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.
|
