Chocolate Makes You Better At Exercise, In Case You Didn't Have Enough Reasons To Eat It

BY MARIAM SHARIA

We’ve heard about the health and beauty benefits provided by dark chocolate— antioxidants to ward off heart disease, endorphins for overall happiness, flavonoids for skin complexion— but we weren’t aware until now that this sweet treat can actually make you better at exercise.

Yes, you read that right. A new study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Medicine back in December found that epicatechin, a plant nutrient found in cocoa, is responsible for increased stamina and endurance during fitness.

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Researchers asked eight recreational cyclists to indulge in 1.4 ounces (1.5 squares of Dove)  chocolate daily for two weeks in lieu of their regular sweet snack/dessert. Half of them ate white chocolate, which has essentially zero cocoa content, and the other half ate dark chocolate.

Unsurprisingly, the riders who had eaten the dark chocolate performed far better in physical tests after two weeks than their white-chocolate counterparts. They used less oxygen, rode longer before tiring, and covered a larger sprinting distance than previously.

The scientists then switched the cyclists so that those who had previously eaten dark chocolate ate white for two weeks and vice versa. Their findings remained the same, suggesting that while performance gains aren’t totally enormous, they are enough to make a difference in a routine exercise regimen.

Ryan McGuire/gratisography

Plant nutrient epicatechin prompts cells surrounding blood vessel to release nitric oxide, which in turn widens those vessels and arteries allowing for an increase in blood flow and cardiac function. High levels of of epicatechin are found in dark chocolate, which is why the results of the study played out in the way that they did.

That being said, anything over a square and a half of chocolate is not good for you and will do you zero favors around your waistline, which is really quite a bummer but, y'know, everything in moderation. (h/t The New York Times)