Shall we all start eating chocolate?

In another article today we have reported on how diabetic patients benefit from flavanol-rich cocoa. There are several other similar studies establishing the beneficial effects of cocoa on the cardiovascular system, the skin and other systems of the body. Cocoa has received a lot of good press lately not least due to the publication of research  produced by large chocolate manufacturers.

However, cocoa and chocolate are two totally different things, mainly due to chocolate's high sugar content which obviously deteriorates diabetic symptoms, cardiovascular health, skin health and fluid retention. Even a 70% dark chocolate contains 30% sugar, i.e. 6 teaspoons of sugar for a typical 100g chocolate bar. Clearly not good for your figure or your health, since sugar in all it's different guises (sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, corn syrup and other highly refined forms of carbohydrates), is probably the nastiest food you can eat, and the root of today's epidemic of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and of course celulite.

Is there such a thing as healthy chocolate? Can we benefit from flavanols, cocoa's beneficial ingredients, without being disadvantaged by the detrimental effects of sugar?

Let's go back to the 70% dark chocolate example. A 50g portion (half an 100g chocolate bar), would supply you with 18g of carbs, of which 15g are pure, unadulterated, indulgent, good old refined sugar (3 teaspoons). that is in addition to 20g of fat, of which 12g is saturated fat. If you are lucky, i.e. if you buy a proper chocolate, this will be good quality cocoa butter. If you make the wrong choice, i.e. if you buy rubbish chocolate, this may be vegetable oil of questionable quality, including trans fatty acid-rich oil.

All in all, your thighs and bottom will become 275 calories' worth of fat richer. That is 275/9 = 31g of extra fat and other flab on your body. Granted, you will also receive a few milligrams of flavonoids, but I don't think they can make up for the sugar and fat.

I suppose 31g of extra fat doesn't sound that much. However, the problem lies on the fact that nobody has half a chocolate bar per month - many women have a full chocolate bar every day. But let's be conservative and take as an example the case whereby you eat half a 70% dark chocolate bar a week. In one year, and unless you vigorously exercise before eating the said chocolate bar, you will be 31*52= 1,612g heavier than last year - and that will definitely not be bone, muscle or skin: the extra 3+ pounds of weight will be pure, saturated fat deposited in your thighs - either palmitate and myristate from the conversion of excess sugar or cocoate from cocoa butter... Now cocoa butter may be good as a moisturiser when applied on your skin, but it is not great when found as fat, inside your skin...

Clearly, the 70% chocolate is not a good idea, and of course the 50% chocolates are even worse...

Does that mean that we have to give up chocolate altogether? 8 guidelines to enjoy chocolate without developing cellulite

Well, I don't expect this to ever happen, but at least if you are going to indulge, and I know you will, please follow these guidelines:

1. Only eat chocolate after a long bout (more than 45 minutes) of vigorous activity that increases your breathing rate and heart rate. Running, fast walking, uphill walking, fast swimming, fast cycling and fast rowing are the best examples of such activity. This will ensure that your fat cells will be the last to have access to the chocolate's sugar and fat. Be careful though, you must eat the chocolate within one hour after exercise, otherwise this strategy will backfire!
2. Try an 100% chocolate. i know it sounds extreme, but if you choose a nice, mild, 100% chocolate and allow yourself to get accustomed to the taste you will get your chocolate fix minus the poisonous sugar. Like some people enjoy a sugar-free espresso in the morning, you can learn to enjoy a sugar-free "chocolate espresso" and keep your blood vessels healthy and thighs smooth in the process. I have now become so accustomed to the pure taste of 100% chocolate that when I try normal chocolate I can really feel the negative and addictive effect of sugar in my body and mood.
3. 100% chocolates typically contain cocoa powder, cocoa butter and sometimes lecithin and vanilla, and are free of trans fatty acids, other nasty fats and refined sugar. And of course they are rich in health-enhancing flavanols and mood-enhancing theobromine and phenylethylamine (AKA PEA). The last two chemicals are the ones that give you that unique chocolate "high", and as long as you don't consume several bars a day or you don't suffer from any serious condition they are perfectly good for you. Chocolate contains a small amount of caffeine too, which is fine. If all chocolates didn't contain so much saturated fat, then 100% chocolates would be a real health food and you could eat them in high quantities. But they do contain fat, so eat in moderation. Personally I eat about half a bar every two days, and it helps me focus when I write my articles, liberating me from food cravings. At the end of the day though, I do feel the need to eat some nice fish with herbs, salad, lemon juice, and olive oil. Yum!
4. Try pure cocoa nibs - these are basically cocoa berry pieces, fermented and roasted in the same manner as chocolate is produced, but they don't enter the same processing as chocolate, so they have less fat and of course no added sugar. Cocoa nibs have a somewhat sour taste compared to 100% chocolate, as they are as close to the cocoa fruit as possible.
5. Don't bother with chocolates sweetened with sweeteners such as xylitol, maltitol etc. Yes, they do have a lower glycaemic index than sugar, but they still have a similar amount of calories and tend to give you stomach upset, loose stools or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
6. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, stevia-sweetened chocolates will become a reality, so you may benefit from an 100% chocolate sweetened in a natural and healthy way. Stevia is the best possible natural sweetener you can have, as it improves insulin sensitivity and contributes not a single calorie or a single artificial chemical molecule to your body.
7. Use pure, unsweetened cocoa powder with stevia, vanilla extract and organic milk to make a natural, tasty, healthy chocolate drink. Alternatively, use decaffeinated coffee instead of cocoa, or a mix of cocoa and decaf coffee to make a nice mocha beverage. Decaf coffee is as good for you as cocoa, contrary to popular belief.
8. Try to detox your taste buds (and body in general) from sugar and chocolate and experiment in getting your fix from berry and other fruits, or even better salads and vegetables, which offer you loads of antioxidants, fibre and flavonoids without the sugar, saturated fats and the calories.