 There are some days when research comes my way that I just have to share. To this one, I say YES! My treatments always involve the good ol' "everything in moderation" and "enjoy what you're doing" approaches, and this just backs it up.
The health benefits of chocolate, particularly the antioxidant power of dark chocolate, are numerous. But there's another side to the story: what about the sheer enjoyment it provides? It makes us smile, breathe a sigh of relief, and slow down to enjoy that melting bite. Wonderful. This recent study showed that people who indulged more frequently were overall leaner than those who kept consumption to a minimum. Interesting. It's not suggestive that chocolate consumption helps with weight loss, but it might help with weight maintenance. There's a lot of negative effects from chronically high cortisol (our stress hormone) so it would be interesting to see if those regular indulgers thought of themselves as happier or less stressed. I will state one interesting finding from this study though: it was all men. Women tend to exert a bit more interest in dietary choices and often experience some form of guilt when they indulge in a treat so hopefully this information will take at least some of that guilt away. A few squares of chocolate, especially dark chocolate, daily will not be detrimental. If anything, it can help. It's important to enjoy life. To laugh, smile, dance, smell the flowers (not just the roses), and, finally, eat chocolate.
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