| 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. |
