Calorific value of chocolate

Want to know why?

Did you know that chocolate has many positive effects?

Chocolate is a weak point for many people, especially those who are trying to lose excess pounds. The fact that it is high in calories and fat is probably one of the main reasons why even the most passionate chocoholics eat less of it than they would otherwise. But fortunately, it''s not all black - as long as we consume quality chocolate in moderation, we have nothing to worry about. In fact, real chocolate contains a range of extremely beneficial antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Not only that, but cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, helps to lower blood pressure and is extremely good for the skin, while also improving our mood.

Calories - a necessary evil in chocolate

Calories are, in simple terms, units of energy that we put into our bodies through food. This energy is needed by our bodies to carry out daily activities such as metabolic processes. Whether we want them or not, we cannot avoid them. But then why does chocolate, whose main ingredient is cocoa, which is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, have a negative effect on our health? This is because of the additives that often enhance its appearance and taste, while at the same time reducing its positive effects. Of course, there is also a difference between the types of chocolate themselves - the one that contains the lowest proportion of cocoa (white chocolate), and therefore contains so many more additives and is therefore more harmful than, for example, dark chocolate, which contains the highest proportion of cocoa and therefore so much less sugar and other additives.

Four tricks to fewer calories

Chocolate is hard to resist for any chocoholic, especially if they are careful about their daily calorie intake. Any efforts to reduce calories are made even harder by sweets and bagged chocolates, as it is harder to measure how much you have eaten. To reduce your calorie intake, before you start eating chocolate or other sweets, measure out the maximum you can eat and put the rest in the cupboard. We know from experience that it can be hard to resist a bar of chocolate, especially for the most die-hard chocoholics, so here are some simple but effective tricks to eat as little chocolate as possible, even in the most difficult moments, to reduce your calorie intake.

1. Combine it with strawberries, raspberries or blueberries

They''ll complement the flavour perfectly and, because they''re full of fibre, you''ll feel full faster and eat less.

2. Share it with a friend or girlfriend

If he or she has at least as much chocoholic in him or her as you do, we guarantee you won''t eat as much of it as you would otherwise, and you''ll both have a good time.

3. Choose dark chocolate

While dark chocolate has fewer calories than milk or white chocolate, it contains a much higher proportion of cocoa and is therefore richer in antioxidants, which have many positive effects on our bodies. The higher the proportion of cocoa in chocolate, the less sugar, milk and various harmful additives it contains.

4. Never on an empty stomach

The chances of eating too much chocolate are much higher if you eat it on an empty stomach. Eat a piece after a meal instead, as you will eat less.

The next time you crave a piece of chocolate, don''t go overboard. Let us reassure you that our enjoyment of sweet foods is partly due to evolution, as sour and bitter foods have historically been more likely to contain toxic substances, and therefore it was definitely more tempting to eat sweeter foods. Remember this the next time you feel bad because you ate too much chocolate!