Dark Chocolate for Weight Loss: Does it Really Work?

Wouldn’t it be great to enjoy a piece of dark chocolate and it actually help with weight loss?

It might sound too good to be true, but there is science behind how dark chocolate can help you lose weight. Dark chocolate is packed with nutrients like antioxidants that have enormous health benefits, including weight loss.

Every diet plan says to stay away from sugar, but you don’t have to completely give up all the treats. But if you eat the wrong types of dark chocolate, at the wrong times, then you could end up sabotaging your results and ruining all your hard work.

Studies have found dark chocolate can curb cravings, regulate appetite, and even enhance metabolism. All while satisfying your sweet tooth! So keep going to discover how you can keep eating dark chocolate and continue to lose weight.

Is Dark Chocolate Good for Weight Loss?

Dark chocolate can help you lose weight by a few methods…

Accelerates Metabolism

Dark chocolate contains theobromine, which has a mild stimulant effect that can increase heart rate and calorie burning.¹ This helps to accelerate your metabolism and enhance fat-burning.²

Epicatechins are flavanoids in dark chocolate that boost fat oxidation (burning body fat for energy).³ Studies have found epicatechins like those found in dark chocolate can help reduce fat storage too.⁴

One study found dark chocolate can help reduce the expression of genes involved in fat synthesis (your body’s way of turning extra food into stored fat).⁵ Dark chocolate can also help reduce the amount of fats and carbs you’ve eaten into breaking down and absorbing into your bloodstream. This can also help lower fat storage and improve your metabolism.

Improved Blood Sugar Control

Dark chocolate is rich in a powerful compound called flavanols. The flavanols in dark chocolate are epicatechin and catechin, both have high antioxidant properties that can improve insulin sensitivity.⁶

Improved insulin sensitivity helps your body’s cells respond more efficiently to insulin, helping to control blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels and insulin resistance both contribute to weight gain.⁷

So the better your body is at processing sugar and carbohydrates, then the easier time it’ll have losing weight.

Dark chocolate also contains healthy fats and fiber, that slow down digestion and sugar absorption. This also helps prevent blood sugar and insulin spikes.⁸ But the less percentage of dark chocolate there is then that means there’s more sugar, which does cause blood sugar and insulin spikes.

Reduced Cravings and Appetite

The healthy fats and fiber in dark chocolate also helps regulate your hunger hormone called ghrelin.⁹ The polyphenols and flavanols in dark chocolate reduce ghrelin, making you feel fuller for longer. One study found even smelling dark chocolate increased satiety (makes you feel full) and lowered ghrelin levels.¹⁰

Blood sugar crashes are a big problem with blood sugar and insulin spikes that cause cravings. You’ll crave sugars and high glycemic carbs when your blood sugar gets low to bring it back up.¹¹

This puts you on a roller coaster of blood sugar ups and downs, causing you to crave sugars and carbs and putting your body into a fat-storing mode. But since you’re not getting the blood sugar and insulin spikes consuming dark chocolate, you won’t crave sugars and carbs as much.

Dark chocolate is a tasty treat with sweet flavor and richness that help satisfy sweet cravings in small amounts. This also helps to keep ghrelin levels in-check and reduce the level of hunger signals and cravings.

Less Stress and Better Mood

Dark chocolate boosts the release of serotonin and dopamine, the two “feel good” hormones in the brain.¹² These chemicals help improve your mood, lower anxiety, and increase your overall sense of well-being. All reducing your overall stress levels!

Magnesium is a mineral that’s well known for its calming effects on the nervous system. Dark chocolate is a good source of magnesium so it’ll help support relaxation, and lower overall stress. Magnesium also helps to control cortisol levels, which is well known as the stress hormone.¹³

The flavonoids in dark chocolate can help increase blood flow to the brain.¹⁴ Better brain blood flow enhances your cognitive function, and helps your brain better deal with stress. This increased blood circulation can reduce your feelings of tension and anxiety.

What Percentage of Dark Chocolate Fuels Your Health

85%-100% Dark Chocolate (Best for Weight Loss)

✅ Highest in antioxidants and fiber
✅ Low in sugar, reducing blood sugar spikes
✅ Boosts metabolism and helps control appetite
⚠️ Very bitter, which may not be enjoyable for all

70%-85% Dark Chocolate (Better for Weight Loss)

✅ Good balance of antioxidants and fiber
✅ Moderate sugar content, still supports appetite control
✅ Easier to enjoy while still offering benefits
⚠️ Some added sugar, so portion control is key

50%-69% Dark Chocolate (Moderate Benefits)

✅ Still contains some antioxidants and fiber
✅ Tastes sweeter and more palatable
⚠️ Higher in sugar, which can lead to cravings and energy crashes
⚠️ Less cocoa means fewer weight-loss benefits

Below 50% Dark Chocolate (Not Good for Weight Loss)

⚠️ High in sugar, which can lead to weight gain
⚠️ Low in fiber and antioxidants
⚠️ More processed ingredients, reducing health benefits

Milk chocolate usually has between 10%-50% cocoa, which makes it not very healthy. Milk chocolate is also usually much higher in sugar and calories.

Candy bars like Snickers are within this low range of cocoa and high in sugar (almost 30g a bar), making them not a good choice if you’re trying to lose weight.

The Healthiest Dark Chocolate

The healthiest dark chocolate will be high-quality, high in cocoa, and low in sugar content. But some dark chocolate products may have heavy metal contaminants like lead and cadmium.

Cocoa plants can absorb cadmium from the soil, especially in areas where metal is present from volcanic rock and environmental pollution. Lead contamination can happen after the cocoa is harvested. The cocoa can be exposed to dust, soil, or pollution when sun drying, which lets the lead particles to settle on it.

South America typically has been found to have higher cadmium levels in their soil. West African and Asia cocoa generally has lower cadmium levels.¹⁵ So, you may want to consider choosing dark chocolate from West African sources to minimizes your exposure to cadmium.

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration has no limits for lead and cadmium in chocolate. In Consumer Reports testing, many popular chocolate products contain detectable levels of lead and cadmium.¹⁶

Choose dark chocolate bars that are tested for heavy metals and are transparent with their sourcing. Independent lab testing results from reputable brands will give you the most accurate heavy metal contaminants.

Here are some dark chocolate bars that Consumer Reports found to be the healthiest:

• Taza Dark Chocolate (70% cacao)
• Mast Dark Chocolate (80% cocoa)
• Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate (86% Cacao)
• Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate Twilight Delight (72% cacao)
• Valrhona Dark Chocolate (85% cacao)

Consumer Reports has found these to contain lead and cadmium at levels below California’s maximum allowable dose level (MADL).

How Much Dark Chocolate a Day Unlocks Weight Loss

1 ounce is a good daily amount of dark chocolate to unlock weight loss. This equals about 3-4 small pieces of a dark chocolate bar (70% cocoa and higher).

Even though dark chocolate has various health benefits, it should still be eaten in moderation. A small portion of dark chocolate daily is enough to help with weight loss while keeping calories and sugar low.

Many dark chocolate also contain heavy metal contaminants so you’ll want don’t want to overdo it by eating too much. Try to have your dark chocolate as a small treat instead of a meal.

You can also use a cocao powder instead of eating dark chocolate bars. Cocoa means it was processed by being roasted at higher temperatures, which can change its chemical composition. Cacao is preferred since this is raw and unprocessed form of the cocoa bean.

Best Time to Have Dark Chocolate

You may want to avoid having dark chocolate as a late night snack since theobromine and caffeine have a mild stimulant effect. If you’re sensitive to caffeine or stimulants, then it’s probably a good idea to not have dark chocolate too late at night.

Instead, eat dark chocolate earlier in the day or stick to lower cocoa percentages. Some studies have found eating dark chocolate in the morning can help kickstart your metabolism for the day, burning more fat.¹⁷

While the amount of caffeine in dark chocolate is very low, it can still stress the nervous system and disrupt sleep with some people. The higher percentage of cocoa in dark chocolate, the more caffeine it’ll contain:

• 70-85% dark chocolate → 22-25 mg caffeine
• 60-69% dark chocolate → 12-20 mg caffeine
• 45-59% dark chocolate → 5-10 mg caffeine

But if you enjoy having a small amount of dark chocolate in the evening as an after dinner treat, go for it if it doesn’t disturb your sleep. Portion control is critical and the timing of when you eat the dark chocolate isn’t as important as how much.

You can eat dark chocolate every day and still lose weight as long as you’re controlling portions. You’ll also improve your chances of losing weight with dark chocolate consumption, which contains more cocoa. Just stay away from milk chocolate and candy bars like Snickers and Hershey’s.

Dark chocolate can also reduce the pain of period cramps in women.¹⁸ The magnesium in dark chocolate helps to relax uterine muscles, reducing the painful contractions that cause cramps. It also lowers prostaglandins that trigger inflammation and pain.

The Downsides of Dark Chocolate

Are there any disadvantages of dark chocolate you should know about?

Dark chocolate may have a mild laxative effect for some. The magnesium in dark chocolate relaxes muscles in the digestive tract, helping with bowel movements. Dark chocolate consumption stimulates the gut with its caffeine and theobromine content, speeding up digestion.

Dark chocolate is also high in fiber so it can add bulk to stool and help promote regularity. The higher amount of cocoa in dark chocolate, the more of a possible laxative effect it can have. People with IBS or sensitive to caffeine could experience digestive discomfort with dark chocolate consumption.

Dark chocolate may cause bloating and stomach discomfort in some. Consuming dark chocolate can be hard to digest for some, causing gas and bloating. Some dark chocolate and milk chocolate contain dairy that can cause bloating in lactose intolerant people.

Dark chocolate contains oxalates that can contribute to kidney stones in those prone to them.¹⁹ Oxalates can bind to calcium in the digestive tract, and while most excrete them in urine, those susceptible lead to kidney stones.

One of the best health benefits of dark chocolate is its ability to help lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids that stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production.²⁰ NO relaxes and widens blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.

But for some, incorporating dark chocolate into their diets can make them feel dizzy. The caffeine and theobromine can be stimulants that lead to dizziness in some. And if you already have low blood pressure then it could cause lightheadedness.²¹

My Dark Chocolate + Collagen Drink (Recipe)

One of my favorite ways to consume dark chocolate is in a drink with low-carb protein and collagen.

Low-carb protein powder is great for boosting your metabolism, reducing appetite, and improving body composition (more muscle, less fat). I’ve found making a drink mix is a simple and fast way to get your dark chocolate with a high amount of protein too.

Then I’ll also add in collagen peptides. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, but it declines drastically with age.

Low collagen levels contribute to wrinkles, sagging skin, thinning hair, and achy joints. But studies have found supplementing with collagen peptides can quickly start reversing these signs of aging.²²

The cocoa flavanols found in dark chocolate have also been found to reduce face wrinkles caused by photoaging (sun exposure).²² Improvements in skin elasticity (ability to snap-back tight) are found with both cocoa and collagen, making them a great combination to have together.

Here’s the recipe for my low-protein, collagen, dark chocolate drink:

• 8-10 oz water
• 1 scoop of low-carb protein powder (chocolate flavor)
• 10g of collagen peptides
• 1 tbsp of cacao powder

Just make sure the collagen is in hydrolyzed collagen peptide form. This means it’s pre-broken down, making it much easier for your body to absorb. Also, use collagen peptides that contain 5 types of collagen (most only have 1 or 2) to get maximum results.