Can Eating Chocolate Help You Burn Fat?

Is it time to rejoice? A new study of postmenopausal women found that eating a concentrated amount of chocolate during a narrow window of time in the morning may help the body burn fat and decrease blood sugar levels.

The study evaluated chocolate consumption (and its timing) on energy, body weight, body fat distribution, satiety, fasting blood glucose, and gut health.

The 19 participants were age 45-65, had a BMI under 35 kg/m and liked milk chocolate. They were randomly assigned to three groups:

1. Eat 100g of milk chocolate in the morning with breakfast (within one hour of waking)

2. Eat 100g of milk chocolate in the evening (within one hour of bedtime)

3. No chocolate at all for two weeks

Study Results

Compared to those who didn’t eat chocolate, both groups that ate chocolate had less hunger and less desire for sweets. No group gained weight overall.

Both groups who ate chocolate had improved gut health and sleep. However, participants who ate chocolate in the morning had:

• Reduced waist circumference

• More evidence of their body metabolizing fat

• Reduced fasting blood sugar

What Does It Mean?

While this study is exciting, it was very small. A larger study is needed to validate the results.

However, these results suggest that chocolate may be part of a healthy diet. Before you go all-in on eating chocolate each day, here are a few points to keep in mind:

• Moderation is key. In the study, the participants only ate 3.5oz (about three squares) of chocolate per day.

• The time window for eating the chocolate was narrow—within one hour of waking or going to sleep.

• Eating chocolate had positive effects at either time of day. The benefits of eating it in the morning were more related to fat metabolism and blood sugar regulation. Chocolate intake in the evening may help with the next morning’s performance during high-intensity exercises or prolonged exercises and may also help with regulating sleep.