Achieving a sculpted, well-defined body depends on both fitness training and your diet. Everyone who works out knows they need to limit their intake of sweets to achieve the results they want. But fitness instructors and even the world’s most successful athletes recommend eating chocolate. Why, and what’s the difference?
What are the harmful effects of sweets and sugar?
Despite the pleasure they bring, sweets have many negative effects on the human body. This is due to the large amounts of refined sugar or fructose they contain. The World Health Organization recommends limiting daily sugar intake to no more than 6 teaspoons, or 25 grams. For comparison, three cookies contain around 20 grams of sugar.
Sugar’s harmful effects on the human body include:
Causes unstable blood sugar levels
For many people around the world, cutting out sweets is one of the hardest and most difficult things to do. That’s because sugar acts like a drug. The sugar in sweets can be addictive, largely due to its effect on blood sugar levels. It first raises blood glucose levels, then they drop. This can lead to mood swings, fatigue, and headaches.
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To raise their blood sugar levels again and feel better, people start craving more and more sugar. This creates a so-called vicious cycle that leads to sugar addiction. Meanwhile, people who avoid sugar say they rarely, if ever, crave sweets and feel emotionally stable and full of energy.
Increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Many people enjoy treating themselves to sweets from time to time. However, sweets have a high glycemic index (GI) and increase the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes because they affect blood sugar levels. Some scientists believe they may even be a root cause of certain types of cancer.
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Suppresses the immune system
Sweets can impair the immune system’s ability to fight disease. Bacteria feed on sugar, which means that higher levels of glucose in the body can allow these microorganisms to multiply and cause infections.
Chromium deficiency
Chromium is a key mineral for insulin production in the body. It is found in meat, fish and seafood, as well as in some fruits and vegetables. However, when we consume refined starch (sugar), the body cannot absorb enough chromium.
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Accelerates aging
Besides negatively affecting our physique, sweets also affect the skin, causing wrinkles and other signs of aging. Once in the bloodstream, sugar binds to proteins. These newly formed compounds cause the skin to lose elasticity, leading to premature aging.
Damages teeth and gums
Sugar is known to be one of the main causes of tooth decay. It can also lead to chronic gum infections, which in turn increase the risk of damage to heart health. Scientists explain this link by noting that bacteria that cause gum infections enter the bloodstream and can accumulate on fatty plaques in the heart’s blood vessels.
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Increases stress
When the body is under stress, it starts releasing a lot of hormones. Surprisingly, the same chemical reaction occurs when blood sugar levels drop. After eating sweets, stress hormones such as adrenaline, epinephrine and cortisol are released to compensate and raise blood sugar levels. The result? Restlessness, irritability and even trembling.
Deficiency of essential nutrients
Studies have shown that people who eat a lot of sweets have the lowest intake of vital nutrients, particularly vitamins A, C and B12, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. This is because sugar interferes with their absorption.
Why is chocolate allowed?
Chocolate is recommended by many fitness instructors and athletes around the world. All types—white, milk and dark—contain a lot of carbohydrates due to their sugar content. But dark chocolate has three times more antioxidants than the other types, making it much healthier and a better source of energy. Half a bar of dark chocolate with 85% cocoa contains about 15 grams of carbohydrates and 230 calories.
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Here’s how dark chocolate can improve your workout routine:
Improves aerobic capacity
A study shows that eating dark chocolate may help increase VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen the heart, lungs and muscles can effectively use during exercise). The study involved people with sedentary lifestyles. They ate 20 grams of dark chocolate a day for three months, and their VO2 max increased by 17%. Why? Researchers believe epicatechin (a flavonoid in cocoa) helps mitochondria, or “the cell’s energy factories,” function more efficiently.
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Reduces inflammation
The antioxidants in chocolate, known as flavonoids, can help reduce inflammation. Both milk and dark chocolate contain these compounds, but dark chocolate has more. Workouts can cause mild inflammation in the muscles and tendons, so eating chocolate before or after exercise may help reduce the swelling and associated pain. In addition, two recent studies show that flavonoids can benefit cardiovascular and brain health.
Lifts your mood
There’s a reason eating chocolate makes us feel great. Cocoa contains serotonin, the feel-good hormone. The higher the cocoa content in chocolate, the more serotonin it contains. Serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter in the body. It affects our emotions and mood, as well as the digestive tract, cardiovascular system and proper muscle function. Getting serotonin from chocolate can provide enough of a mood boost and motivation to complete a workout.
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Improves strength
The caffeine in dark chocolate improves strength and endurance. In addition, consuming caffeine with carbohydrates (a combination found in chocolate) can speed up muscle recovery after an intense workout.
How to get an energy boost from chocolate?
Chocolate can be a great source of energy, if consumed properly.
- Since it contains more fat than other sources of carbohydrates, the portion should be small (about a quarter of a chocolate bar).
- If you eat it before a workout, it’s best to do so about 2 hours beforehand. If you have it after a workout, 30 to 60 grams is enough to replenish glycogen stores in the blood.
- It can be paired with different types of protein, such as a glass of milk or nut butter. The protein-carbohydrate combination is especially important for muscle recovery.
- On the other hand, chocolate can irritate people who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux, so its intake should be limited at the first signs of heartburn or an upset stomach.
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