When it comes to losing weight, you would hardly believe that a treat like chocolate can actually help you shed the pounds. However, this fact seems to be true as research shows and chocolate lovers have a lot of reasons to be ecstatic about. Dark chocolate is full of MUFAs and these healthy fats help to accelerate your body’s metabolic rate.
Chocolate also helps to suppress hunger pangs; so you are less likely to reach out for the bag of chips. Chocolates are said to contain calories which are not comparable to those in other fatty foods. These help to speed up the metabolism. Epicatechin, a chemical obtained from cocoa has been seen to increase numbers of mitochondria cells which basically generate energy for the body. Mitochondria help to burn more calories.
How chocolate therapy can help
Chocolates can help to improve your mood, bring down blood pressure levels, and significantly lower risks of strokes and heart attacks. Since chocolates can suppress appetite, you are less likely to overeat during meals. When your body experiences a lot of stress, it releases more cortisol. This releases more insulin and urges the body to consume more calories. Chocolates are believed to control the release of cortisol or the stress hormone. You can try out the following low calorie chocolate recipes without the fear of gaining weight:
Light-chocolate cookies – How to make
- You can preheat the oven to 375 degrees for baking these wholesome cookies.
- You can combine unsalted butter and ¼ cup granulated sugar in a big bowl.
- To this mix, oil and two lightly beaten eggs are added.
- In another bowl, you can mix 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and ¾ cup of all-purpose flour along with salt and baking powder.
- The two mixtures are then combined and gently folded with cherries, about six chunks of dark chocolate and almonds.
- Then you can scoop this batter and place it upon two baking sheets and bake the cookies till they turn golden at the top.
The cookies are then placed on parchment paper to cool off after which you can store them in air tight containers.
Chocolate cake using maple frosting
- Here, you beat sugar and mayonnaise using an electric mixer preferably at medium speed.
- Then you blend in buttermilk with vanilla extract.
- To this blend, the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa are added and beaten well.
- The batter is then spread onto baking pans and baked for nearly an hour.
- For the frosting you can combine maple syrup with tartar cream and egg whites in a double broiler.
- This blend is then beaten well with a mixer and placed over boiling water.
- The mix is beaten till stiff peaks form and after removing the boiler, you should continue beating this for some more time till it becomes fluffy.
Chocolate-cranberry quesadilla
- In this preparation, you need to place a tortilla in the pan and toast it well on each side.
- The chocolate chips are then sprinkled onto it along with cranberries. Cinnamon dust is sprinkled too.
- Then this tortilla is folded like an omelet and cooked for another 30 seconds till the chocolate begins melting.
- Finally, this is cut into four wedges.
Double chocolate muffin
- In a medium sized bowl, make a mixture out of flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and baking powder.
- In another bowl of comfortable size, you can mix a small amount of canola oil with milk, eggs and vanilla.
- Transfer the dry ingredients to this mixture and blend it nicely adding some chocolate chips.
- Preheat the oven and fill the muffin cups with the mixture.
- You can bake it to 25 minutes or till you feel it springy to the fingers.
- Even popular diet services keenly include chocolate dishes in their menu.
- Double chocolate muffin is one of the breakfast meals of Nutrisystem, which is a well recognized weight loss program.
- In fact many of their desserts and snacks include chocolate as the main ingredient.
The above dessert recipes using dark chocolates can be prepared with ease at home when you wish to indulge in your favorite dessert treats without piling on unwanted calories in the process.
A sweet treat for your health!
Besides the weight loss benefits, chocolates are said to posses other welcoming qualities. Sources say that dark chocolates can protect you against acute ailments like cancer and from sunburns. Chocolates can even out your blood glucose levels and enhance your mood.
Studies say that you can munch on a dark chocolate before and after 20 minutes of your major meals in order to stabilize the glucose levels. There are even predictions that chocolates can become a superfood in the near future. Moreover, chocolates still continue to be favorites of all age groups. When a sweet indulgence can fetch you multiple benefits you don’t have reasons to deny it.
