More chocolate for low carbers! |
In their latest study, the scientists randomized 19-67-year-old men and women to one out of three groups. One group was instructed to keep a low-carb diet and to consume an additional daily serving of 42 grams of chocolate with 81% cocoa content (chocolate group).
You can learn more about chocolate at the SuppVersity
At the beginning of the study, all participants received extensive medical advice and were thoroughly briefed on their respective diet. At the beginning and the end of the study, each participant gave a blood sample. Their weight, BMI, and waist-to-hip ratio were determined and noted. In addition to that, the scientists evaluated the Giessen Subjective Complaints List a tool to measure the quality of life of the subjcets. During the study, participants were encouraged to weigh themselves on a daily basis, assess the quality of their sleep as well as their mental state, and to use urine test strips.
Figure 1: Weight development over the 21-day study period (Bohannon. 2015). |
The scientists were also able to show a significant reduction in ketones. A result that suggests that the no-chocolate low-carbers did not adhere to their low-carb prescription. While those in the chocolate group, whose ketone groups were initially much lower than those of the "true" low-carbers group, the situation changed over the course of the 3-week study period:
"The low-carb group had a lower ketone reduction than in the previous period, they reduced 145 mg/dl less ketones, whereas the chocolate group had an average reduction of an additional 145mg/dl" (Bohannon. 2015).The scientists found similar favorable effects on total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL cholesterol levels of the chocolate group. Moreover, the subjects of the chocolate group found a significant
improvement in their well-being (physically and mentally). An improvement that was highly significant (p < 0.001) and close to "feeling well" vs. "feeling f*** up miserable" when the scientists compared the chocolate to the low carb group.
As the scientists point out, the addition of 40g of chocolate containing 81% cacao will yet have significant long-term benefits on weight loss, of which the German scientists found that it "seems to occur easier and more successfully by adding chocolate" (Bohannon. 2015). Since the effect of chocolate, which acted as a true "weight loss turbo" in the study at hand, will, due to its effects on personal well-being also make the loss of body fat easier and - as the ketone levels the scientists measured - increase the adherence to low carbohydrate weight loss diets | Comment on Facebook!
- Bohannon, Johannes, et al. "Chocolate with high Cocoa content as a weight-loss accelerator." International Archives of Medicine 8 (2015).