Tag Archives: chocolate

You CAN satisfy your cravings…

18 Thursday Jun 2020

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…and suffer no consequences when you step on the bathroom scale: Think small! In other words, take a couple bites, then wait. Cornell University’s Food & Brand Lab says portion size has ZERO impact on our level of satisfaction. In fact, those who ate smaller portions – or about 77% less food – felt just as satisfied 15 minutes after eating… compared to those who ate the largest portions. Bottom line: Two squares of chocolate or 6 potato chips may absolutely be enough to satisfy your craving without loading you up on calories and fat, and blowing your diet.

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Feeling anxious?

07 Monday Oct 2019

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Grab a cup of green tea and a little dark chocolate. The Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine says the combo reduces tension and worries as effectively as prescription anti-anxiety meds. That’s because green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid shown to trigger calmness. It lowers activity in the anterior cingulate cortex – the brain region that controls obsessive thoughts and worries. And dark chocolate contains mood-boosting compounds and reduces cortisol – the stress hormone that triggers anxiety. Together, you’ve got a total win-win, anxiety-killing combination.

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Want a mood boost?

23 Monday Sep 2019

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Plant some cinnamon or chocolate-scented geraniums! They bloom like crazy in the fall and winter, and just pinching a leaf releases the powerful feel-good aroma of cinnamon or chocolate. Research at Wheeling Jesuit University found the scent of cinnamon instantly boosts alertness. And other research shows the smell of chocolate stimulates the happiness center of our brain.

Geraniums grow the best on a super-sunny windowsill. But they’ll do just fine if you shine a desk lamp with a fluorescent bulb on them for at least 4 hours a day.

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Want a better workout?

24 Monday Jun 2019

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Pop 2 squares of dark chocolate first! Scientists at UC San Diego found dark chocolate with 70% cacao content can help us work out longer and harder – without feeling like we’re exerting ourselves more! The benefit comes from a healthy flavonoid that helps fight off muscle fatigue. It also helps build new mitochondria in muscles – which are cell structures that produce energy.

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Chocolate may save your life!

05 Tuesday Feb 2019

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Here’s something that surprised me: Eating chocolate may help prevent colon cancer! That’s according to research from Spain’s Institute of Food Science and Technology. They found that rats with cancer that ate a cocoa-rich diet for 8 weeks had fewer lesions and tumors, compared to rats on a cocoa-free diet. The researchers believe it’s because the polyphenols in cocoa reduce the oxidative damage caused by free radicals. They also cut the communication between cancerous cells that encourage them to grow, and – instead – encourage cancer cells to DIE. And since the cancer-fighting substances in cocoa aren’t absorbed well in the small intestine, they end up in the large intestine – AKA the colon – with their full powers still intact. But as it is with almost all good news on chocolate – it’s dark chocolate that does the trick for colon cancer, which has 70% cacao content.

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Low-fat or full-fat?

30 Friday Nov 2018

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Just because it’s wintertime that doesn’t mean we can’t have ice cream. When you have a craving, which is better – low-fat or full-fat? The answer is full-fat! A Cornell study found when people served themselves snacks labeled “low-fat,” they ate up to 50% more than when they thought they were eating the full-fat version. That’s because people often assume any reduced-fat item is much healthier – so, it’s okay to eat a bigger portion. But since high-fat ice cream has better flavor and texture, we’re satisfied with less.

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Eating a little chocolate every day is GOOD for you – even if it’s milk chocolate.

21 Tuesday Feb 2017

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According to the journal Heart, people who eat 3.5 ounces of chocolate every day (that’s about 20 Hershey’s kisses) – dark or MILK chocolate – had a 14% lower risk of heart disease and a 23% lower risk of stroke than those who ate no chocolate.
Ounce for ounce, dark chocolate contains more antioxidants called flavonols – than any fruit or vegetable out there! And here’s what a good dose of flavonols will do for your health.
It improves the ability of blood vessels to expand and contract, which results in better blood flow to your hands, legs, and brain.
It helps the body regulate blood pressure.
A healthy dose of flavonols also decreases the stickiness of blood platelets – which reduces the risk of blood clots and stroke.
And it increases your ‘good’ cholesterol – which lowers your risk of a heart attack.
But since chocolate is still high in fat and calories, a couple of squares a day is plenty.

Avoid these late night delights – unless you didn’t want to sleep.

02 Tuesday Aug 2016

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Here’s a quick list of foods sleep doctors say to avoid before bedtime – otherwise, they’ll keep you wide awake all night:

•First: Obviously anything with caffeine. Like soda, coffee, and chocolate – even coffee and chocolate ice cream. Would you believe a scoop of coffee ice cream has more caffeine than a can of cola or a cup of tea? Also, caffeine can linger in your system for up to 14 hours! And can increase the number of times you wake up at night, and decrease the total amount of sleep you get.

•Another food to avoid at bedtime? French fries – or anything fried and fatty. Research shows that high-fat foods push your digestive system into overdrive. Which can keep you awake.

•Finally, avoid really spicy foods. It’s not because they cause heartburn. It’s because they increase your core body temperature – and we need our body temperature to drop to achieve quality sleep.

You can spark chemistry on a dinner date by choosing certain foods.

16 Friday Oct 2015

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Here’s what to order, according to registered dietician, Cynthia Sass.

Ladies, to feel more attracted to your date, eat foods rich in zinc: Like beef, shellfish, spinach and chocolate. Zinc raises testosterone in women… which will make you more likely to find your date attractive.

And ladies, if you want your date to find YOU attractive, order anything with celery and asparagus. They encourage your body to release pheromones. Or order spinach to boost your estrogen. Because both chemicals will make you seem more attractive to your date.

Think of your sweetheart!

24 Thursday Sep 2015

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The next time you have a craving for something sweet – stop – and think of someone you love. That can make the things you eat and drink taste sweeter –without extra sugar. Scientists at National University of Singapore had people write about romantic moments they’d experienced – then they ate some dark chocolate and drank plain water. After writing, the study subjects rated both the chocolate and the water as sweeter, compared to people who wrote about a time they felt angry. So before you add another spoonful of sugar to your coffee – think about your sweetheart – and you may not need it.