Chocolate lovers listen up, or run for cover, because it’s almost Easter and life right now is all about the dark stuff. Pretty foil-covered sweets, chocolate nests, temptingly cute bunnies and near-life-size eggs are all winking from eye-catching window displays. Follow our guide to surviving the Easter season the weight loss way.
Made from cacao beans from the theobroma tree (theobroma literally meaning ‘food of the gods’), chocolate was once revered by the ancient Aztecs and served only to those needing wisdom i.e. noblemen and priests.
Today, chocolate is a daily treat for many, but is the dark stuff a slimmer’s arch enemy or can everyone's favourite sweet thing be good for you?
Health by chocolate?
Scientists are reporting that chocolate, particularly cocoa-rich dark chocolate, boosts the body’s production of high-denisty lipoprotein (HDL), which enables lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides to be transported by the bloodstream and helps protect against heart disease. Good news for chocolate lovers everywhere. Or is it?
Chocolate in its natural state is very bitter. To make it more palatable, manufacturers add sugar and milk. By the time it hits the shop shelves in its processed form, much of the goodness has been removed.
So if you eat chocolate for its health benefits (yes, we believe you!), you’ll need to choose a choc that’s dark and rich in cocoa — at least 70%. Or you could get your flavonoids from teas, vegetables, fruits and even a little red wine instead.
Good quality chocolate also contains nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium and vitamins. However, levels are quite low and you would get twice as much iron from the same amount of figs.
Death by chocolate?
The news isn’t all good though! The average size chocolate bar (around 54g) provides around 17g of fat, of which 10g is saturated.
Another downside is the calories. Even a small 30g serve of chocolate has about 160 calories. If you can't help yourself and end up eating the whole 250g block, you're looking at a whopping 1,345 calories.
Chocolate is so rich in calories that Scottish GP Dr David Walker called for it to be taxed. Dr Walker called chocolate eating a “harmful addiction” that can lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and back pain. Walker believes that turning chocolate back to its age-old status as a luxury food would help people cut down and help tackle soaring obesity levels.
Chocolate the weight loss way
Despite Dr Walker’s extreme reaction to chocolate, there are ways to enjoy a little of the 'good’ stuff without cutting it out completely. This Easter follow our survival guide so you can enjoy the long weekend but still keep on track:
- Opt for small hollow or mini eggs to limit your temptation and maintain some control. Alternatively stick to a bar of chocolate. It may not have the same seasonal appeal, but if you’re the type that can stick to a few squares at a time then you won't go too far off track.
- Gradually wean your taste buds to a darker, good quality brand of chocolate that has a high cocoa content, such as 70% or even 85%. Only enjoy white or milk chocolate occassionally as they don’t have the same health benefits.
- Drink cocoa made with skim milk and an artificial sweetener to satisfy your chocolate craving.
- Indulge in chocolate-dipped fruitsuch asstrawberries and blueberries, or nuts including almonds and walnuts. You’ll get the taste with fewer calories and fat, while boosting the antioxidant value at the same time!
- As always, be true to your diary, but especially over Easter. By keeping an accurate record of all that you consume you will know how much exercise you need to do to burn it off and not disrupt your weight loss goals.
- Lastly, be active. One way you can enjoy a few extra sweet calories is by burning them off. Enjoy the spring weather by getting outdoors and going for bike rides, playing ball games in the park, enjoying long walks or even doing a spot of strenuous gardening.
Below is an example of how much cycling you would need to do to earn or burn some popular Easter treats, based on a stationary bike at a 'moderate pace' for an average 11st/70kg woman. If you work faster and harder, you’ll really turn up the calorie-crunching tempo!
Happy Easter!
| Treat |
Calories |
Cycling time (minutes) |
| Cadbury's Mini Eggs (45g tube) |
218 |
31
|
| Thorntons Milk Chocolate Egg (160g) |
882 |
123
|
| 5-6 squares of milk chocolate |
156 |
22
|
| Bassetts Jelly Babies (5 sweets) |
100 |
14 |
| Cadbury's Creme Egg (39g) |
166 |
23 |
| Hot cross bun, with butter |
193 |
27
|
| Small glass of white wine (125ml) |
93 |
13
|