Consumption of dark chocolate attenuates subsequent food intake compared with milk and white chocolate in postmenopausal women

Marsh CE, Green DJ, Naylor LH, Guelfi KJ · Appetite · 2017 September

DOI 10.1016/j.appet.2017.05.050

Objective

To compare the acute effect of consuming an isocaloric dose of dark, milk and white chocolate on subsequent energy intake, appetite and mood in postmenopausal women.

Conclusions

Dark chocolate attenuates subsequent food intake in postmenopausal women, compared to the impact of milk and white chocolate consumption.

Critical Appraisal

Published research can offer valuable insights, but a paper’s conclusions may go beyond what its results support. Critical appraisal examines the methods, findings and limitations to clarify what can reasonably be concluded—and what remains uncertain.

This article has not yet been critically appraised by the Research Hub.

Learn more about Critical Appraisal

Insights

Dark chocolate reduces subsequent food intake in postmenopausal women more effectively than milk and white chocolate.

In the study, 14 healthy postmenopausal women participated in three separate experimental trials done in a counterbalanced order. Each trial was conducted at a specific time and was spaced one week apart. The women's food intake, appetite perceptions, mood, and levels of certain appetite-related peptides were measured and analyzed following their consumption of an isocaloric amount of dark chocolate (80% cocoa), milk chocolate (35% cocoa), and white chocolate (cocoa butter). The results indicated a significant decrease in food intake after consuming dark chocolate compared to milk and white chocolate. Furthermore, blood glucose and insulin levels were found to temporarily increase after consuming milk and white chocolate, unlike in the case of dark chocolate. In addition, the consumption of high cocoa content chocolate, like dark and milk chocolate, elevated the pancreatic polypeptide, which differed from the response to white chocolate. The conditions had no significant effect on active ghrelin or leptin hormones, and the mood of the participants remained largely unaffected.