Easter might conjure up images of fluffy chicks, daffodils and hot cross buns. But for slimmers, chocolate is likely to be the first thing that springs to mind. With numerous opportunities for indulging in the odd egg, Easter is a time of temptation, especially for dieters who’ve avoided chocolate in an effort to lose weight.
According to Jason Vale (@juicemaster), author of Chocolate Busters The Easy Way to Kick Your Addiction (Amazon, £10.99), in the UK we spend a massive £4 billion a year on chocolate. This averages at £65 per person and 53,000 extra calories – enough to help us gain 15lb in a year!
With figures like these, it’s clear that many of us have a real love affair with the dark stuff. Indeed, some surveys reveal that many women would choose a chunk over a hunk any day, opting for chocolate rather than sex!
Surprisingly, there may be a good reason for this. Chocolate contains a naturally occurring chemical called phenylethylamine, which allegedly stimulates the same reaction in the body as falling in love does.
Meanwhile, the second chemical in chocolate called theobromine is thought to trigger the release of ‘feel good’ endorphins, giving us a sense of pleasure. And of course, the caffeine in chocolate can act as a stimulant, potentially providing the ‘lift’ in mood that many chocolate lovers claim to experience. However, there’s little evidence that chocolate truly has any physical effect on our emotions and most health experts agree it’s a psychological effect. In other words, it tastes and feels good in our mouths!
Chocolate Nutrition
It’s not just our emotions that appear to be affected by chocolate. Research shows chocolate may not be as bad for our health as we once thought – and small amounts may even be good for us!
First off, the cocoa bean – a major component of chocolate – is a good source of naturally occurring plant compounds called flavonoids, which may keep the heart healthy and reduce our risk of diseases like cancer. Flavonoids act as antioxidants and help to mop up an excess of free radicals that if left unchecked, can damage cells, increasing the risk of health problems like heart disease and cancer.
But before grabbing a huge bar of Dairy Milk, it’s worth bearing in mind that plain chocolate is a richer source of flavonoids than milk or white chocolate, as it’s less processed.
There’s even evidence that the fat in chocolate may not be too bad for our heart! There’s no doubt that chocolate is high in fat – a 50g bar contains around 15g fat. However, around a third of the fat in chocolate is oleic acid – a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat that’s also found in olive oil. The remaining fats in chocolate are predominantly saturates, risk factors for heart disease. But research shows that one of the main saturated fats in chocolate – stearic acid – appears to have no impact on ‘bad’ or LDL cholesterol levels, neither raising nor lowering it.
Meanwhile, chocolate is a reasonable source of some nutrients, including bone-building calcium and magnesium. But bear in mind you’d need to eat large amounts to make any significant contribution to your diet. Ultimately you’d be better off getting these nutrients from lower-calorie foods such as skimmed milk or low-fat yogurt.
However, it’s calories that count when it comes to losing weight – and chocolate calories are high! Just 50g provides around 265 calories – that’s more than a fifth of the calories recommended for someone on a daily allowance of 1,250 calories!
Having said that, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy chocolate at Easter – or any other time of year – when you’re trying to lose weight. Okay, we’re not talking about munching your way through the biggest chocolate Easter egg you can find. But a small piece can give your taste buds a sweet treat and may even help you stick to your diet. This is because chocolate has a low glycemic index, which means it doesn’t cause the massive highs and lows in blood sugar that are linked with cravings and constant snacking!
Ultimately, it’s fine to enjoy a little bit of what you fancy – just remember to count the calories.
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