When the chocolate cravings come knocking, they may be satisfied by a different sweet treat. And there's no better choice than fresh fruit. Unlike most chocolate confections, fruits like grapes, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, oranges, grapefruit and melon are low in fat and calories.
When it comes to chocolate, it is common knowledge that the craving signifies a deficiency in magnesium. Since cacao is considered the food with the highest amount of magnesium per gram, it comes as no surprise that chocolate is the first thing we reach for when we encounter such a deficiency.
This is what I eat instead of chocolate all the time.
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What kills the chocolate craving?
Intense chocolate cravings can be signs of magnesium deficiency. Eat more leafy green veggies, they're full of magnesium, and can help you fight off stress and discourage intense cravings.
We need magnesium to help turn the food we eat into energy. As dark chocolate is high in magnesium, some argue that chocolate cravings stem from a magnesium deficiency.
Carob might seem just like chocolate when processed into powder or chips and packaged just like our favorite cacao products, but carob and chocolate are completely different in terms of origin, taste, and chemical composition.
“My study says that sugar can momentarily tap into the same pleasure system as addictive drugs.” Momentarily being the key word. When you eat a piece of chocolate, your brain responds, but the response only lasts for a few minutes. Your brain's response to something like morphine would last for hours.
Deficiencies in certain minerals such as zinc, chromium, iron, calcium, and magnesium may lead to sugar cravings as well, Elia says. Magnesium deficiency is specifically worth paying attention to.
Also, chocolate is high in sugar and saturated fat. It is a high-energy (high calorie) food, and too much can result in excess weight, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Chocolate is especially rich in flavanols like epicatechin and catechin, as well as anthocyanins and phenolic acids. All of these compounds help protect your cells from inflammation, improve your brain function, and boost your immune and cardiovascular health. Dark chocolate can also give you: Cardiovascular support.
Since one regular bar of milk chocolate contains approximately 235 calories, eliminating the indulgence from your diet can result in a calorie deficit—resulting in some weight loss. (Related: Simple Ways to Start Losing Weight Immediately, According to Science.)
It helps fight PMS. “There's a reason we crave certain foods, such as chocolate, at that time of the month,” says Toronto-based raw foods coach Nathalie Lussier. “Chocolate releases calming endorphins that reduce anxiety. Plus, it's high in magnesium,” which lifts moods and reduces water retention.
What happens to your body when you stop eating sweets?
Cut added sugar and you could lower calories and body weight, which could improve your cholesterol. But it's not just the weight loss. Even at the same weight as others, people who got less than 20% of their calories from added sugars tended to have lower triglycerides.
It's during this early "sugar withdrawal" stage that both mental and physical symptoms have been reported – including depression, anxiety, brain fog and cravings, alongside headaches, fatigue and dizziness.
