How to eat less chocolate
Do you eat a lot of chocolate? Do you feel like you just can’t help yourself? Or maybe you think you have a chocolate addiction. A lot of us like to indulge in chocolate, but it’s important to not eat too much. Chocolate contains a lot of sugar and calories. Here, I’ll give some tips on how to cut down on chocolate.
Is it bad for you to eat chocolate everyday?
If you don’t have any health problems, there shouldn’t be any harm to eating some chocolate. But make sure you don’t eat too much.
Chocolate is high in sugar and calories. Chocolate typically contains around 50g of sugar per 100g. Adults should not eat more than 30g of sugar a day.
Eating too much sugar can lead to health problems such as obesity and tooth decay. Check the packaging on any chocolate you buy to see their nutritional information and sugar content.
Is dark chocolate good for you?
You might have heard that there are health benefits of dark chocolate. Chocolate is made from cocoa, which is known to contain some things that contribute to good health. For example, cocoa has polyphenols that protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Dark chocolate contains more cocoa than milk and white chocolate. It also has a more bitter taste. Research has been done to see if there are benefits of dark chocolate on health, including heart health and improving mood.
But there isn’t strong evidence to show dark chocolate is healthy. It still goes through a lot of processing and contains sugar, as do milk and white chocolate. This means any nutrients that would have a health benefit would be lost.
If you want to improve your heart health, eating a balanced diet and exercise will help. And you might think eating chocolate makes you feel better, but try to find other ways to improve your mood. This might be breathing exercises or mindfulness for example.
How can I eat less chocolate?
If you want to cut back on chocolate, here are some tips.
- Start off slow - think about how much chocolate you normally eat in a day and reduce it gradually.
- Set yourself some rules to help you stick to your goal.
- Make effort to buy less chocolate when shopping, try not to go to the aisles that have chocolate.
- Keep chocolate out of sight so you don’t reach for it. Keep healthier snacks nearby instead.
- Eat smaller bars - for example, from fun-size packs - instead of full-sized bars.
- Avoid eating chocolate during the week so you can have it at the weekend as a reward (but not too much!).
- If a special occasion is coming up where you know you’ll eat chocolate, such as Easter, try to eat less chocolate before. You can also try our recipe for healthy oat and fruit Easter eggs.
- If you get stressed and want to eat chocolate, try to find other ways to relieve stress such as exercise, breathing or mindfulness.
- Try eating dark chocolate as you’re less likely to overeat this.
- Have a healthy balanced diet so that you don’t feel hungry and want to snack.
- Avoid late night snacking, stop eating after a certain time, and brush your teeth so that you don’t feel like snacking.
If you want ideas for what to eat when craving chocolate, try healthier snacks such as:
- peanut butter with apples or dates
- fresh or dried fruit
- Greek yoghurt
- rice cakes with nut butter
- unsalted nuts and seeds
- a small amount of dark chocolate
By cutting down on chocolate, you will be able to reduce the amount of sugar you eat. Remember, if you do give in to chocolate, don’t worry. It can take time to break a habit. It’s important to be kind to yourself and celebrate the small wins.
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Sources Sources
- Sugar and your health. British Dietetic Association. bda.uk.com, published January 2022
- Hashem KM, He FJ, Alderton SA, et al. Cross-Sectional Survey of the Amount of Sugar and Energy in Chocolate Confectionery on Sold in the UK in 1992 and 2017. Nutrients. 2019 Aug 3;11(8):1798. doi: 10.3390/nu11081798
- Carbohydrates. British Dietetic Association. bda.uk.com, published September 2021
- Montagna MT, Diella G, Triggiano F, et al. Chocolate, "Food of the Gods": History, Science, and Human Health. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 6;16(24):4960. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244960
- Tan TYC, Lim XY, Yeo JHH, et al.. The Health Effects of Chocolate and Cocoa: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2021 Aug 24;13(9):2909. doi: 10.3390/nu13092909
- Samanta S, Sarkar T, Chakraborty R, et al. Dark chocolate: An overview of its biological activity, processing, and fortification approaches. Curr Res Food Sci. 2022 Oct 15;5:1916-1943. doi: 10.1016/j.crfs.2022.10.017
- Heart Health. British Dietetic Association. bda.uk.com, published July 2020
- Food and mood. British Dietetic Association. bda.uk.com, published August 2020
- Healthy snacks. British Dietetic Association. bda.uk.com, published January 2022
- Personal communication. Dr Sarah Aldugman, GP, August 2024
- Arlinghaus KR, Johnston CA. The Importance of Creating Habits and Routine. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018 Dec 29;13(2):142-144. doi: 10.1177/1559827618818044
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