Everyone
seems to love chocolates. This is proven by the booming chocolate
business which began centuries ago. And the multitude of chocolate
variants, such as milk chocolate, Belgian chocolate, and chocolate
with nuts. Everyone loves the sweet and delicious state. And
they would like to savor again and again that soft melting chocolate
in the mouth. Can anyone resist chocolate? This is why one survey
in England revealed that the average Briton consumes about ten
kilograms of chocolate every year. But, is chocolate good for
a person’s health?
This stuff only tastes
great. But it doesn’t offer much to strengthen a person’s health.
It does not have vitamins and minerals. It does not offer protein
or dietary fiber. A chocolate contains fats and sugars. This
combination is not the best for people who are involved in sports.
Athletes should eat chocolate cautiously.
An athlete during
training drains his body of lots of energy. This energy must
be recovered by eating foods rich in carbohydrates. Though chocolates
can provide such carbohydrates, eating them can also give the
athlete lots of fat that will not help his strength nor improve
his physique. Chocolates are not recommended by nutritionists
for athletes who are under training or preparing for an athletic
meet. This is why other sources of carbohydrates must be eaten
by athletes after training. These sources, such as breads and
cereals, do not have fats. If the athlete can’t bring himself
to eat breads and cereals after training, he can use energy
bars and sugary sweets, such as lollipops. These also give carbohydrates
without the fats.
The fats found in
chocolate contribute to the presence of the bad low–density
cholesterol in the body. When an athlete acquires dangerously
high concentrations of this cholesterol, his performance level
is greatly reduced. Anyone who is involved in sports must do
his best to avoid as much chocolate as possible.
Still, one will find
it quite impossible to completely abstain from chocolates. This
stuff has become an integral part of many cultures. Thus, some
nutritionists concede that it may be alright to indulge in chocolate
once or twice a week, provided that the person eating the chocolate
always eats a balanced diet. An athlete who trains vigorously
is allowed to eat more sweets than an athlete who simply trains
to keep himself in shape.
The athlete, however,
must remember that the protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber
that he needs will not come from chocolates. He should eat chocolate
only as a treat for himself.
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