Friday, November 28, 2008

Lose Weight While Eating Healthy Chocolate?

By Brian McCoy

The words chocolate and weight loss don't usually coincide. However, with the benefits of healthy chocolate, the two can now coexist.

Doctors and scientists alike have recently been touting the positive benefits that healthy, dark chocolate can have on your body. Although dark chocolate does have many healthful benefits, the vast majority of chocolate products that you find in stores is far from healthy. The reason is simple. These products are loaded with refined sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial preservatives. None of these have the positive benefits that dark chocolate does for your health and well-being.

Another problem with traditional forms of chocolate is that a large percentage of its positive nutritional contents are lost during the heated manufacturing process. About 80% of the healthy antioxidants are destroyed during this process.

There is a company that has come out with an alternative to these unhealthy, poorly manufactured dark chocolates. Xocai is a division of MXI Corp. and is based in Reno, Nevada. They have brought to market an all natural, pure form of cacao that maintains its nutritional value through the manufacturing process. Rather than heat the cacao, it is cold pressed. This allows the dark chocolate to maintain its healthful properties.

The 6 products that Xocai has available are: X Power Squares, X Powerhouse Cookie, Activ, Nuggets, Protein Bar, and Omega Bars. All of them are formulated with unprocessed cacao powder, with acai berry and blueberry added to enhance the taste. Antioxidants, flavonoids, high ORAC values, high fiber, and low sugars are just some of the many healthy benefits that the dark chocolate products contain. The are also approved for diabetics, vegetarians, and vegans.

You might be asking yourself, "What does this have to do with me losing weight?" Studies are on the rise, including one from Japan, that conclude that the intake of cocoa may combat weight gain. Although there are several factors leading to this, two of the most helpful for weight loss are gene regulation and the potential mood elevating effects of cocoa. The helpful chemicals from these studies suggest that because you may feel more energetic, it will lead to increased exercise, and result in weight loss.

The studies suggest that there are several biochemical processes going on in your body. In addition to that, you are also indulging in a far more healthy, organic chocolate. Let's say that you eat a piece of healthy dark chocolate rather than a 3 Musketeers Bar. What different effects do you think that the 2 would have on your body? The differences are clear. The healthy dark chocolate contains positive benefits such as being low in sugar, fat, and calories. Where it really stands out is the high levels of fiber, antioxidants, ORAC value, and flavonoids. We don't even need to examine how much of a difference this is from the unhealthy 3 Musketeers Bar.

Thankfully, you don't have to give up great taste either. Xocai has gone out of its way to formulate a healthy dark chocolate line of products that tastes great. Testimonials are flooding the internet from people who have seen great results from the healthy chocolate. For this reason, I believe that it is worth your time to investigate the products and see what they could possibly do for you. - 16732

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