Dr. Karl Davis says chocolate is good for you in moderation.By: Kim Gaffney
A new study says chocolate lovers may be leaner than those who don't indulge.
The study, done at the University of California in San Diego, was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine . It found people who eat chocolate about five times a week have a lower body mass index than those who don't.
Dr. Karl Davis is a chiropractor at Total Health Spa in Columbia. He says chocolate has healthy fat in it.
"Especially in dark chocolate you will have some good mono and polyunsaturated fat. You won't have as much unsaturated fat," said Davis.
Another study published in the US National Library of Medicine by British doctors found dark chocolate can also regulate insulin and lower blood pressure.
Dr. Davis says the polyphenols found in cocoa can inhibit an enzyme called pancreatic liapse, which helps digest dietary fat.
"If they were just eating one once then yes it will show that it will lower the body mass index because of the amount of fat, because you have to have some fat to burn fat," he said.
Davis also says you shouldn't worry about how many calories but rather the type of calories.
But, don't indulge too much.
Dr. Davis says too much of any kind of chocolate will increase your body mass index. He says exercise, diet and type of chocolate may have affected the results of this study.
"I would say dark chocolate… you can have one ounce of dark chocolate a day," said Davis.
Dr. Davis says moderation is key to being healthy and enjoying chocolate.
