Study Findings, Cocoa Powder Effectively Lose Weight For Obesity

Cocoa powder illustration (Pexels / Delphine Hourlay)

JAKARTA - A number of studies have shown that drinking a cup of warm chocolate made from cocoa powder can be soothing. Recent studies claim that cocoa powder is a miracle drug that reduces the risk of liver damage from obesity.

Reporting from the New York Post, Monday, April 19, researchers at Penn State have identified the benefits of cocoa powder. As a miracle cure, cocoa powder has the potential to cure obesity and heart problems. Experiments were carried out on mice that eat high fat.

Previous research, nutritionists also believed that cocoa as the main ingredient for desserts and hot chocolate drinks contains relatively high fiber, iron and antioxidants.

Unfortunately most of them are served with sugar which can increase body weight and is bad for health.

Studies don't just explore its weight loss benefits. Research has also identified ways obese people improve their health. According to the study's findings, the livers of obese people are buried in fat and 3 million Americans each year.

Joshua Lambert, a professor of food science at Penn's College of Agricultural Sciences, explained that chocolate is considered a comfort food because it contains high sugar and fat.

But according to epidemiological studies and human interventions showing chocolate consumption can reduce cardiovascular risk. Including other diseases related to the heart, including stroke, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

The study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, revealed that by adding cocoa powder to food, the body weight of mice was 21 percent lower than those who did not mix their food with cocoa powder.

Spleen weight is also lower plus the level of inflammation is reduced. After eight weeks of the experiment, the results showed that the fat in the liver had decreased by 28 percent. The level of oxidative stress decreased 56 percent and the rate of DNA damage a day fell by a whopping 75 percent.

What is important to note is the dosage and addition of sweeteners and creams and milk. The amount that is decent and still healthy needs to be calculated appropriately.

"For people who manage to add 10 tablespoons of cocoa powder a day or about five cups of hot chocolate in one day," said Lambert about a healthy dose.

Lambert also suggests replacing high-calorie snacks with low-sugar cocoa, even better without sugar. It is also necessary to increase physical activity so that the burning of dietary fat and carbohydrates is more efficient.

Besides being beneficial for weight loss, cocoa powder also contains flavanols which can improve brain function, cardiovascular and cognitive function in adults.