Valentine’s weekend is coming up and that means chocolate! Whether it is being gifted to you by a significant other, your mother or yourself, here are some tricks to make sure it doesn’t hurt your diet goals. For me chocolate is a weakness, but I have learned a couple tricks so I can enjoy this treat without over indulging.
One thing that is great about chocolate is that it can be beneficial to your health as long as it is eaten in moderation. It doesn’t take long before the sugar and fat outweigh the boost of antioxidants. To help make sure you don’t go over board in one sitting, break up the chocolate bar or choose individually wrapped chocolates in the variety boxes. Every time you go for another portion you give yourself more time to think the 200 more calories you’re about to consume.
Another trick is to keep all the wrappers, don’t just throw them away. If your chocolate pieces come in a bag or box just throw them back in. This is a good visual to see what you have already eaten. Tossing the wrappers in the garbage can make it feel like it never happened. It is pretty hard to ignore the foils you have to dig through in order get to the good stuff.
Try and stick to dark chocolate when you are eating, the higher the percentage the less amount of sugar. A way to make it a bit healthier is to take to the solid chocolate you are given, melt it down and dip it! Take fresh strawberries and make them chocolate covered. But don’t just stop at strawberries; try all different kinds of fruit (blueberries, cherries, oranges) or even nuts! A couple pieces of fruit for dessert or adding the nuts in a trail mix is a good way to mix up this wonderful treat.
Also the best time to buy chocolate is February 15th when it is on sale!