The benefits and harms of fasting days on chocolate. Features of carrying out on different types of product

General rules

Among the products used for fasting days, such a seemingly unsuitable product as chocolate is used.
However, despite its relatively high calorie content, it can also be used in a fasting nutrition system. Let's say right away that we are talking about high-quality dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 72 percent or more. It is not recommended to use white, milk, cream and other types of chocolate because they contain too much sugar and other undesirable ingredients. High-quality dark chocolate can contain only 3 ingredients: cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar/sweetener. The nutritional value of the product is determined by the properties and composition of cocoa beans. 100 dark chocolate contains proteins (6.5-7.8 g), fats (42.0-50.0 g), carbohydrates (45.5-52.0 g). It contains saturated/monounsaturated fatty acids, caffeine , theobromine , flavonoids , organic acids, dietary fiber, vitamins ( A , B1 , B2 , B5 , B6 , K , PP , E , lutein , beta-carotene, macro/microelements: zinc, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, calcium, iron, sodium, copper).

Calorie content, depending on the percentage of each chocolate component, varies between 460-540 kcal/100 g. Dark chocolate is a “fast” carbohydrate, but has a low glycemic index (about 30), unlike white and milk chocolate, the GI of which varies within 45-70, respectively, their use quickly increases blood sugar levels. The daily intake of dark dark chocolate is 25-30 g.

Beneficial properties of dark chocolate:

• Promotes the production of endorphin (the hormone of joy) and reduces the level of cortisol (a hormone produced under stress).
• Reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Theobromine in chocolate supports the tone of the heart muscle. Flavonoids increase the elasticity of blood vessels, improve blood circulation, prevent the formation of blood clots , lower blood pressure , and lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
• Improves cerebral blood flow, concentration and memory, activates brain function, increases performance.
• Antioxidants contained in chocolate strengthen the immune system (stimulates the production of local immunity factor - immunoglobulin A ) and slow down the aging process of cells.
• Effectively restores the body's energy potential after physical activity.

A fasting day on chocolate involves the inclusion in the diet of a bar of dark chocolate weighing 100 g, which is divided into 5 doses. There are several options for a fasting day on chocolate.

• The first, more strict option involves including only chocolate and liquid in the diet, which is recommended to drink green or herbal tea, still mineral water or purified water. The volume of fluid consumed should be at least 2.0 l/day. The liquid should be taken 30 minutes after eating chocolate. A number of authors advise drinking coffee (without sugar and milk), since coffee has a fat-burning effect. In principle, you can drink coffee, but not together with chocolate and not in the afternoon, since the risk of side effects is potentiated: allergic reactions (skin rash), irritability, insomnia , increased blood pressure. It is safer and no less effective to lose weight with green tea and chocolate, which also promotes weight loss, has a diuretic effect, is a good tonic and quenches thirst after eating sweets.
• The second option is more gentle. The diet is expanded by including low-fat kefir or yoghurt in the amount of 1.0 liters, which is washed down with 200 g of chocolate for each chocolate meal. At the same time, the amount of free liquid in the drinking ration should be at least 1.2-1.5 l/day.

It is recommended to practice a chocolate fasting day no more than once every 15 days. As already emphasized for the unloading procedure, it is important to choose the right chocolate. Let's consider the main criteria that you need to pay attention to when choosing chocolate. Don't buy chocolate if it:

• Made from genetically modified cocoa beans. It is important to choose chocolate that has a certificate of organic origin of cocoa beans.
• It contains a high percentage of cocoa powder. This ingredient is formed after squeezing the oil from cocoa beans and is cheaper and less healthy than cocoa liquor. The percentage of cocoa in high-quality dark chocolate ranges from 70 to 85%.
• If it contains other types of fat other than cocoa butter. Most often, in order to reduce the cost of chocolate, manufacturers introduce coconut, palm or soybean oil, which leads to the formation of trans fats that have a negative effect on the body.
• Contains high amounts of sugar (brown sugar), fructose, corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate , sucralose , saccharin or aspartame . It is recommended to choose chocolate not only with low sugar content, but to give preference to chocolate sweetened with natural sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit), which are several times sweeter than sugar and have minimal calorie content and zero glycemic index.
• They contain flavor enhancers, dyes and preservatives: ponceau 4R (E124), maltol (E636) and others, which can cause an allergic reaction and gastrointestinal diseases. Manufacturers usually add these ingredients to low-quality chocolate in order to make it more tasty and attractive. The presence of lecithin emulsifier (E322) in chocolate is permitted by GOST and its presence should not discourage you from purchasing. But if there is an alternative in the form of natural chocolate without lecithin, choose it.
• If there is a specific or white coating on the chocolate that forms when the product is stored improperly. A high-quality dark chocolate bar should be naturally shiny and glossy. When high-quality chocolate breaks, a loud crunch is heard, and the break of the bar should remain matte. High-quality chocolate should leave dark marks on your hands, since the melting point of cocoa butter is much lower than the human body temperature, so it is impossible to avoid contamination.

Also, it should be emphasized that since chocolate increases the level of serotonin and endorphins , it is possible to develop a craving for chocolate (addiction), especially during periods of exposure to stressful circumstances, so try to control the dose of chocolate consumption.

Is it safe (benefits and harms, contraindications)

Days spent on chocolate, provided all the rules are followed and there are no contraindications, will help you get rid of several kilograms and will be beneficial.

Thanks to unloading, the following occurs:

1. Removing excess fluid from the body. Due to this, swelling goes away and bags under the eyes disappear.
2. Improving memory, thinking and other cognitive functions. The functioning of the nervous system is normalized.
3. Increased serotonin production. Thanks to this, physical endurance increases, and a surge of strength and vigor is felt.
4. Cleansing the body of waste and toxins.
5. Removal of cholesterol due to the polyunsaturated acids contained.

But unloading on chocolate can lead to a deterioration in your health and appearance. If you stick to a mono-diet for several days, the body will begin to experience a lack of vitamins and other substances necessary for normal functioning. The first signs may be hair loss, brittle nails and deterioration of the epidermis.

Losing weight using this method can cause:

• the appearance of heaviness and pain in the abdomen;
• nausea and vomiting;
• destruction of tooth enamel;
• bloating;
• muscle weakness;
• fatigue;
• tachycardia;
• increased blood pressure, etc.

To avoid complications, it is recommended to unload once a week.

Additionally, you should make sure that there are no other contraindications, which include an allergy to chocolate, as well as:

• renal or liver failure;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• cholelithiasis;
• diabetes;
• gastritis, ulcer;
• pregnancy;
• breastfeeding period;
• cardiovascular diseases, etc.

To make sure that your weight loss method is safe, you should consult your family doctor and nutritionist before starting it.

Unloading helps to quickly cope with excess weight, but the process of losing weight should occur gradually. Otherwise, the body will be exhausted.

If you follow all the recommendations, give up bad habits, don’t overeat, etc., the results of regular fasting days on chocolate will last up to 1 year.

Authorized Products

A fasting day on chocolate includes in the diet:

• Bitter chocolate, Babaevsky bitter chocolate, ritter sport bitter chocolate.
• Green tea, black coffee, still mineral water or filtered water.
• Non-fat/low-fat kefir, natural yogurt.

Table of permitted products

Quitting the chocolate diet

Since the chocolate diet for weight loss is one of the strictest, it is recommended to “come out” of it in the same way as from absolute fasting.

1. A good dish for the first meal after finishing the chocolate diet would be a salad of fresh white cabbage and carrots, seasoned with lemon juice. It is advisable to grate the carrots, and finely chop the cabbage

This is very important due to the fact that during such a limited diet, the digestive system will wean itself off hard foods. To simplify her work and not damage the walls of the stomach, food should be consumed in crushed form.

And, of course, chew thoroughly and eat slowly.

2

Due to the fact that during the chocolate diet your body will receive practically nothing useful, in the following days it is important to saturate it with vitamins. Drink freshly squeezed juices diluted with water, green tea without sugar, rosehip infusion, herbal teas, etc.

Also, do not forget to eat more fresh vegetables, fruits and berries, but avoid especially high-calorie and starchy fruits. After such a diet, different broths will be useful: fish, chicken, meat and vegetable. It is advisable that they be low-fat and unsalted.

3. One of the main disadvantages of any mono-diet and express diet is that the body takes part of its energy from muscle tissue. To restore it, you need to eat more protein. Include in your diet boiled chicken fillet, low-fat dairy and fermented milk products, eggs (hard-boiled, soft-boiled, in the form of a steam omelet), nuts, etc.

4. To avoid weight gain, avoid overeating. The easiest way to protect yourself from excessive food consumption is by eating fractional meals. If you eat 5-6 times a day, you will not want to put too large portions on your plate, since you will know that after a couple of hours you will be able to eat again. In addition, fractional meals have a positive effect on digestive and metabolic processes.

5. Start playing sports. If during the chocolate diet physical activity is contraindicated, since your body will clearly not be able to produce the required amount of energy for this, then at the end of the diet it is mandatory to do it! This is due to the fact that, again, there will be a need to restore muscle tissue, and you will also need to tighten the skin, because with sudden weight loss it will most likely become less firm and elastic.

6. Avoid harmful foods. The human body needs a balanced diet, which will include a lot of substances, vitamins, minerals, etc. This means that it is advisable to make your daily menu as varied as possible. However, there are a number of foods that can be completely excluded, and this will not harm the body in any way. These include:

• canned food;
• fast food;
• white sugar;
• flour (except for durum products).

By eliminating the above from your diet, you can continue to lose weight without any health risks!

Menu (Power Mode)

The chocolate diet menu, even in a gentle version, is extremely simple due to the inclusion of only a few products in the diet:

Which chocolate to choose

The chocolate assortment amazes the imagination and makes you think hard about choosing a product for RD. So which variety or option is most suitable in this process? You need to pay special attention to this nuance, since a mistake can lead not to weight loss, but, on the contrary, to a gain of extra pounds.

Nutritionists today recommend black/dark/bitter chocolate. This is the best option. It is best to take a “bitter” product with a cocoa bean content of more than 75%. The minimum acceptable level is 55% - such a chocolate bar will already be considered “dark” or “black”.

You will have to categorically refuse “dairy” and “white” varieties. Of course, they taste much more pleasant, but there is practically no benefit from them. The composition contains milk powder or cream with a fairly high percentage of fat content. These components are not dietary, so experts advise avoiding this product.

Reviews of a fasting day on chocolate and results

Reviews from people who regularly practice fasting on dark chocolate are mostly positive.

• “... I regularly give myself a chocolate fasting day. I have long been looking for some non-standard product for a fasting day. And since I have a terrible sweet tooth, I chose a chocolate fasting day for myself. I use chocolate in combination with green tea, since I practically don’t eat coffee. The feeling of hunger is almost absent or very insignificant. I can easily tolerate it and recommend it to anyone with a sweet tooth. But look for quality dark chocolate.”
• “... To be honest, when a friend offered me a chocolate fasting day, I told her that she was crazy. But after searching for information on the Internet, I was convinced that chocolate can also be used to relieve the body. We decided to try it. It turned out that everything was fine, but I still decided for myself that in the future I would use more suitable products for unloading - sour milk, cottage cheese or vegetables.”

Options with the addition

If there is only chocolate on the menu, then this is not only stress for the body - it is mentally difficult to eat one dessert throughout the day. Therefore, you can try another option, which involves introducing other foods into your diet.

Coffee

Unloading the body with chocolate and coffee is in great demand because... gives good results. But you should be prepared for the fact that this method may lead to a number of side effects, such as insomnia, rapid heartbeat, skin rash, etc.

The principle of the technique is to consume chocolate all day and wash it down with coffee. No other ingredients should be added to the drink.

Green tea

Has a tonic and diuretic effect. You can combine eating chocolate with this drink. Tea contains no calories and will remove fluid from the body. Additionally, the drink will quench the thirst that dessert causes.

Compared to the previous method, this method of losing weight is considered more gentle on the body.

Buckwheat

To eliminate the possibility of feelings of hunger and weakness, you can try combining chocolate and buckwheat. Pour boiling water over the cereal and wait until it steams. No salt, sugar, butter, etc. are added to the porridge.

A chocolate bar (100 g) is divided into 5 equal parts. Every 20 g is consumed together with 1 tbsp. buckwheat You can alternate the intake of products.

Kefira

For people who are afraid of stomach upset or other side effects from the diet, a method that involves a combination of kefir and chocolate is well suited. After each consumption of 20 g of sweets, you need to drink 1 glass of fermented milk product. Kefir should be low-fat.

Cottage cheese

You can make your fasting day easier if you include cottage cheese in your menu. The daily norm should not exceed 300 g. The fermented milk product must be low-fat. The chocolate should be crushed and mixed with cottage cheese. To quench your thirst, you need to drink water or herbal tea.

Apples

The chocolate diet can be supplemented with a green apple. It must be eaten between desserts when the feeling of hunger appears.

You can make applesauce and add chopped chocolate to it.

Milk

The product must have a minimum fat content. If you are unable to buy skim milk, you can dilute it with water (boiled).

Menu for the day (5 meals a day):

• 30 g of chocolate, washed down with milk;
• 30 g of chocolate and a cup of green tea with milk;
• milk;
• 20 g chocolate and coffee with milk (no sugar);
• 20 g of chocolate, washed down with warm milk.

The daily milk intake should be no more than 300 ml.

Quitting the diet

To record the result obtained, you need to know the correct way out of the chocolate diet. You should gradually return to your normal diet and under no circumstances should you overeat.

During the first week after completing the diet, the diet should look like this:

• salad of fresh grated vegetables;
• rosehip decoction, green and herbal tea without sugar;
• fresh juices.

It is prohibited to use:

• fast food;
• alcoholic and carbonated drinks;
• confectionery, sweet, flour products and sweets;
• white sugar;
• canned, smoked and pickled foods.

You also need to start playing sports. You can hula hoop, pump up your abs, or take walks in the fresh air in the evening or early in the morning. This will help build muscle tissue and avoid the loose skin that often occurs during weight loss due to sudden weight loss.

After following the classic chocolate diet, you need to exit it correctly. The transition to a daily diet from a strict chocolate diet should be gradual. After a diet, it is better to eat in small portions, at least six times a day. You should not overeat, as this can have a negative effect on the stomach.

The first dish after a strict diet should be finely chopped fresh cabbage salad, to which you can add lemon juice. This dish will partially compensate for the lack of vitamins and begin to accustom the body to rough food. All foods must be chewed thoroughly. You should also include freshly squeezed juices, herbal teas, fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. That is, at first there should be food on the table containing a maximum of nutrients.

To improve shape and increase vitality, you should engage in physical exercise: it will tighten the muscles and restore elasticity to the skin.

It is better to immediately switch to proper nutrition and forget forever about sugar, fast food, flour and fatty foods, than to regularly torment your body with diets.

Getting out of a 3-7 day chocolate diet is a different story. If you cannot live through this period and nourish yourself correctly, then the kilograms will return with a plus. Therefore, on the forum there are negative reviews about this method of express weight loss.

Malysheva emphasizes that getting out of any chocolate diet is as important as the process of losing weight itself. Compliance with the rules guarantees the restoration of the functions of the body that has experienced stress.

Diet and lifestyle rules when going out.

1. Do not overeat, diversify the menu gradually, adding low-calorie foods first.
2. The first week - pureed vegetables, fruits, juices, salads, herbal teas, rosehip decoction. Eliminate sugar.
3. Second week - protein foods are introduced. Boiled eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, sour milk, and breast puree are allowed.
4. The third and subsequent weeks - balanced meals in small portions at least 5 times a day.