Eat More Chocolate

Chocolate: the ultimate indulgence.  Heck, for most of us, chocolate is a weakness that we often cave to.This ultimate sweet treat has gotten a bad rap for quite some time, but we’re here to rock your boat with this bit of news: Chocolate can help boost your workout!

Go the Distance. Well, it’s not the chocolate itself which can help you burn calories rather, it’s a compound found in chocolate called epicatechin. In a new study published last month, scientists found that mice given a liquid form of epicatechin before exercise were able to cover 50% more distance than those who were given only water.

Flex some.Muscle biopsies showed a possible explanation for the epicatechin mice’s ability to outperform their counterparts. The mice given epicatechin had new capillaries as well as biochemical markers indicating increased production of mitochondria, the little critters that produce energy on the cellular level. The more functioning mitochondria within a cell, the healthier and more fatigue-resistant it is.

Leg Up?The leg muscles of the mice backed up the mitochondrial fact: the mice given epicatechin displayed muscles with far more mitochondrial activity than those that were given only water. Even the mice that were given epicatechin and then abstained from all exercise exhibited an increase in mitochondrial activity, indicating that the flavonoid epicatechin prompts a physiological reaction, even with sedentary subjects.

Go for it!Although the study showed that even sedentary mice showed an increase in muscle function, the response was greatly heightened, even with the slightest bit of exercise. Meaning? Eating a nibble of dark chocolate can help you, but it will work best if you eat it in combination with exercise.

A Little Bit Goes a Long Way. So, how much chocolate do you get to eat to reap these awesome benefits? Half of a square. Yep, you read that correctly. Half. A. Square. Try nibbling dark chocolate before a workout, it could result in more calories burned and a stronger you!

FeelGoodNow Contributor: Lucy Anne Kagan

When she isn't studying food policy or working with non-profit Apple Seeds Inc., to educate children about healthy eating habits, Lucy spends her time in a cowboy hat, riding pretty ponies through the wilderness. She has a propensity for running and wishes she lived in a world where fast food was non-existent, naps were mandatory, and all cows ate nothing but grass.


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