If you enjoy a few chocolates every now and then, but also believe that something that tastes so good can not be good for you, there is some good news. Many myths about chocolate are just that, myths. Though certainly not a health food, it is also not the cause of many health issues that chocolate has previously been blamed for.
Being overweight is normally from not exercising enough and taking in too many calories, and chocolate is actually not that bad in this regard.
The average chocolate bar has about 200 to 220 calories in it, and in a few weight control diets, they are used as rewards. Eating a chocolate can be used to stop binge eating, as often this happens because you feel like you are being denied highly satisfying foods.
It will also not make all your teeth fall out. Although it does contain fermentable carbohydrates, recent research in the dental world says that chocolate may not cause terrible tooth decay that many believed it did. Because of its fat content, chocolate melts faster than most other sweets so clears the mouths quicker, and the protein, calcium and phosphate in milk chocolate may actually have positive protective effects on enamel.
Doctors believe that our daily cholesterol intake should not be more than 300 mg. Chocolate is actually quite low in this regard, with a small bar containing around 10 to 12 mg only. That is about half the cholesterol intake of eating a piece of cheddar cheese that is half the size of the chocolate!
Caffeine in chocolate is also minimal. While a cup of regular coffee could have six times that of a chocolate bar, a cup of brewed coffee is more than ten times that.
As a luxury, or as a reward, having a few chocolates is not a health risk. But like with anything, over indulging is not the answer. But if you, like me, enjoy to treat yourself with a bar occasionally, don't stress so much, and if you do, counter it with a little walk afterwards. A little exercise goes a long way in ridding you of that guilt.
More Information:
Many people who can't eat
Chocolates due to dairy allergies, often find they have no problem with
chocolate truffles.
Categories
