[Article updated on 19/09/2023]
Dark, with milk, with puffed rice, with hazelnuts,…
I’m talking about chocolate of course!
But they are not all equal because they do not all have the same composition.
And above all, there are lots of preconceived ideas that revolve around chocolate!
Before reading on
I’m not an expert in this field, but I am passionate about nutrition and health.
The articles you’ll find on my site are the result of in-depth research that I’d like to share with you. However, I would like to stress that I am not a health professional and that my advice should in no way replace that of a qualified physician. I’m here to guide you, but it’s important that you consult a professional for specific questions or medical concerns. Your well-being is important. So be sure to consult the appropriate experts and take the best possible care of yourself.
Where does chocolate come from?
The history of chocolate goes back 4,000 years, which means it’s not very young! Chocolate is a food made from cocoa beans which are ground to form a liquid cocoa paste from which the fat, called cocoa butter, is extracted.
What you need to understand is that chocolate is made up of a mixture, in varying proportions, of cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar.
Chocolate was initially consumed only as a spicy drink in Mexico, but little by little, it was consumed in solid form and began to be used in many desserts.
And chocolate later entered the tradition of certain holidays: Easter eggs as well as rabbits, chickens, bells,… coins for Hanouka, truffles for Christmas, or even little hearts for Valentine’s day.
Does chocolate make you gain weight?
FAKE !
Chocolate may seem high in calories, fat and sugar (100g of chocolate is equivalent to 3 individual doses of butter + 10 squares of sugar) but it is rare to eat 100g of chocolate at once!
A small square of 5g corresponds to 28 kcal, that is to say the calorific equivalent of only half a tomato; and so, NO, I confirm that at standard doses, you will not gain weight by eating chocolate.
I also find it interesting, for example, to put it as a snack;
For example, bread with a few squares of chocolate, a glass of milk and some fruit!
Is it true that dark chocolate is best for your health?
For me, this is wrong because, in milk chocolate, we simply add milk and a little sugar to the cocoa paste.
So, milk chocolate is even richer in calcium than dark chocolate!
It is certain that it nevertheless contains a little more sugar.
But at traditional quantities, there is no risk.
Is chocolate an anti-depressant?
Well, in fact, it triggers a chemical action close to that of anti-depressants: an increase in Tryptophan in the body which, when it reaches the brain, secretes Serotonin, the hormone of serenity.
Chocolate also contains substances close to amphetamines: Tyramine and Phenylethylamine and fatty acid derivatives which act on the same receptors as cannabis.
But the main effect of chocolate is that it provides taste pleasure, so chocolate feels good…because it’s good!
One or two squares per day will only do you good.
Is it true that chocolate causes constipation?
It’s wrong !
Chocolate does not particularly constipate especially if you take dark chocolate which contains on average 10g of fiber per 100g, as much as a plate of vegetables!
Pto summarize
- Chocolate does not make you gain weight
- Dark chocolate is equivalent to milk chocolate
- Chocolate is good for morale
- Dark chocolate is rich in fiber