Chocolate lovers! Besides its antioxidants and other health benefits, a recent study reveals that a certain form of chocolate may help you lose weight when eaten.
This week's Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology study at Brigham and Women's Hospital examined
First, 19 ladies were divided into three groups: one ate chocolate in the morning, another at night. None of the third group ate chocolate.
A key factor? Chocolate selection. The researcher said dark chocolate is known for its health benefits. Therefore, these researchers gave milk chocolate
The abstract begins with: "Our results show that 14 days of chocolate intake did not increase body weight." Continue reading if you find that compelling.
The 14-day study found that morning and evening chocolate-eating ladies had less hunger and sweets cravings.
Both morning and evening chocolate eaters burned more calories than a baseline, however the nighttime group burned 300 calories against 150 for the morning group.
The researchers believe chocolate altered "the composition and function" of gut bacteria, affecting hunger, activity, and metabolic alterations in subjects.
Before incorporating this much chocolate into your diet, note this: This study found that chocolate increased women's calorie expenditure, but
its 542 calories offset the increase. It may be worth eating more chocolate to see how it works, but 3.5 ounces may be too much.