Chocolate Fits Your Macros
I’ll say it repeatedly: macros can be a FREEING experience!! You can hit your targets any way you like, and that gives you room for things like chocolate. When I was deep in my eating disorder, I believed that even allowing myself to admit that I liked chocolate would cause me to gain weight. I will now freely admit to liking and indulging in chocolate a couple of times a week. It’s easy to fit into your macros so let’s talk about some of the health benefits of chocolate!
Vitamins and Minerals
We’re specifically talking about dark chocolate here and boy, does it have an insane mineral profile! 100g of 70-85% cacao contains 66% of your daily iron and 57% of your daily magnesium, two super important minerals for active humans. Iron helps facilitate oxygen transportation in the body, which is super important when you’re in a long paddle surf session, a race, or even hitting a hard gym workout.
Magnesium is amazing for muscle recovery as well as muscle function. Low levels of magnesium can cause muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. Things we want to avoid in general, particularly if we live an active lifestyle.
While eating 100g may be a lot and not always the healthiest choice, sprinkling some cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips on top of your yogurt can be a good way to work a bit more chocolate into your day while leaving plenty of room for other nutritious foods.
Antioxidant Powerhouse
Dark chocolate is high in polyphenols, which lower inflammation in the body and fight free radicals. Not only that, chocolate also contains flavanols which have been shown to improve cardiovascular health by improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.
Some studies suggest that combining cocoa, dark chocolate, and blueberries can be a huge antioxidant boost for your body!
Mix 1/2-1 tbs of cocoa powder into Greek yogurt with 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp of sweetener. Stir in 100g of blueberries and melt 15-30g of 70-85% cacao chocolate chips with 1 tsp of coconut oil. Drizzle on top and set in the freezer to harden.
While dark chocolate offers a plethora of health benefits, it is easy to overconsume. Hold yourself to 1-2 squares after dinner, or try one of the suggestions above to incorporate some chocolate into your day. Remember, the beauty of the Built by Boltz way of counting macros is to achieve your nutrition goals while being flexible with your food choices. You can allocate some of your macros toward chocolate a few times a week and still achieve your nutrition goals.