Is hot chocolate good for you?

Mayoegian

I take a cup of hot chocolate a day, only started drinking it recently! I dont use milk or cream with it, just water to reconstitute it. It says on the pack 99 calories. Is it good for me though? Or is it fattening? Would it be good to have say 2 cups a day?

Thanks in advance!:)

corkcomp

Mayoegian wrote: »

I take a cup of hot chocolate a day, only started drinking it recently! I dont use milk or cream with it, just water to reconstitute it. It says on the pack 99 calories. Is it good for me though? Or is it fattening? Would it be good to have say 2 cups a day?

Thanks in advance!:)

ahhhh not the "fattening" question LOL .. In a word, no it is not the best ...

Mayoegian

corkcomp wrote: »

ahhhh not the "fattening" question LOL .. In a word, no it is not the best ...

NNNNNNOOOOOOOO, i love hot chocolate:(

And I dont like tea, hot choc is the only hot drink I take.......:(:(:(

enry

no its not good for you

Mayoegian

enry wrote: »

no its not good for you

Can you back that up with any medical facts?:p

WesternNight

Mayoegian wrote: »

Can you back that up with any medical facts?:p

Look at the label. That'll give you all the facts you need.

corkcomp

WesternNight wrote: »

Look at the label. That'll give you all the facts you need.

exactly !!

taram

It's probably more the fact it's got all sorts of artifical stuff in it, hygronated fats are common in hot chocolates, probably sweetners as well. If you really wanted a hot chocolate taste doing up hot milk on the hob with a small bit of good quality chocolate would give you the taste, minus the crap, and you'd get the nutrients from the milk. Higher percentage, higher quality chocolate will have a stronger taste and less sugar, therefore less calories and less crap for your body, win win.

olaola

Depends on what you mean by 'good for you'.

If you're basing it on a calorie counting exercise, then 99 cals - isn't too bad if you are still coming in under your daily allowance (whatever you're setting yourself as part of a diet).

In terms on nutrition, it's empty calories. But if you enjoy it, and you are having it as an allowed treat and you enjoy it. Why not! It's when you start letting all these treats creep in, a 100 cals here and there will soon add up to 500 a day!

callig

here's an interesting read on the benefits of hot chocolate.

According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, drinking hot chocolate can help you think better too. The flavonoids increase the blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Since dementia is caused by a reduced flow of blood to the brain, researchers think this disease could be treated with cocoa.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1602241/the_health_benefits_of_hot_chocolate_pg2.html?cat=5

enry

Mayoegian wrote: »

Can you back that up with any medical facts?:p

I have one choc drink a day, I consume nothing else and this has been my daily diet since i was born. I have to get two plane ticket when i'm going abroad and i'm typing this with a pen because I'm 43 stone:mad::(:o:):D:p

olaola

callig wrote: »

here's an interesting read on the benefits of hot chocolate.



http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1602241/the_health_benefits_of_hot_chocolate_pg2.html?cat=5

I assume that is referring to hot chocolate made from actual chocolate, not a hot 'chocolate flavoured' drink. Which I assume the 99 cal version is.

Shelga

enry wrote: »

I have one choc drink a day, I consume nothing else and this has been my daily diet since i was born. I have to get two plane ticket when i'm going abroad and i'm typing this with a pen because I'm 43 stone:mad::(:o:):D:p

I laughed...

rubadub

Mayoegian wrote: »

Is it good for me though? Or is it fattening? Would it be good to have say 2 cups a day?

It is not really going to be "good for you", maybe the term "better for you than", would be more appropriate. i.e. if you are a chocoholic who eats a kilo of dairy milk a day but are considering switching to 200kcal worth of chocolate drinks, then it is going to be a "better" choice, still not really "good" though.

Some people eat very high % cocoa chocolate since it gives them a "chocolate fix" but is very difficult and unpalatable to consider eating a big load of it. It is like diet drinks, water is better, but if otherwise you would be drinking 4L of full sugar coke then the coke zero is probably a better option.

As for fattening, it is 200kcal a day, depending on your size. The "ideal size" woman would be needing 2000kcal a day, so it is 10% of your daily allowance. I have a few bad snacks a day, or "cheat days", if I didn't I would be more likely to fall off the wagon big time and devour a small sweet shop...

Dave147

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-m9uG50mSw

Of course it is, you sexy thing

callig

olaola wrote: »

I assume that is referring to hot chocolate made from actual chocolate, not a hot 'chocolate flavoured' drink. Which I assume the 99 cal version is.

True, the benefits would only come from a drink made with real chocolate and the darker the better.

WesternNight

callig wrote: »

True, the benefits would only come from a drink made with real chocolate and the darker the better.

On the rare occasion I drink a hot chocolate type drink it's cocoa. Cadbury Bournville cocoa to be exact. No sugar in the cocoa, but there is a bit of fat, and it satisfies the need for a chocolate hit.

callig

cocoa of course has the same benefits but hot chocolate needs sugar the cocoa on it's own isn't very chocolatey.

LimeFruitGum

callig wrote: »

True, the benefits would only come from a drink made with real chocolate and the darker the better.

Well, I picked up Whittard's 70% Cocoa Hot Chocolate a while ago up North. Of course it isn't going to be healthier than a cup of green tea, but if I make it with skimmed milk and leave out the sugar, that will minimise the damage somewhat. It is not like I drink this every day! :-)

WesternNight

callig wrote: »

cocoa of course has the same benefits but hot chocolate needs sugar the cocoa on it's own isn't very chocolatey.

Tastes change. I don't mind that it's not sweet anymore.

callig

WesternNight wrote: »

Tastes change. I don't mind that it's not sweet anymore.

My point is that sugar does more than just sweeten, To quote a more esteemed source "Sugar is to chocolate what salt is to other foods, A little enhances the flavor of the cocoa liquor, but too much makes it unpalatable."