Consumption of chocolate does not prevent weight loss and weight maintenance, according to experts.
Although the cocoa temptation contains more calories than other foods, those who regularly consume chocolate have less body fat than those who do not consume it, according to a study.
According to scientists, the ingredients in chocolate stimulate the metabolism to work harder.
As a result of metabolic effects, chocolate can be taken as a food that can lose weight, say US experts.
The study shows that the composition of calories, not just their number, is important for their ultimate impact on weight, says lead researcher Dr. Beatrice Golomb of the University of California, San Diego.
The researchers tracked eating habits and measured the body mass index of 972 men and women with an average age of 57 years.
The results are surprising and show that those who consume chocolate frequently, 2-3 times a week, have a lower body mass index than those who consume less often.
This is despite the fact that people who eat more chocolate have not increased their physical activity or consumed fewer calories than usual.
Researchers warn that the results of the study cannot be applied to all products containing chocolate, and do not rule out the possibility of some people gaining weight due to chocolate consumption.
But the results are in line with previous research showing the benefits of some ingredients found in chocolate, including for speeding up metabolism.
Consumption of chocolate does not lead to weight gain if we lead a healthy lifestyle.
The study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine .
According to other scientists, chocolate is useful, but in minimal quantities. For example, in 40 g of dark chocolate, which makes 4-7 pieces, with 85% cocoa content, there are 227 calories and 12 g of saturated fat - 60% of the daily limit.
Therefore, experts recommend consuming no more than 1-2 pieces a day.
Research shows that consumers of dark chocolate do not gain weight or blood sugar and lipids.