The five great benefits of chocolate to improve in race

Chocolate and sport complement each other, and you don't have to move it away from your diet, because science has spoken.Black chocolate has two important properties that make it beneficial for your training: carbohydrates and antioxidants, says nutritionist Natalia Rizzo.

Any type of chocolate, whether white, milk or dark, has a good amount of carbohydrates, due to its sugar content.But the darker the chocolate, the better option it will be, since it contains less grams of sugar.(Approximately half of a black chocolate bar with 85 percent cocoa has approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates and 230 calories, says Rizzo).In addition, black chocolate also has more antioxidants than milk chocolate.

But it's not just about getting to an vending machine and taking a chocolate tablet before starting a race and waiting for it to take effect.Keep reading to discover the five benefits that chocolate has and that will help you improve your training.

Increase your aerobic capacity

A study on the beneficial effects of black chocolate on exercise capacity in sedentary subjects discovered that consuming black chocolate can help improve its maximum VO2 (maximum oxygen consumption).When the people of the study consumed 20 grams of black chocolate daily for three months experienced a 17 percent increase in their maximum VO2.

A possible reason?Researchers believe that the Epicatequina, a cocoa flavonol, can help mitochondria, or the inexhaustible source of cells, to function more efficiently.

Reduce inflammation

Chocolate antioxidants, known as flavonoids, help reduce inflammation.While black chocolate has more than milk chocolate, both types contain these compounds, explains Rizzo. "Since running causes acute inflammation in muscles and joints, eating chocolate before or after training can help reduce inflammationAnd the slight pain, "says Rizzo.

In addition, two recent studies show that flavonoids are beneficial to improve brain and cardiovascular health.

Keep your mind active

There is a reason why eating chocolate makes you feel good: cocoa contains the hormone serotonin that regulates mood.The darker the chocolate, the more you get this benefit, according to a Spanish investigation that studied the determination of serotonin in chocolate.

In addition, a recent study, published in the Depression and Anxiety magazine, found that people who ate black chocolate in the course of two days had 70 percent less likely to have depressive symptoms than those who did not eat chocolate.

También, puede ayudar a motivarle durante los entrenamientos, dice Ryan Johnson, entrenador de fuerza y ​​acondicionamiento y propietario de la compañía de ejercicios HOMAGE, que ha entrenado a clientes como Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Gosling y Sebastian Stan. Este entrenador usa el chocolate negro para poner a los clientes en una mentalidad de vacaciones y prepararlos para mejorar en sus entrenamientos.

"Giving a small black chocolate whim before your training makes you begin to create a positive feedback cycle," he says."At some point, one cannot know if the emotion comes from chocolate or exercise, which if it can help form a solution based on habit to have a good physical form."

Help run further

The caffeine found in black chocolate can allow you to run more time.According to a study published in Sports Medicine the fact of eating caffeine improves both strength and resistance.In addition, consuming caffeine with carbohydrates, is a combo that is seen in chocolate, and can help increase muscle recovery after intense training.

Just make sure you are crushing it quickly, says coach Eric Johnson.Practicing full attention and taking time to enjoy chocolate will help you prepare to deal with a good training.

How to feed with chocolate

Chocolate can be a great fuel source if you do well, that's why there are some tips that you should take into account.

Since chocolate is higher in fat than other carbohydrate sources, you must maintain a small portion (think of a barrite room).The fat takes longer to decompose than the carbohydrates that are used as fuel, compared to a simple sugar or a piece of fruit.If you are eating chocolate before exercise, try to do it about two hours before training.

If you are using it for recovery, commit 1 to 2 ounces, which can help you replace glycogen reserves after a hard training, says Rizzo.Combine it with a little protein, such as a glass of milk or a little nut butter.Protein and carbohydrate combo is essential for muscle recovery.

Chocolate can also be a trigger for those who suffer from acid reflux, so, if you begin to notice symptoms such as heartburn or indigestion during training, you may want to avoid it as a source of energy before your training.

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