86A - Fit and Well Column for September 5th, 2004

86A - TITLE: "The ZEN of Chocolate (and other "sinful" foods)"

Dear Trish and David,

You are SO BUSTED! Last night I was out with my family, and was delighted to see you, Trish and Angelica sitting in the mall Food Court. However, I was shocked to see you sitting eating a big ice cream cone, and actually fully enjoying it!

You advocate weight management, and a healthy lifestyle, and then you go out and violate all the principles that you present.

What's up with that?

Sincerely,

Concerned from Centerville

Dear "Concerned",

Mia Copa! You DID "catch" us doing one of the things we like the best… eating CHOCOLATE ice cream. You would be even MORE shocked if you saw what we typically do after a meal at home… we share a delightful "decadent" piece of dark chocolate. YUMMY!

Does this mean that Trish and I have "fallen off the wagon", or taken leave of our senses, or are just in the process of blossoming out to our former chubby selves? In a word… NOPE!

I lost over a hundred pounds twenty years a go (see our web site for details). Since then, I have kept that weight off, and re-shaped and conditioned my body, both inside and out. Trish lost over thirty pounds three years ago (after commencing training with me), and has kept it off. Additionally, she has maintained excellent body and muscle tone even after having a baby. "So what's all this got to do with ice cream and chocolate", you ask skeptically.

In fitness, as in life, we must all identify and embrace our passions. Not to the extent of self-indulgence (though that's even all right once in a while), but with a moderation and balance that honors the need without dismissing it. Not an easy thing to do!

I, for instance, am empowered and delighted by the experience of exercise, dance, the body, flying (as a pilot), writing, traveling, and EATING! Yes, eating!

After I lost that hundred pounds, the real challenge began. How could I maintain my weight, and still acknowledge and enjoy one of the truly meaningful experiences in life, the sensuality and fulfillment of the plethora of gastronomic delights? And my range was, and is, extensive.

My "passion foods" include pizza, cheeseburgers, French fried potatoes, pancakes, chopped steak sandwiches, salted pretzels, Pastrami and Corned Beef sandwiches on rye, and, of course, CHOCOLATE! Fortunately, DARK chocolate is my choice.

So how does this all work? It's pretty simple, really. PLAN when and HOW MUCH of any of these spiritually important foods you will eat, and follow that plan. The best way to moderate is through initial portion control (order a SMALL ice cream cone), sharing with a friend, loved one, or stranger (the first two are the easiest, but the last may be stimulating, also!), and eating as early in the day as possible. It is best to "indulge" prior to some moderate to intense period of exercise.

So now that we've all decided that life is too darn important to engage in non-yielding self-denial, how much of a threat IS chocolate?

Recent reports have suggested that chocolate may not be as bad for your health as once thought. Chocolate may even have some potential health benefits.

Eating 50 grams (2oz's) a day of plain chocolate with a minimum content of 70% chocolate solids can be beneficial to health. It may provide protection against Heart disease, High blood Pressure and many other health hazards. It also provides essential trace elements and nutrients such as iron, calcium and potassium, and vitamins A. B1, C, D, and E.

Chocolate contains substances called flavonoids. These natural antioxidants — also found in fruits and vegetables, tea and red wine — may help reduce the risk of blood clots and heart disease.

The amount of flavonoids in chocolate depends on the type of cocoa bean and the processing method used. For example, "Dutch processing" significantly reduces the flavonoid content in chocolate. White chocolate contains no chocolate "liquor," so it has no flavonoids. Dark chocolate has two to four times the amount of flavonoids that milk chocolate does. That's what Trish and I absolutely adore.

Although chocolate is relatively high in fat, the types of fat in chocolate don't necessarily lead to elevated blood cholesterol levels. Again, the darker chocolate with the most concentrated cocoa will be the most beneficial.

In terms of calories, chocolate is much more "calorie dense" than most other foods. As a practical example, you get 20 calories from a cup of broccoli, 57 calories from a cup of sliced apples and up to 1,000 or more calories from a cup of chocolate. In addition to more calories, you also get less fiber and less vitamins and minerals from chocolate than you do from fruits and vegetables.

Many people eat processed chocolate with all the other less desirable ingredients (i.e. added sugar, corn syrup, milk fats / dairy cream, hydrogenated oils, etc...). The actual cocoa content may be less than 20%. This pretty much wipes out the physical benefits of chocolate.

While cocoa and sugar do not "cause" acne, the sugar present in chocolate will most certainly make acne, or any other acne-like skin eruptions, worse.

Trials have shown that some of the chemicals in chocolate (caffeine, phenylethylamine,
or theobromine) can indeed trigger migraine headaches by altering cerebral blood flow and releasing norepinephrine in some of those prone to suffer from migraines. Of all the foods isolated that triggered the most attacks, chocolate was an offender about 30% of the time.


From a nutritional perspective - chocolate is no less a junk food than Fast Food or donuts, and it is equally unhealthy and fattening when larger amounts are consumed on a regular basis.

When milk chocolate or lower grade chocolate is consumed, part of the total fat content of chocolate comes from milk fat or various other types of fat, which do adversely affect cholesterol levels.

Chocolate with a high percentage of sugar is especially risky. Sugar is a well-known cause, contributing, or aggravating factor with a host of medical conditions that includes heart disease, insulin and blood sugar disorders, mood disorders, immune system disorders, impaired phagocytosis, leukemia, inflammatory conditions, dental caries, yeast infections, depletion of
essential nutrients, osteoporosis, obesity, and others.

And, finally, remember that Cocoa contains stimulants such as phenylethylamine, which have an anti-depressant and amphetamine-like effect. It also contains substances such as n-acetylethanolamines that are related to cannabis (marijuana), and they have compounds that stimulate the brain to release an opiate-like substance called anandamide.

Chocolate contains theobromine and a small amount of caffeine, both being stimulants and members of the methylxanthine family. Theobromine can be toxic or even lethal to domestic animals such as dogs, cats, parrots, horses and other animals as a result of affecting their kidneys, heart, and central nervous system.

Why Eat Chocolate?

YIPES! With all these risks and potential problems associated with chocolate, why is it that Trish and I treat ourselves almost daily with this food? The answer is as simple as the sunrise, a full moon, the beauty of a bird in flight, Angelica taking her first steps, or the experience of doing the Tango in the middle of the Annapolis Mall.

We take full responsibility to fill our lives with joy and passion. And this is one of the simple ways that we do just that!

If our chocolate is in ice cream, we are sure to choose the low fat variety (Dairy Queen, Coor Brothers, TCBY). If our chocolate is "straight", we are careful to make sure it is dark, and preferably at least 70% real cocoa. We generally AVOID desserts that are PART chocolate, and contain cakes, sugars, and any variety of additives.

Just like exercise, we feel that joy and fulfillment are also "life-style" choices. We invite all of our readers to celebrate eating, and life, just as we do.

"Cardio" exercise is a great way to increase caloric expenditure, and strengthen internal circulatory and respiratory functions. However, MORE is not always better. We recommend either moderate aerobic exercise for a period of 20 to 45 minutes, or INTERVAL aerobic exercise with 30 seconds of intensity followed by 4-5 minutes of moderation, cyclically for 20-45 minutes. This minimizes protein depletion and maximizes long-term basal metabolism. Easy does it, and burn more fat!