It's easy to blame an economy-sized slice of French silk pie or a buttery, flaky chocolate croissant for any extra pounds that show up on your belly or your thighs. Indeed, eating a lot of chocolate can contribute to steady weight gain, but it's far from the sole factor in how much you gain or lose.
Calories
Your weight depends on how many calories you take in versus how many calories you burn. According to the National Institutes of Health, there is only one proven weight loss method, and that's to consistently burn more calories than you consume. Whether you cut daily calories by eating chocolate in place of other foods or by cutting way down on the amount of chocolate you eat, you'll still gradually lose weight.
Nutrition Facts
In terms of weight gain and weight loss, not all chocolates are created equal. Dark chocolate conveys the strongest health benefits, and milk chocolate and other processed chocolates are often much higher in sugar. According to ClevelandClinic.org, flavonoids and antioxidants, the highest amounts of which are found in minimally processed dark chocolate, have the potential to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improve circulation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 50 g of dark chocolate has about 300 calories, 4 g of protein, 21 g of fat, 23 g carbohydrates, 5.5 g of fiber and 12 g of sugar, whereas 50 g milk chocolate has closer to 265 calories, 4.25 g of protein, 15 g of fat, 29 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of fiber and 27 g of sugar.
Chocolate and Weight
Although calories are one very important factor in weight gain and weight loss, they're not the only thing that matters. The amounts of cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium in chocolate also make a difference in how the food affects your body. Eating a chocolate bar of any kind from time to time isn't likely to make or break a healthy plan to change your weight, but the amount and type of chocolate you eat on a regular basis does have an impact.
Considerations
Before you incorporate chocolate into any plan for weight loss or weight gain, get your doctor's approval. Following some healthy guidelines can help keep your chocolate consumption in check and ensure you're getting balanced nutrition from a variety of foods. MayoClinic.com registered dietitian Katherine Zeratsky recommends eating no more than 3 oz. of chocolate per day, choosing varieties that are at least 65 percent cacao and following a low-calorie diet.
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