(How To Have Your Brownie and Eat It Too)
It’s that “time of the month” again …
…and you’re craving chocolate. But you’re already feeling a little bloated from your hormones going crazy… is this just nature’s idea of a cruel joke? You’ve been sticking to your new year’s resolutions (see January’s post) and losing weight with help from your favourite naturopath. So why do women crave chocolate during that time of the month? Doesn’t chocolate just make you gain more weight?
The 50 Shades of Chocolate
Actually, nature is smarter than we think. Craving chocolate certainly might not help you from a weight loss or PMS perspective, but that’s only because it’s full of sugar (Approximately 1-2 teaspoons of sugar in each snack sized mini bar…and about 14 teaspoons in a full sized chocolate bar!!!… but more on that in a future post). Cacao (not cocoa) is the pure form of chocolate, with no sugar added to it, and has many health benefits. Specifically, it is a great source of magnesium, which helps to alleviate PMS symptoms such as water retention, pain and anxiety (Read: bye bye bloating, cramps and mood swings!). For even more ways to improve mood, see our February post on “Beating the February blues.”
Nutrient of the Month
So can we really incorporate chocolate into a healthy diet? Well, that will depend on the current shade of chocolate that you’re consuming. It’s a bit paradoxical because if you’re having a lot of milk chocolate, that will actually be counterproductive and increase PMS symptoms. But, the darker you go, the more magnesium your chocolate will have, and the more benefits you will get from your chocolate.
YOUR 21 DAY CHALLENGE
Go one shade darker.
*100% pure cacao can taste like dirt if you go cold turkey. But if you go gradually, you won’t notice the change so much! So this month, just focus on going one shade darker. If you’re at 50% try 60%. If you’re at 70%, try 80%. If you’re already at 90%, bravo and try going that extra step to pure cacao!
Are you feeling the effects of PMS?
For Additional Support Please speak to your Naturopathic Doctor.
Disclaimer: Information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant as medical advice and any treatment decisions should be made with the knowledge or consent of your healthcare professional.