You can enjoy dark chocolates as often as you want. However, for a person who wishes to lose weight with these chocolates, dark chocolates should be eaten on an empty stomach or 30 minutes after a solid-food meal. They can also be eaten as a snack between lunch and dinner.
A small study found that eating 100 grams of milk chocolate, either within 1 hour of waking or within 1 hour of going to bed, may actually aid fat burning and reduce blood sugar. Researchers also found that the chocolate helps regulate sleep and suppresses appetite.
Dark chocolate also contains stimulants like caffeine and theobromine, but it's unlikely to keep you awake at night, as the amount of caffeine is very small compared with coffee. Quality dark chocolate is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and a few other minerals.
Eating chocolate in the morning may help burn body fat, decrease glucose levels, and improved microbiome health, thanks to the flavanol content, according to a new study.
Scientists also recommend the best time to eat chocolate is earlier in the day (between 9am -11am), making chocolate a great choice for an elevenses pick-me-up, as your palate has not been tainted by other flavours from lunch – something only one in five (20%) of Brits already do.
And even though quality dark chocolate is a better choice than milk chocolate, it is still chocolate, meaning it's high in calories and saturated fat. To avoid weight gain, Amidor recommends eating no more than 1 ounce (oz) of dark chocolate per day.
“So there are mood-enhancing benefits to eating dark chocolate.” In fact, a study published in January 2022 found that participants who ate 85% dark chocolate daily maintained better overall mood than others who ate chocolate with less cocoa — or no chocolate at all.
Eating an excessive amount of dark chocolate can increase caffeine intake which can be unsafe for the foetus. Higher caffeine content can cause various issues like premature delivery, low birth weight and even lead to miscarriage. It is better to watch the quantity of your consumption.
Eating large amounts might cause caffeine-related side effects such as nervousness, increased urination, sleeplessness, and a fast heartbeat. Cocoa can cause allergic skin reactions and might also trigger migraine headaches. It can also cause nausea, stomach discomfort, constipation, and gas.
What is the daily recommended amount of dark chocolate? The recommended “dose” is approximately 1 to 2 ounces or 30-60g, experts say. Indulge in anything more than that, and you may be consuming too many calories.
Lindt dark chocolate is the OG of healthy supermarket desserts – high in heart-friendly flavonoids and low in sugar. The higher the percentage of cocoa the less sweet stuff you'll find in the fine print, with the 85% cocoa option only containing 2.2 grams of sugar per serve.
Morning or night-time chocolate intake did not lead to weight gain; 2. Eating chocolate in the morning or in the evening can influence hunger and appetite, microbiota composition, sleep and more; 3.
Chocolate also contains tryptophan, which stimulates serotonin and melatonin. And serotonin and melatonin are believed to help sleep. But again, the amount of tryptophan differs by chocolate type and it impacts different people very differently.
While some people claim to have become constipated from chocolate, there is no link supported by science. So, no, dark chocolate, particularly cocoa, does not cause constipation. On the contrary, dark chocolate can make it easier to pass stools due to its high fiber and mineral content.
Dark Chocolate Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
Compounds in dark chocolate boost memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem-solving skills by increasing blood flow to the brain. What is this? The flavonoids in chocolate have been shown to improve blood flow to the brain in young and old alike.
As long as dark chocolate is kept between 68 to 72 degrees at all times, it does not need to be refrigerated. Simply wrap the chocolate in plastic cling-wrap and store it in a sturdy plastic bag or container in a location sheltered from direct sunlight and strong food odors.
70% cocoa dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which have some major anti-inflammatory effects. Flavanols help to reduce inflammation and keep the cells that line the arteries healthy. Antioxidants fight inflammation and free radicals, which can help your immunity and reduce your risk of disease.
Dark chocolate can make you feel drowsy even though caffeine is present in it. It won't make you feel awake the way milk chocolate does as milk chocolate doesn't contain serotonin while dark chocolate is loaded with it.
It is also worth noticing that 100% dark chocolate is the healthiest option among all the sugar-free chocolates on the market. To make their products palatable without sugar, many big chocolate manufacturers use alternatives with lower calories but higher sweetening power.
Health benefits of 100% dark chocolate include the following: Combats the presence of free radicals, which cause chronic illness and disease. Improves the function of the vascular endothelium (the cells that line the insides of your blood vessels) Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Dark chocolate is a concentrated source of calories and eating too much of it can lead to eating too many calories in general, which may result in weight gain.