This news is sweet.
Hot chocolate — a treat some believe to be the bane of a clean diet — could actually help you lose weight, one expert claims.
Steve Bennett, a health coach, told The Sun that one cup per day could actually help people shed pounds because it is packed with fiber, which satiates hunger.
“Having more fiber in your diet makes you eat less and keeps you feeling fuller for longer,” he said.
“Cocoa powder, which should be the main ingredient in hot chocolate, is high in fiber.”
But there’s a catch: it has to be unsweetened.
To circumvent the sugar-loaded, store-bought hot cocoa on the grocery store shelves, Bennett concocts his own homemade beverage — “a simple health version that tastes just as good” — using 200 milliliters, or about 3/4 cup, of warm milk, two tablespoons of cocoa powder and two teaspoons of stevia, a zero-calorie sweetener.
“Diets are all based on giving things up and people don’t like it,” he said. “If you put the fiber first you can eat whatever you like afterwards but you will end up eating less because you feel fuller.”
Fiber helps regulate the body’s digestive system by promoting good bacteria to thrive and adequate water absorption for a healthy bowel.
According to Healthline, fiber could also reduce blood sugar spikes after eating a meal loaded with carbohydrates, and could potentially play a role in reducing the risk of colorectal cancer, although research is limited.
But if you don’t need want hot chocolate, there are plenty of other fiber-rich foods to choose from: berries, beans, nuts, seeds, oats and avocados, to name a few.
Although, you’ll want to be careful you don’t overdo it. Experts say too much fiber can result in some gastrointestinal distress.
“Fiber is so challenging to digest, you could overwhelm your GI system, experience gas and constipation, especially if you’re not drinking enough water while consuming a high fiber diet,” Christina Palmisano, MS, MBA, RDN, previously told Fox News.
