You might think eating a healthy diet entails eliminating sweets like chocolate, but don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
Chocolate makes a sweetheart happy, but it’s also good for your heart. Researchers have confirmed that the phytochemicals in cocoa boosts blood-vessel function, slows blood clotting and improves insulin resistance. Those health-promoting chemicals may also boost your body’s resistance to cancer.
If you’re worried about eating saturated fats, the fat in chocolate — stearic acid — actually has little effect on your cholesterol levels. However, consuming too much chocolate may cause an unhealthy weight gain, because chocolate candy and bars have a very high fat and sugar content.
Here are four ways to find a guilt-free chocolate fix, while getting a health boost, too. And be sure to remember that we have an AMAZING chocolate meal replacement shake. Yum!
- Keep it pure. Choose a bar of chocolate over a piece of cake to avoid those extra calories and unhealthy fats.
- Be selective. Remember, chocolate is not a substitute for fruits and vegetables; rather it’s a substitute for other treats. For example, chocolate may be a better dietary choice when compared to potato chips, but a poor choice if you are skimping on vegetables and eating multiple servings of foods with a high-fat content.
- Eat what you like. If you don’t like the bitterness of dark chocolate, don’t think it’s your only option. If you absolutely crave milk chocolate, indulge yourself now and then. After all, when you are eating simply for that now-and-then occasion, enjoy those simple pleasures.
Think bite-size servings. Recently, the restaurant industry has transformed the mega-sized desserts of yesteryear into petite bursts of rich indulgence. Ordering miniature chocolate desserts allow you to sample tiny portions of rich treats. Even the smallest bite of chocolate often will curb a craving. And smaller portions also ensure you won’t go on a binge and overeat.
Here’s to your health! Have you tried our chocolate shake yet?