Chocolate is always good or it depends on the timetables-proiezionidiborsa.it
We have known for a long time that chocolate is good for you and numerous researches confirm it. Gourmands from all over the world can finally rejoice and eat it without feeling guilty. But always and anyway? There are limits to be respected, especially times, if we only want benefits.
The miracles of the bar can be attributed to cocoa, a substance rich in antioxidants and polyphenols. Eating chocolate would make you happy because it stimulates the release of endorphins and serotonin, the feel-good hormones, and at the same time reduces the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This is what the numerous researches conducted to find out how to integrate a food that we like so much into the diet tell us. Furthermore, habitual consumption it would have positive effects on blood pressure and counteract cognitive decline. But is chocolate always good for you? How much should we eat and above all when?
Extra dark is better than dark
Neither white nor milk. Only fondant is good for health. Indeed, white chocolate technically wouldn’t even be chocolate, because it doesn’t contain cocoa beans. Which must be present with a minimum percentage of 35% in the bar if we want to call it “chocolate”. But what is really good is the extra dark chocolate with a percentage of cocoa exceeding 70%. Although nutritionists prefer tablets with a percentage higher than 85%. How much should we eat? It is good not to exaggerate with quantities, especially if you have weight problems. Nutritionists recommend a maximum daily dose of 30 gramswhich are already about 170 calories by themselves.
Is chocolate always good for you? Not in the evening
If you have the habit of consuming your evening chocolate as a cuddle before sleeping, know that it could cause insomnia or sleep disturbances. In fact, an often overlooked aspect of chocolate is its content in stimulating substances, including caffeine. A square of 70% dark chocolate can contain up to 10 mg of caffeine, a non-negligible quantity if we consider that a cup of coffee contains about 40 mg. So, if you have trouble falling asleep or have restless sleep, avoid eating chocolate in the evening after dinner so as not to be forced to count sheep.
A small square before meals, if you are on a diet
An interesting aspect of consuming chocolate is that it would reduce hunger, giving us a sense of satiety. It would therefore be an excellent ally in the diet, but only if consumed in small quantities and at certain times of the day. Of course we are talking about the extra dark chocolate and not the milk one which has a very low cocoa content. Several studies have shown that chocolate reduces the concentration of ghrelinthe hormone that stimulates appetite, thus controlling the craving for food. The best time to benefit from this effect it would be the one that precedes the main meals. Taking a small portion of dark chocolate 20 minutes before eating would make you feel full and keep you from overeating. Surely it would be less difficult to follow a diet. However, dieticians recommend limiting the quantities and choosing a dark chocolate as pure as possible, with little added sugar and fat.
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