To lose weight, it is not the “super-foods” that are lacking: we immediately think of coffee (with caffeine), chili (with capsaicin), green tea (with antioxidants) … And according to a recent study conducted by Penn State University (in the United States), cocoa powder could also help us (re) find the line.
The American researchers worked with a group of mice suffering from obesity and subjected to a diet (too) rich in fat. In addition, some of these mice consumed cocoa powder daily for 8 weeks.
Cocoa powder, rich in fiber, iron and magnesium
Verdict? According to the scientists (who published their work in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry), the mice who consumed cocoa powder every day gained, on average, less weight than the others and also had a healthier liver and a lower rate of oxidative stress.
How to explain these results? Researchers explain that cocoa powder is high in fiber (on average: 33 g of fiber per 100 grams of product), iron (10 to 13 mg per 100 g), magnesium (370 to 500 mg per 100 g) and antioxidants (polyphenols and methylxanthines). So many components that help the body to “burn fat” while avoiding snacking. Scientists add that the benefits of cocoa on the cardiovascular system have already been demonstrated.
The advice of researchers? Consume between 5 and 10 tbsp. to s. of cocoa powder per day: sprinkle it on breakfast muesli, on plain yogurt for lunch, make light cocoa desserts – tiramisu, truffles, hot chocolate … Be careful to choose a natural cocoa powder , that is to say without added sugars!
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- Chocolate: 6 good reasons to eat it
