Does eating chocolate daily increase weight?

It is a common belief that eating chocolate leads to weight gain, but the main component of different types of chocolate is raw cocoa, which is a rich source of nutrients and antioxidants, and helps with slimming, losing weight and maintaining it. Which makes it enjoyable and beneficial at the same time.

Dark chocolate contains phytonutrients called flavonoids, which are plant chemicals that act as antioxidants and may play a role in cancer prevention and heart health, according to research published in 2016 in the Journal of Nutritional Science. The cocoa plant from which chocolate is derived also contains a compound called theobromine, which Toby Amedor, a cookbook author and Food Network nutrition expert, says may help reduce inflammation and possibly lower blood pressure.

Cocoa is full of many antioxidants - in fact, more than green tea. The darker you get, the more antioxidants you get, but there must be a balance in eating delicious dark chocolate to get its health benefits and avoid its risks.

So your best choice is a bar that contains 60 percent cocoa or higher, according to Harvard TH; Chocolate that is low in cocoa contains more added sugar and unhealthy fats. And while high-quality dark chocolate is a better choice than milk chocolate, it's still chocolate, which means it's high in calories and saturated fat. To avoid weight gain, it is best to eat no more than one ounce of dark chocolate per day.

How dark chocolate can help with weight loss

Dark chocolate is generally higher in fiber and nutrients and lower in sugar than milk chocolate. There is some evidence to suggest that the cocoa found in it can contribute to weight loss.

Cocoa contains substances called flavanols that may improve insulin sensitivity in people with prediabetes.

Flavanols are a type of polyphenols, defense chemicals produced by plants that have been linked to a range of health benefits. They are antioxidants, which means they help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause major damage.

The cocoa in dark chocolate may also help you feel full longer by reducing levels of a hormone called ghrelin (the hunger hormone), which increases appetite.

What are the benefits of raw chocolate and cocoa for weight loss?

The benefits of cocoa for weight loss are due to many reasons, such as the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the raw cocoa material, the role of cocoa in regulating the metabolism process, and the importance of cocoa in increasing the feeling of fullness and reducing appetite. Below is an explanation of how these properties of cocoa help with slimming and weight loss:

1. Cocoa regulates metabolism

The antioxidant compounds in cocoa contribute to regulating the fat metabolism process, which converts fats into energy and other substances in the body. In addition, cocoa, especially in dark chocolate, may reduce the absorption and production of fats in the body.

Cocoa also has anti-inflammatory properties, and it is believed that inflammation that begins in adipose tissue plays a role in obesity and weight gain.

Therefore, adding cocoa to the diet may help protect against obesity and diseases resulting from it, such as metabolic syndrome, and the benefits of cocoa for weight loss make it a good choice for a weight loss diet.

2. Cocoa increases the feeling of fullness

Cocoa and its sources, such as dark chocolate and milk chocolate, are foods that increase the feeling of fullness, which helps you eat less food during the day.

Also, one of the benefits of cocoa for weight loss is reducing appetite by reducing levels of the hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for the feeling of hunger.

3. Cocoa is linked to a lower body mass index

Several studies have been conducted on the benefits of cocoa for slimming, and according to one of them, which was conducted on 1,080 people in California, it was found that people who eat chocolate the most have a lower body mass index than others. Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to evaluate weight and determine Whether it is normal, below normal, or excess.

It is worth noting that the consumption of fat and calories was greater in the first group who ate a lot of chocolate. However, the results of the study indicate that the weight loss benefits of cocoa were not affected by this increase in calories and fat.

4. Cocoa helps lose weight

One study was conducted to test the benefits of cocoa for weight loss, and it included three groups: a group that followed a low-carbohydrate diet in addition to eating a serving of chocolate equivalent to 42 grams per day containing 81% cocoa, another group that followed a low-carbohydrate diet without eating chocolate, and a third group that did not adhere to a specific diet.

According to the results of the study, the chocolate group was the most successful in losing weight, and the levels of fat and cholesterol in this group were lower.

Therefore, adding cocoa to the diet may help to lose weight better, especially when choosing chocolate with a high content of raw cocoa.

5. Dark chocolate is one of the best healthy sources of cocoa. The benefits of cocoa for weight loss when using dark chocolate products are due to the following:

Improving the sensitivity of cells to the hormone insulin, which is the hormone responsible for transporting sugar to cells for use in energy production. Therefore, dark chocolate may contribute to reducing fat storage in the body, avoiding feelings of hunger, and thus losing weight.

Reducing appetite and increasing the feeling of fullness after meals.

Improve mood.

How can you add cocoa to your diet?

Cocoa can be added to the diet in the following ways:

Prepare a hot chocolate drink using raw cocoa powder and milk. Ice can also be added to make an iced chocolate drink. Chocolate drink makes it easier to benefit from the benefits of cocoa for weight loss, in addition to using cocoa drink to suppress appetite and feel full.
Add cocoa powder to pudding to make chocolate pudding.
Sprinkle cocoa powder on fruit salad.
Add cocoa powder to a cold smoothie, in addition to other favorite ingredients, such as fruits, seeds, and honey.
Prepare a drink with cinnamon and cocoa for weight loss, as cinnamon helps lose weight when added to a healthy and balanced diet.
Eat dark chocolate as a snack, or use cocoa in the intermittent fasting diet.

Things to remember

Dark chocolate has some powerful benefits and protects against heart disease. Of course, this doesn't mean that you should go all out and consume a lot of chocolate every day. It is still loaded with calories and it is easy to gain weight if you eat it in large quantities. You can have a box or two after dinner.

If you want the benefits of cocoa without the calories of chocolate, consider making hot chocolate without cream or sugar. Also keep in mind that a lot of chocolate on the market is unhealthy. Be sure to choose high-quality products: dark chocolate with 70% or more cocoa content. Dark chocolate usually contains some sugar, but the amounts are usually small, and the darker the chocolate, the less sugar it contains. Chocolate is one of the few foods that tastes great and provides great health benefits.