How to enjoy chocolate in moderation: 8 realistic tips

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Are you trying to improve your diet and you are a chocolate lover?

Chocolate is a source of pure joy. It is designed to be like that and that’s ok!! For healthy eating beginners, hearing that you need to completely deprive yourself from it could be very disappointing. It’ could actually be a reason many people are often discouraged to think about changing their eating habits.

The truth is you don’t have to cut out chocolate for a successful weight loss journey and you don’t have to demonize it either. Unless there is a medical reason, you can enjoy it in moderation and maintain the energy deficit you are aiming for.

It means though that portion size matters a lot and it’s time to find ways to avoid overindulging. Not only for your weight goals, but for your health as well. Everyone should pay attention to their chocolate portion size regardless of their weight!

Here are some tips to help you eat chocolate in moderation and the logic behind them:

1. Don’t replace main meals with chocolates

Do you often think about replacing a meal with a whole pack of chocolates because “calories are the same”? This is a common unhealthy “diet mindset” among chocolate lovers who are trying to lose weight. If this happens once every few weeks that’s fine, but it should not become an actual eating habit.

You don’t need to completely cut out chocolate for successful weight loss, but having it as a main meal is not the best option either.

Let’ see why it’s better to keep chocolate for dessert:

• Balanced meals with all food groups keep you full because they contain protein, fibre and a small amount of fats. They are full of valuable vitamins and minerals we need daily. In short, with healthy meals the calories you take are actually worth it! Along with calories you take all the substances you need to feel healthy and energized.
• On the other hand, chocolate contains plenty of “empty calories”.That means, you will get plenty of calories with a relatively small portion, because it is high in fats and added sugars. You will receive a very small amount of vitamins and minerals though! Chocolate is low in protein too. By replacing mean meals with chocolate often, you deprive your body from substances you need.
• 100g of chocolate is a small amount of food, with a very low volume, but it still contains more than 500 kcal. That’s the energy of a full meal that could keep you full for hours! Food volume is important for a filling meal because it leads to gastric distension. Gastric distension is involved in signals of the nervous system that promote satiety.  

2. Try not to exceed the recommended serving size

If you check the front of chocolate packs, you will often see the suggested serving size is usually up to 25g. If you are used to eating chocolate you will probably not feel full with a smaller amount! If you consume a bigger portion you may get more calories than it’s good for you from an “empty calorie” food.

• Government recommendations mention that only 5% of your total energy intake should come from added sugars.

3. Be careful with chocolate drinks!

Hot chocolate drinks at cafes/ restaurants and chocolate milkshakes could have the energy of a high calorie meal, plenty of added sugars and you will probably need real food as well to feel full. Especially if you order it along with a meal, the chances to consume more than 1,000 kcal within an hour are a bit high.  It is perfectly ok to enjoy once in a while as a fun snack, but if you usually go for chocolate drinks you may drink more calories than you think per day without even noticing! It is not just chocolate drinks. Sugary drinks are the main source of added sugars in western diet and have been consistently associated with weight gain and chronic disease!

• Have you tried low calorie hot chocolate sachets? You can add some semi-skimmed milk and satisfy your craving for less than 100 kcal! They are actually a great tool to enjoy chocolate in moderation!

4. Prefer truffles or a 25-30g pack over 100g chocolate bars

Once you open a 100g chocolate bar, it can be hard to stop! That’s perfectly human. Try taking two truffles from the cupboard and move away from it. If you have your dessert at work it is even easier to take only two chocolate truffles with you or a 30g chocolate snack.

5. Give dark chocolate a chance to keep you full

It is true that dark chocolate can keep you full for longer, especially if it has a high cocoa content. That’s because high cocoa content makes it higher in fibre and lower in sugars comparing with milk chocolate. So, if dark chocolate with over 70% cocoa content is you favourite, lucky you! If it’s not but you still want to check if it can help you with your fitness goals, you can try replacing part of your daily or weekly chocolate intake with dark chocolate and enjoy it along with the chocolates you usually have.

Your total daily energy intake is still what matters for weight management.  Dark chocolate has similar energy content as other chocolates and it is still a source of added sugars. Just like with all types of chocolate, you need to enjoy in moderation according to your goals.

Keep in mind: You may have heard that dark chocolate is higher in polyphenols and that’s why it has health benefits. The truth is cocoa beans, the source of polyphenols, are so highly processed during chocolate manufacturing that polyphenol concentration is way lower than we think. Also, it is not entirely sure that milk in chocolate reduces the absorption of polyphenols from our bodies.The whole topic is still under research and the results are not very consistent! Click here for more information, it is a very interesting topic!

6. Stick to the chocolate brand you find more filling

The goal is to feel satisfied with the smallest possible amount. If you have found the chocolate brand or flavour that satisfies you with one serving (<30g), then stick to it. Even it is a bit more expensive, it is a very good investment to your health!

You don’t need to try to replace your favourite chocolate with pricey “organic” chocolates you don’t really like. You also don’t need chocolates with macha powder you have heard they are “healthier”. They are delicious if you want to try them, but they still contain similar amount of calories per portion.

7. Enjoy chocolate cakes up to 2-3 times a month.

Chocolate cakes, cookies and pastries can be more energy dense than you think. They definitely don’t count as “one 30g portion”. Actually it could contain the calories as all the chocolate you have within a week!

8. Use unsweetened cocoa powder!

Adding 1-2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to your diet is a lifesaving hack for chocolate lovers! You can make chocolatey snacks with low in fats and lower in added sugars comparing to actual chocolate.

• Try mixing it with a ripened banana. It is so chocolatey you will be surprised!
• Add to your oatmeal with some nutmeg.
• Have you tried unsweetened cocoa powder with fat free greek yogurt and a tablespoon of honey? You get a high protein post-workout dessert within seconds.