Chocolate,… who can resist it?  I’m not a chocoholic!  I however do have cravings from time to time!  Chocolate bars, chocolate cakes, donuts, brownies, mousse, ice cream, shakes, hot chocolate, melted chocolate, cold chocolate, frozen…  Wow!!!

Chocolate is defined as ‘a food in the form of a paste or solid block made from roasted and ground cacao seeds, typically sweetened and eaten as confectionery’, by oxforddictionaries.com.  While being a true relish, over-consumption often leads to obesity, sugar-related illness, and more, entailing further health complications.  However, luckily, we can strike a reasonable balance between enjoying chocolate and watching our health, at the same time!

While cravings should be controlled, I personally don’t crave on a daily basis. These are some of my ideas, that could be of help to others:

1. Keeping very little / no chocolate at home, helps in lower consumption.
2. Opting for semi-sweet / dark / bitter chocolate, could be a better alternative.
3. Eating more juicy fruits instead, using interesting variations of salads and smoothies for fun!
4. Maintaining a balanced diet,  helps in providing all the components for a complete nutrition (sufficient vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, and more).
5. Drinking plenty of water (minimum 2-3 litres a day).
6. Having a daily physically active lifestyle, and sticking to it.
7. Join a health club, surround yourself with health-conscious friends.  This may create an environment for conducive peer-pressure!
8. Don’t be too strict on yourself!  Do indulge a little bit occasionally, and get back to healthy habits taken.

Chocolate remains a source of delicious joy for many / most of us!  Prepared in various exciting ways, it includes fine inventions of true gourmets.  Alongside the exigencies of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, we can also satisfy our sweet tooth!

Would you like to add your ideas?  Please do so (kindly abstain from naming brands for commercial purposes / only share a link if informative).  Thank you!

Note: The above are some of my ideas.  For medical needs, please consult your medical practitioner / doctor.