Chocolate 'may help keep people slim'
mummyv811
Posts: 237
Found this on the BBC website and found it quite interesting! :happy:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17511011
Chocolate 'may help keep people slim'
People who eat chocolate regularly tend to be thinner, new research suggests.
The findings come from a study of nearly 1,000 US people that looked at diet, calorie intake and body mass index (BMI) - a measure of obesity.
It found those who ate chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who ate it occasionally.
Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favour weight loss rather than fat synthesis, scientists believe.
Despite boosting calorie intake, regular chocolate consumption was related to lower BMI in the study, which is published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
The link remained even when other factors, like how much exercise individuals did, were taken into account.
And it appears it is how often you eat chocolate that is important, rather than how much of it you eat. The study found no link with quantity consumed.
According to the researchers, there is only one chance in a hundred that their findings could be explained by chance alone.
Lead author Dr Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California at San Diego, said: "Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight."
This is not the first time scientists have suggested that chocolate may be healthy for us.
Other studies have claimed chocolate may be good for the heart.
Consumption of certain types of chocolate has been linked to some favourable changes in blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and cholesterol level.
And chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, does contain antioxidants which can help to mop up harmful free radicals - unstable chemicals that can damage our cells.
Dr Golomb and her team believe that antioxidant compounds, called catechins, can improve lean muscle mass and reduce weight - at least studies in rodents would suggest this might be so.
Mice fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in dark chocolate) had improved exercise performance and observable changes to their muscle composition.
They say clinical trials are now needed in humans to see if this is the case.
But before you reach for a chocolate bar, there are still lots of unanswered questions. And in the absence of conclusive evidence, experts advise caution.
While there's no harm in allowing yourself a treat like chocolate now and again, eating too much might be harmful because it often contains a lot of sugar and fat too.
And if you are looking to change your diet, you are likely to benefit most from eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17511011
Chocolate 'may help keep people slim'
People who eat chocolate regularly tend to be thinner, new research suggests.
The findings come from a study of nearly 1,000 US people that looked at diet, calorie intake and body mass index (BMI) - a measure of obesity.
It found those who ate chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who ate it occasionally.
Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favour weight loss rather than fat synthesis, scientists believe.
Despite boosting calorie intake, regular chocolate consumption was related to lower BMI in the study, which is published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
The link remained even when other factors, like how much exercise individuals did, were taken into account.
And it appears it is how often you eat chocolate that is important, rather than how much of it you eat. The study found no link with quantity consumed.
According to the researchers, there is only one chance in a hundred that their findings could be explained by chance alone.
Lead author Dr Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California at San Diego, said: "Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight."
This is not the first time scientists have suggested that chocolate may be healthy for us.
Other studies have claimed chocolate may be good for the heart.
Consumption of certain types of chocolate has been linked to some favourable changes in blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and cholesterol level.
And chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, does contain antioxidants which can help to mop up harmful free radicals - unstable chemicals that can damage our cells.
Dr Golomb and her team believe that antioxidant compounds, called catechins, can improve lean muscle mass and reduce weight - at least studies in rodents would suggest this might be so.
Mice fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in dark chocolate) had improved exercise performance and observable changes to their muscle composition.
They say clinical trials are now needed in humans to see if this is the case.
But before you reach for a chocolate bar, there are still lots of unanswered questions. And in the absence of conclusive evidence, experts advise caution.
While there's no harm in allowing yourself a treat like chocolate now and again, eating too much might be harmful because it often contains a lot of sugar and fat too.
And if you are looking to change your diet, you are likely to benefit most from eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Replies
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I saw that - sign me up for that trial!!!0
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I always knew chocolate was a good thing :-)0
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I saw that news story too - its great to know chocolate is good for you:)0
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What an awful interpretation. Correlation does not imply causation!
The article does not distinguish between whether eating chocolate actively makes you slimmer, or slim people tend to have a relationship with food where can allow themselves to eat more chocolate without going over their total daily energy expenditure.0 -
Didn't work for me when we had Twirl o'Clock at work, mind you it did used to be every day... :laugh:0
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What an awful interpretation. Correlation does not imply causation!
The article does not distinguish between whether eating chocolate actively makes you slimmer, or slim people tend to have a relationship with food where can allow themselves to eat more chocolate without going over their total daily energy expenditure.
Actually, correlation does imply causality. You see a correlation, you come up with a hypothesis.0 -
I think it's OK to eat any food as long as you have it in moderation and include it into your daily calories.0
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Didn't work for me when we had Twirl o'Clock at work, mind you it did used to be every day... :laugh:
Haha love this!! What about Crunchie Friday!!
If it works though, I'm so on this!! :happy:0 -
What an awful interpretation. Correlation does not imply causation!
The article does not distinguish between whether eating chocolate actively makes you slimmer, or slim people tend to have a relationship with food where can allow themselves to eat more chocolate without going over their total daily energy expenditure.
Actually, correlation does imply causality. You see a correlation, you come up with a hypothesis.
Was this sarcasm or do you actually think correlation implies causation?
ETA: I'm guessing this is sarcasm, because in scientific method, you collect data after coming up with a hypothesis...0 -
What an awful interpretation. Correlation does not imply causation!
The article does not distinguish between whether eating chocolate actively makes you slimmer, or slim people tend to have a relationship with food where can allow themselves to eat more chocolate without going over their total daily energy expenditure.
I've never seen an episode of Supersize vs Superskinny, where the superskinny didn't live on sweets and caffeine.0 -
What an awful interpretation. Correlation does not imply causation!
The article does not distinguish between whether eating chocolate actively makes you slimmer, or slim people tend to have a relationship with food where can allow themselves to eat more chocolate without going over their total daily energy expenditure.
I love your debunking Helen!
Like those famous slides that show and increase in stork population correlating with increase in human birth rates - ergo, storks bring babies right?
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Didn't work for me when we had Twirl o'Clock at work, mind you it did used to be every day... :laugh:
pmsl
Same with me, didn't work when I used to take five choccie bars out of the vending machine at a time either
*sigh* how I would love it to be true though0 -
I'd like to know who funded this research. Got to be Cadbury or Nestle!
But really, awful article. It seems they're saying it's normal fat and sugar loaded chocolate that resulted in these findings (correlation implying causality aside) which is highly misleading as if eaten regularly by someone who regularly over-eats it will have the opposite effect. Irresponsible journalism, makes me mad.0 -
Economy needs people buying, what's coming up?
Easter?
.............
Give me a minute, I'm just off to write an article.0 -
I saw that - sign me up for that trial!!!
lmao !!! Me too !!!!
I eat some form of chocolate everyday now Ive hit goal but I certainly didnt when I was trying to lose weight. I figured the three bars of chocolate a day I was eating prior to starting my diet had helped me into the top end of the overweight bmi scale for my height..... so I cut back.
Now I mainly eat dark chocolate-sometimes a little sometimes more than I should do. But Im on maintenance and I have really bad pmt so when I need chocoalte, I need it otherwise I turn into a raving lunatic....
That is all :0)0 -
What an awful interpretation. Correlation does not imply causation!
The article does not distinguish between whether eating chocolate actively makes you slimmer, or slim people tend to have a relationship with food where can allow themselves to eat more chocolate without going over their total daily energy expenditure.
Actually, correlation does imply causality. You see a correlation, you come up with a hypothesis.
That kind of 'logic' kills.
I highly doubt that chocolate in itself (and I'm talking that pre-packaged stuff wrapped in silver foil sold at your local supermarket) causes weight loss. It is packed with bad fats, calories and sugar. Any positive effect produced by the caffeine or any other such cocoa related ingredient is totally negated by this fact.
However, perhaps the psychological effect that chocolate has on chocolate addicts may prevent us from binge eating (due to overall happiness after eating the chocolate). But this would have to take into account a person's unique psychological predispositions and make up.
These studies have been done by chocolate addicts trying to justify their habits all over the world since the 90s.
I'm voting that the amount of chocolate someone eats is indicative to their psychological makeup, and it is this psychological makeup, and not the chocolate, that keeps them slim.0 -
Glad I had chocolate tart after my brekfast today then :laugh:0
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I do eat a small square of the dark choc at least 3-4 times a week, and it does not sabotage my caloric intake. I think it helps..at least for me it does.0
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What an awful interpretation. Correlation does not imply causation!
The article does not distinguish between whether eating chocolate actively makes you slimmer, or slim people tend to have a relationship with food where can allow themselves to eat more chocolate without going over their total daily energy expenditure.
Actually, correlation does imply causality. You see a correlation, you come up with a hypothesis. That kind of 'logic' kills.
I highly doubt that chocolate in itself (and I'm talking that pre-packaged stuff wrapped in silver foil sold at your local supermarket) causes weight loss. It is packed with bad fats, calories and sugar. Any positive effect produced by the caffeine or any other such cocoa related ingredient is totally negated by this fact.
However, perhaps the psychological effect that chocolate has on chocolate addicts may prevent us from binge eating (due to overall happiness after eating the chocolate). But this would have to take into account a person's unique psychological predispositions and make up.
These studies have been done by chocolate addicts trying to justify their habits all over the world since the 90s.
I'm voting that the amount of chocolate someone eats is indicative to their psychological makeup, and it is this psychological makeup, and not the chocolate, that keeps them slim.
This.0 -
Just eat everything you want as long as you know when to stop. thats what i beleive in. everybody is diffrent, find the food that makes you feel energetic and good. From what I've read, it only talks about appearence, not mood or health.
just listen to your body and build a good relationship with it, these articles are not going to do it for you... They will ALWAYS come up with new reaserches and crap.0 -
i eat a small bar of chocolate every evening,& am still managing to lose weight.i account for it in calories,making sure i don't go over etc.i've tried dieting before & cut out chocolate etc,but this is were most 'diets' can fail,giving stuff up,then stopping the 'diet' because people can't live without stuff.i just try & eat healthily,exercise more & stick to my suggested calorie intake.0
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i eat a small bar of chocolate every evening,& am still managing to lose weight.i account for it in calories,making sure i don't go over etc.i've tried dieting before & cut out chocolate etc,but this is were most 'diets' can fail,giving stuff up,then stopping the 'diet' because people can't live without stuff.i just try & eat healthily,exercise more & stick to my suggested calorie intake.
^^^^^^ THIS!
I have crisps and chocolate every work day for lunch. I am managing to lose and budget for these 'treats' accordingly! I chose not to cut things out because I crave and binge on them if I do, causing a neon *DIET FAILED* sign to flash and blind me so I cannot get back on track.
Everything in moderation, that's what I'm learning! :happy:
I'm glad everyone enjoyed the article! :drinker:0 -
What an awful interpretation. Correlation does not imply causation!
The article does not distinguish between whether eating chocolate actively makes you slimmer, or slim people tend to have a relationship with food where can allow themselves to eat more chocolate without going over their total daily energy expenditure.
Bingo.0 -
What Helenium said.0
This discussion has been closed.
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