Thursday, November 20, 2008

Eat Chocolate And Lose Weight?

By Brian McCoy

It doesn't seem possible that the words chocolate and weight loss could be used in the same sentence. However, with a new product, it just might be possible.

Doctors and scientists alike have recently been touting the positive benefits that healthy, dark chocolate can have on your body. Although dark chocolate does have many healthful benefits, the vast majority of chocolate products that you find in stores is far from healthy. The reason is simple. These products are loaded with refined sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial preservatives. None of these have the positive benefits that dark chocolate does for your health and well-being.

Traditional chocolate also losses much of its nutritional benefits as it is heated during manufacturing. This causes an 80% loss in antioxidant levels.

There is a company that has come out with an alternative to these unhealthy, poorly manufactured dark chocolates. Xocai is a division of MXI Corp. and is based in Reno, Nevada. They have brought to market an all natural, pure form of cacao that maintains its nutritional value through the manufacturing process. Rather than heat the cacao, it is cold pressed. This allows the dark chocolate to maintain its healthful properties.

Xocai has 6 products available to consumers: X Powerhouse Cookie, X Power Squares, Omega Bars, Activ, Protein Bar, and Nuggets. The product line is made with unprocessed cacao powder and then acai berry and blueberry is included to enhance the taste. All of the products are chocked full of positive health benefits such as antioxidants, flavonoids, elevated ORAC values, high fiber, and low glycemic index. The product line is acceptable for vegetarians, vegans, and diabetics.

So just how does any of this have an effect on weight loss? Several studies, including one recent study out of Japan, concluded that consumption of cocoa may fight weight gain. While there are several determining factors in this, a few of them are gene regulation and the potential mood elevating chemicals that cocoa contains. These positive chemicals have the added benefits of possibly helping one to feel more energetic, leading to increased exercise, and ultimately leading to weight loss.

The studies suggest that there are several biochemical processes going on in your body. In addition to that, you are also indulging in a far more healthy, organic chocolate. Let's say that you eat a piece of healthy dark chocolate rather than a 3 Musketeers Bar. What different effects do you think that the 2 would have on your body? The differences are clear. The healthy dark chocolate contains positive benefits such as being low in sugar, fat, and calories. Where it really stands out is the high levels of fiber, antioxidants, ORAC value, and flavonoids. We don't even need to examine how much of a difference this is from the unhealthy 3 Musketeers Bar.

Fortunately, you don't have to sacrifice taste either. The healthy dark chocolate products marketed by Xocai are reported to be very tasty. There are many positive testimonials from product users that make taking a look at the products worth your time. - 15343

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