Michael Mosley has shared a snacking food that could help those who are on a weight loss journey with curbing their appetite.
For some, the hardest part of weight loss isn't eating healthier meals, it is fighting off cravings in between meals.
Mr Mosley has created a number of diet plans that take this into account, allowing people to slim down without having to restrict themselves regularly.
Recently, the TV doctor said that dark chocolate can be a good option for people with a sweet tooth when they feel like a snack. He has also recommended curbing cravings with an apple in the past.
The dieting and weight-loss expert shared his tips during his BBC podcast which is called Just One Thing, reports the Express.
Dr Mosley said: "It's the middle of the afternoon and I've found myself in a slump and I really feel like a snack.
"I've got a seriously sweet tooth, so much so, that I don't usually have any sugary treats in the house because I know I'll just eat them.
"I allow myself just one thing that can satisfy my cravings but may even lower my blood sugar, improve my cardiovascular health and even boost my brain," he explained.
As mentioned, the all-important item is dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is packed full of important minerals that are good for people's health.
These include and are not limited to:
- Iron - prevents fatigue
- Magnesium - which contributes to better sleep quality
- Zinc - boosts immunity
- Copper - together with iron, enables the body to form red blood cells
- Phosphorus - keeps bones and teeth healthy.
The cocoa in dark chocolate has a wide variety of powerful antioxidants, with research finding the content is greater than most other foods, including fruit.
Eating dark chocolate in moderate amounts could actually help a person lose weight. It can reduce hunger and appetite and enhance a person's mood, which can all contribute to keeping a lid on the biscuit tin.
Its high fibre content can help keep people's hunger in check and could decrease stress, which is a common factor for weight gain.
Stress causes cortisol levels to spike which in turn increases appetite and encourages people to eat based on their emotions. Eating small amounts of chocolate every day will help reduce anxiety.
It contains monounsaturated fatty acids that improve metabolism and rapidly burn calories.
But it is still loaded with calories and fat, so is easy to overeat. It also contains sugar but the amounts are much smaller than milk chocolate, and the darker the chocolate, the less sugar it will contain.
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