I have a confession. Growing up I hated chocolate. I tolerated Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers Bars, but I wanted ALL the Sour Patch Kids and War Heads. After having my son, my chocolate tooth skyrocketed. I am talking straight chocolate bars, cookies, cake, brownies…you name it! Enter the pandemic and a brownie a night became the norm for months. By the time we moved back to Miami in July, I made a pact with myself to consume chocolate more mindfully. I set some boundaries to help avoid over eating and this article from Baptist Health South Florida offers many great tips to help you do the same!
Did you know?
Chocolate actually has many health benefits when consumed properly?
Carla Duenas is a registered dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator and Care Specialist (CDCES) with Community Health at Baptist Health South Florida and she suggests:
1- Consuming dark chocolate that is 65% cacao or higher. Yes! Although it does have a more bitter flavor, you ca acquire a taste for it over time.
2- Choose dark over milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has higher heart-protecting flavonols as well as less saturated fat and sugar.
This article also suggests a few ways to eat chocolate mindfully, but I think these can be applied to our general eating practices:
- Use your senses: Take a piece of chocolate and notice the color, texture and smell before you consume it.
- Your sense of taste is powerful. Take a mindful bite and close your eyes to maximize your sense of taste. Let it melt and enjoy every single moment as you taste.
- Be mindful and ask yourself if you enjoyed it? If so, how satisfied are you with that bite?
- Then ask yourself, is another piece necessary? Or can I put it away and enjoy it another time?
So many great tips! For more on mindful eating and chocolate. Check out this post.