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Snacking on dark chocolate improves fitness training, says study
Posted on: 03/May/2016 6:17:03 PM
A new study has claimed that snacking on dark chocolates everyday may help give sports enthusiasts an extra edge in their fitness training. The researchers, from the Kingston University in the United Kingdom, found that dark chocolate has benefits similar to beetroot juice. The study was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Speaking about this, the researchers said, Beetroot juice is rich in nitrates, which are converted to nitric oxide in the body. This dilates blood vessels and reduces oxygen consumption - allowing athletes to go further for longer.
Dark chocolate has a substance called epicatechin, which is a type of flavanol that is found in the cacao bean. This substance also increases the production of nitric oxide in the body.
Nine amateur cyclists took part in the study. The underwent an initial fitness test, which helped to establish a baseline for comparison. Following this, the group was split into two. The first group replaced one of its normal daily snacks with 40 grams of dark chocolate for a fortnight. The other group replaced their snack with 40 grams of white chocolate. The effects were measured using a series of cycling exercise tests.
Results showed that, after eating dark chocolate, the riders used lesser oxygen. Say the researchers, The results opened the door for more research which could eventually lead to dark chocolate becoming a staple part of endurance athletes` diets. Both dark chocolate and beetroot juice are known to increase nitric oxide, which is the major mechanism we believe is behind these results. We found that people could effectively exercise for longer after eating dark chocolate - something that`s not been established before in this way.
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