Eat Chocolate Cake Sans Feeling Guilty Afterwards
Studies have indicated that those who eat sweet treats with an attitude of celebration are more likely to stay fit compared with those who are often plagued with guilt after eating. People who experience guilt are more likely to gain some unwanted pounds.
This research was published in the current online edition of the journal Appetite, and it shows that how we see treats, such as chocolate cake, is just as important as its caloric value when it comes down to expanding waistlines.
Feelings of guilt, for some reason, compel us to abandon our diet or fitness programs and drown ourselves in a regimen of unhealthy eating. On the flip side, if you deem chocolate a reward and something that you must celebrate, you are more likely to stick to your guns and adhere to your long-term weight loss goals.
Chocolate is considered as one of the hottest commodities in the world. People praise it for its taste, scent and texture, albeit they know that the finished products are packed with fat and sugar. Snacking on chocolate treats more than what is appropriate has been shown to be a major risk factor for obesity.
The latest research, by experts at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, displays that the effect on human behavior is vital, as well. This research, led by Dr Roeline Kuijer and Jessica Boyce, was an attempt to know whether guilt from devouring chocolate cake acted as an enticement to promote weight control, or undermined dieters’ willpower to succeed.
Me, I’m the type who just need to have her dessert. You all know that when I say “dessert”, I really mean chocolate. Not a day goes by without chocolate getting cozy with my palate. But that’s me. I don’t know about you. It actually doesn’t mess with my weight, mind you. I’m keeping it moderate, mate.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: chocolate cake, research, weight gain
Chocolates And Violent Video Games – How They Are Related
This particular research was done in Italy, and it involved 170 teenagers showing their skills in a violent video game, like Grand Theft Auto III, or a non-violent game like MiniGolf 3D, in a span of 45 minutes. A bowl of chocolate was beside the gaming console while they were playing. They knew they could eat the candies, albeit they were told that it was unhealthy to devour so much chocolates in a short period of time.
Those who played violent video games ate three times as much chocolates as those who played non-violent ones. After playing, the participants went through a 10-item logic test where they got one ticket for a prize raffle for every question they answered correctly. After learning the number of answers they got right, they were told to get the corresponding number of tickets from an envelope while not being watched.
The research team could definitely know if a certain participant took more than appropriate. Those who played violent games helped themselves to extras about eight times more often than did those who played a nonviolent game.
The aggressive tendencies of the participants have gone through testing when they played a game with an unseen fictional “partner” to get rights to blast the losing party with a loud noise via headphones. It showed that violent game players decided to blast their fictitious partners with louder noises that lasted much longer as compared to the non-violent gamers.
There could be teens that stay unfazed by these video games that suggested violence, but this particular research aids us in addressing the question of who is most likely to be affected. According to the study, the effects were most noticeable in teen participants who scored pretty high in moral disengagement. (Moral disengagement is defined as one’s ability to convince himself that ethics do not apply in all situations.)
Both genders were affected. Girls ate even more chocolate, and were more likely to cheat, and to act aggressively when they were playing Grand Theft Auto as opposed to the mini golf or pinball game.
I was never the gamer girl. The video games I have played in my life, if there were any, have been few and far between. And for the most part, it’s just my way to give in to the hype. When I download a game on my mobile phone, I play it for like 3 days, a week tops, and then I move on with my life. So I can’t really have a say.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: chocolate science, chocolate studies, likely, research, told, video games, violent video games
Lose Body Fat With Chocolate
Based on the studies done by the researchers from the University of Granada in Spain, European adolescents who eat chocolate on a regular basis, even those who weren’t necessarily going on a diet or exercising, tend to be slimmer.
1,458 teenagers aged between 12 and 17 in nine European countries, including Spain and the UK were the subjects of this particular research. Turns out, those who are fans of chocolate and consume a lot of it had lower body fat.
Furthermore, those teenagers who swear by chocolate had better circulation, blood pressure and heart health. The study was published in Journal Nutrition. However, it wasn’t specified what they deemed “high chocolate consumption.”
Janet Aylott, a nutrition scientist for Nutracheck, which commissioned the survey, claimed that diets that zero in on going cold turkey on a certain food are more likely to fail. “The key is to take a more relaxed approach and to have a little of what you like,” Aylott said.
Chocolate is notoriously known for its high calories and its reputation for ruining diets, but that is being slowly debunked because of a variety of benefits from chocolate; some of those are the fact that it’s packed with antioxidants, and it being good for the heart and circulation.
Studies in the past have also shown that those who totally get rid of treats like wine, cookies, and chocolate have a higher chance of putting on weight, considering they make up for it by consuming more of other foods. A certain study even displayed that as much as 65% of those who go cold turkey on their favorite treats end up gaining weight.
However, this still doesn’t give you permission to go bonkers with your chocolate eating. Moderation is, has been, and always will be, key.
Another new research study from the University of Cambridge showed that those who enjoyed chocolate on a daily basis were 29% less likely to have a stroke and 37% less likely to suffer from heart diseases than those who steer clear of it most of the time.
We all know how a lot of diets, programs, and other mumbo-jumbo surfacing these days are just a fad. I, too, fell victim to such. A certain diet compelled me to stick to eating certain foods, and only those foods, for days on end.
I quit my beloved chocolate for days, and I ended up binging on it a week later. I failed, miserably. I decided to just exercise and eat healthy and still have my chocolate fix on a daily basis! And I never looked back.
How about you? Do you have any diet mishaps to share? Hit me with some comments below!
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: body fat, chocolate diet, chocolate weight loss, likely, research, Spain, University
Chocolate Could Reduce Stroke, Heart Risk
Just recently, research claims that eating a healthy dose of chocolates every week can lead to a reduced rate of stroke incidents particularly in the male-side of the populace. If you happen to be a woman who loves the men in your life, then it’s a good call to give them chocolate.
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Categories: chocolate videos Tags: call, chocolate benefits, every, heart risk, research, stroke
Chocolate Better Than Fluoride?
A new research published in the dental journal, Caries Research, confirmed what the inventors of Theodent™ toothpaste have always been saying.
Theobromine, an all-natural and organic compound abundant in chocolate, is said to have the ability to re-mineralize and harden tooth enamel better than fluoride. Theobromine is the active ingredient in Rennou. Rennou is the patented chocolate extract found in Theodent toothpastes.
This study is authored by Dr. Ben Amaechi, an associate professor and director of cariology in the department of comprehensive dentistry at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.
This study focused on the enamel-strengthening abilities of theobromine, particularly its ability to re-mineralize or repair tooth enamel weaknesses, which almost always ends up in cavities.
It involved measurements of the micro-hardness of the enamel surface of human teeth after utilizing theobromine and fluoride. The research showed that theobromine increased the size of the apatite crystals. These crystals are supposedly the ones responsible for the formation of tooth enamel.
“This peer-reviewed study, conducted by one of the world’s foremost authorities on caries research, validates the potential of Rennou™ to ultimately replace fluoride in commercial toothpastes,” says Arman Sadeghpour , PhD, Theodent chief executive officer.
“The study’s implications are significant and potentially disruptive for the oral care industry since theobromine is safe to swallow while all fluoride toothpastes still carry FDA mandated ‘do not swallow’ warning labels,” he claimed.
As a response to the safety aspect, Theodent launched Theodent Kids fluoride-free toothpaste as the newest edition to the Theodent oral care line.
Dr. Amaechi’s work acts as a back up to theobromine’s effectiveness as well as its use as a “safe to swallow” substitute to controversial fluoride. The Caries Research requires even deeper research involving humans to make the most of the advantages that come with theobromine in both oral hygiene and caries-preventive products. Theodent Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Tetsuo Nakamoto said “those studies are not far behind.”
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: chocolate science, chocolate studies, fluoride, research, Theodent, tooth
Awesome Chocolate Is Awesome
An array of things have already been said about chocolate with regard to its beneficial effects to the human mind and body. Little do we know that deeper investigation and research are being done so as to lengthen the existing long list of the good things about it.
The American Heart Association did a study, reported in their journal named Hypertension. The outcome of which indicated that cocoa, which is the main ingredient of chocolate, has antioxidants that aids in improving mild cognitive impairment in the elderly.
The said research involved a group of aged participants, who in a span of two months, were supplied with drinks that have different cocoa flavonol levels. Such process produced results displaying that the ones who received the highest of these doses exhibited progress in a few cognitive tasks, which includes memory function.
Other flavonol rich products, aside from chocolate, include red wine, apples, tea as well as berries.
Moreover, new studies look back at past studies to compare. They have found out that cocoa products high in flavonols may contain a small, but very significant role, in lowering high blood pressure.
More to these, it also aids in alleviating risks for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and aging problems.
Nevertheless, keep in mind that too much of everything is bad enough. Yes, chocolate can do you good but it can backfire when you go overboard. Take slow steps, and always eat in moderation.
Furthermore, dark chocolates have more cocoa in them, hence an increased sense of beneficial effects. White chocolate does not contain cocoa at all, sad to say. All chocolates are high in calories and sugar, it’s not a secret anymore. You would not want to overgrow your favorite clothes or be swimming in a bed of ants.
Many people tend to be hard on themselves by depriving themselves of chocolate. That’s not ideal. If you want to enjoy it, throw away the guilty thoughts and savor it the healthy way. Better!
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: aids, chocolate facts, chocolate lovers, chocolate studies, chocolate tasting, cocoa, research, things
Chocolate Fitness
Regular ingestion of chocolate has been recently associated with healthy weight, according to a study involving 1,000 adults done at the University of California at San Diego.
Dr. Beatrice Golomb, who led the research which is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, said: “People have just assumed that because it comes with calories and it’s typically eaten as a sweet… it would inherently have been one way: bad,”
This particular study involved 1,000 mostly middle-aged adults who had their dose of exercise thrice a week and had their dose of chocolate twice every week. Those who had more chocolate usually had lower body mass indexes.
It’s no surprise that chocolate makers will lay out the benefits of chocolate, and so will fitness trainers. Many personal trainers are now linking chocolate to fitness, especially when you eat it after a strenuous workout or right after exercising.
Blake Raun, a trainer at Lifetime Fitness in Chicago, said: “Chocolate can increase one’s resting metabolic rate,” He added: “Having a higher resting metabolic rate means better metabolism and the more calories one can burn.”
The resting metabolic rate (RMR) refers to the minimum amount of calories that the body requires in backing up the basic physiological functions. Nevertheless, fitness trainers are not suggesting chocolate to be a separate supplement to their client, but they know that chocolate really packs a lot of benefits in exercise performance.
Golomb also acknowledged the benefits of chocolate in fitness. She also mentioned how chocolate milk is so popular as a sports drink during and after a strenuous workout in this time and age. She cited the results from the research that involved lab rats.
She said: “Chocolate essentially acted as an exercise magnet, allowing rats to run farther and increase muscle mass,” She also said that the research involving rats have indicated that these animals had a noticeable increase in their endurance, thus giving a reason to anticipate this pattern in humans.
The next time you want to hit the gym, you might want to have some chocolate with you. You can share it with your gym buddies, as well!
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: chocolate studies, exercise, fitness, milk chocolate, research, week
