinner). Eating some dark chocolate before or after a meal triggers the release of hormones that signal satiety to your brain.
Eat one or two pieces, so that you don’t go to the food after the main meal. We suggest that you put the dark chocolate on your tongue to melt and feel its wonderful taste many times over. Of course, we don’t mean to eat a lot of this food every day. Because this food has calories and should not be eaten excessively.
What are the side effects and disadvantages of consuming dark chocolate?
A small amount of dark chocolate daily is safe for most people, but if you are allergic to cocoa or caffeine, you should not eat dark chocolate.
Some brands of dark chocolate may contain heavy metals, especially lead and cadmium. Unfortunately, these metals can cause complications such as respiratory, nervous, digestive, cardiovascular, urinary and immune system disorders. So pay attention to get a good brand of dark chocolate and also don’t eat too much!
We should also mention again that even dark chocolate contains some sugar, and if sugar is consumed too much, it will cause weight gain, tooth decay and other problems.
Frequently asked questions
Can dark chocolate help you lose weight?
Yes; Dark chocolate can help lose weight by increasing body metabolism, reducing appetite and reducing stress.
What percentage of dark chocolate is good for weight loss?
To take advantage of the properties of dark chocolate for weight loss, you must consume 70% or higher chocolate.
final word
Dark chocolate has various properties and its basic consumption can be beneficial for health. One of the properties of chocolate is to help lose weight. This food can have positive effects on weight loss by increasing body metabolism and reducing stress and appetite. In this article, read everything about choosing dark chocolate for weight loss.
Sources: everydayhealth – livestrong – verywellhealth
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