Monday, October 27, 2008

Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight?

By Brian McCoy

It doesn't seem possible that the words chocolate and weight loss could be used in the same sentence. However, with a new product, it just might be possible.

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 an alternative to the poorly manufactured dark chocolates available in retail stores today. A company named Xocai, a division of the MXI Corporation, is based out of Reno, Nevada. This company has made available to the market an all natural, nutritionally dense form of cacao. The cacao is allowed to preserve its nutritional value due to the manufacturing process. Instead of heating the cacao, it is cold pressed. This maintains the integrity of the chocolates' healthful benefits.

Xocai has 6 products available to consumers: X Powerhouse Cookie, X Power Squares, Omega Bars, Activ, Protein Bar, and Nuggets. The product line is made with unprocessed cacao powder and then acai berry and blueberry is included to enhance the taste. All of the products are chocked full of positive health benefits such as antioxidants, flavonoids, elevated ORAC values, high fiber, and low glycemic index. The product line is acceptable for vegetarians, vegans, and diabetics.

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.

Not only might there be a biochemical response, but you are eating a more organic, healthy product. Just think, if you grab a piece of healthy dark chocolate versus a Snickers bar, what do you think that the benefits will be? The healthy dark chocolate is low in sugar, high in fiber, antioxidants, ORAC value, flavonoids, and low in fat and calories. A vast contrast from the Snickers bar.

Fortunately, you don't have to sacrifice taste either. The healthy dark chocolate products marketed by Xocai are reported to be very tasty. There are many positive testimonials from product users that make taking a look at the products worth your time. - 15254

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