American scientists studying diet, calorie intake and body mass index with thousands of people came to the conclusion that people who regularly eat chocolate, tend to be slimmer.
This conclusion was reached by U.S. scientists studying the diet, calorie intake and body mass index (BMI), an indicator of obesity in thousands of people.
It was found that those who ate chocolate several times a week, on average, were slimmer than those who ate it less frequently.
While chocolate is a very nutritious product, it contains ingredients that may contribute to weight loss rather than fat synthesis, scientists believe.
Thus, it appears that the regular consumption of chocolate due to reduction in BMI, according to a study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine (Archives of Internal Medicine).
The link between chocolate consumption and weight was seen even when taken into account other factors such as physical exercise.
It seems that it is important, how often do you eat chocolate, but not how much chocolate you eat. The study found no relation with the amount consumed by the weight of the product.
According to scientists, there is only one chance in a hundred that the findings could be the result of mere coincidence.
Lead study author Beatrice Golomb of the University of California at San Diego, said: "Our results complement the existing information that is of calories, not just their number is important to determine their effect on weight."
This is not the first study suggesting that chocolate can have a positive impact on our health.
There are works by authors who claim that chocolate can be good for the heart.
It turns out that the consumption of certain types of chocolate may be associated with favorable changes in blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels.
And chocolate, especially dark, contains antioxidants, which help absorb the harmful free radicals - unstable chemicals that can damage the body's cells.
Dr. Golomb and her colleagues believe that the catechins, that is, antioxidant compounds can improve muscle mass and lose weight - at least, this is confirmed by studies conducted in rodents.
Mice were fed for 15 days epicatechin, a substance contained in cocoa and dark chocolate. After that, they are better exercises, they also were visible changes in muscle mass.
The researchers argue that now need to conduct clinical studies in humans to verify the correctness of its conclusions.
But before you take on a chocolate bar, you need to answer many questions. Experts recommend to be cautious as long as no clear evidence.
Of course, it is possible without any harm from time to time, afford a bar of chocolate. But if there is too much, it could be harmful, as in chocolate often contain large amounts of sugar and fat.
And if you want to change your diet, you will probably be more beneficial to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
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