It sounds too good to be true. Chocolate has been portrayed as the enemy of weight loss for decades. In some sense, this is not untrue. Chocolate is one of the most calorie-dense foods on the market, and most varieties are loaded with sugar. However, cocoa in its natural form actually aids weight loss in a few significant ways. Dark chocolate helps to keep blood sugar stable, which in turn prevents cravings and energy crashes. The fiber content in chocolate helps to increase feelings of satiety and reduce cravings for other, less healthy foods. Chocolate contains flavonols that help to reduce inflammation in the body, and less inflammation is associated with lower risks of insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity. Chocolate consumption also reduces stress, and lower stress equals less body fat and fewer cravings.
What is the key to losing weight with chocolate? Watch your portion size. A square or two per day is plenty. Consuming more than that will add too many calories to the diet for weight loss. Also, select varieties that contain 70 percent or more dark chocolate, and opt for bars with no added sugars. Added sugars will counteract most of the weight loss benefits that cocoa provides. Try some of the following as ways to incorporate chocolate into a weight loss diet:
- Sugar-free dark chocolate nibs. These are available at most grocery stores. A teaspoon will add around 20 calories to a dessert. Melt some and drizzle over Greek yogurt, raw almonds, air-popped popcorn, or fresh strawberries. Make a guilt-free parfait of Greek yogurt, fresh berries, some unsweetened shredded coconut, and a teaspoon or two of dark chocolate nibs. The protein content and healthy fats in this meal will fire up your metabolism and keep you feeling full longer.
- Sugar-free dark chocolate bars. Occasionally these are sold as individually wrapped squares. I prefer those, as they don’t lead to overeating as easily as a whole bar might. Enjoy one or two as a dessert or snack. Eat it slowly, letting it melt on your tongue, and focus on the smell and taste, rather than popping them quickly while multi-tasking.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. Add a tablespoon of this to a hot cup of water with a splash of pure vanilla extract and a dash of cinnamon, and you have a 30-calorie quick fix for cravings. Want to make it into a metabolism-boosting weight loss drink? Add in my SuperCharged Hot Base Mix, the only protein powder able to dissolve in hot water.
- Protein bars and instant mixes. Exercise a little caution here. Some of the chocolate protein bars I’ve seen in stores have contained a stunning amount of sugar, close to 20 grams per bar! A protein bar won’t remain filling and satisfying with a high sugar content triggering blood sugar crashes and encouraging fat storage in the body. Try my new weight loss desserts and protein bars, all low in sugar and carbs, while providing the protein you need for muscle recovery.