Is a chocolate addiction unhealthy if you don't pack on the pounds?

[Anonymous]

My boyfriend loves to eat chocolate. Whenever he comes home with 6 blocks of chocolate (100 grams each), 2 will be gone by the end of the evening and he won't eat dinner, because he's full with chocolate. 3 days later, everything is gone; sometimes even sooner, cause he can eat up to 4-5 blocks a day.
He tells me not to worry so much cause chocolate has health benefits, but I doubt the pros outweight the cons?

Also, is it possibly hereditary? His parents also skip dinner sometimes or eat less dinner just to be able to eat chocolate.

[TheWiseOwl]

Chocolate is high in saturated fat and if a person is regularly consuming more than 20g of Saturated Fat a day they are increasing their risk of having high cholesterol and of course high cholesterol can lead to heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

Furthermore chocolate is also high in sugar and eating large quantities of sugar in one sitting causes a large spike in blood sugar levels and if this becomes a regular occurrence it can lead to the development of type two diabetes.

[Asker]

His cholesterol level is good for his age. His parents eat like he does, and they don't have diabetes either. So it's possible some won't develop it at all no matter how much sugar they eat?

[TheWiseOwl]

It's very possible that's why I said 'increase their risk' and 'can lead'. It doesn't mean it is set in stone, but he's playing Russian Roulette with his health.

[Starsite]

Good answer!

[AdamThomas]

The trouble is the sugar, not the saturated fat or cholesterol (it has been proven that these aren't bad things and that you actually need them). In small quantities it's good, but if he's eating big bars, so much that he's missing a proper dinner then obviously he's missing out on other things and eating too much sugar. He could develop diabetes if he continues.

[Asker]

He doesn't do it all the time, but it always starts around winter break, because he doesn't have to play matches anymore and has no real incentive to stay fit.
I've already warned him about diabetes, but to no avail. Should I even try to stop his addiction at this point?

[Kythe]

I agree with this. Claims saturated fat and dietary cholesterol strongly impact blood cholesterol are very old, and more recent research has pretty much refuted it.

If his blood cholesterol is good, that wouldn't be my main concern.

[Asker]

thanks.. I talked to him again about possibly developing diabetes. seems to work this time.. for now at least

[Kythe]

Dark chocolate has some health benefits. HOWEVER, there's truth to the old saying "everything in moderation".

It's good he's not gaining weight from it, but how is his nutrition overall? Chocolate's not terribly high in vitamins, minerals... in fact, just about anything but carbs (simple sugars) and some fat.

[Kythe]

One more thing... sugars can be addictive. He may not be overeating now for the exercise he gets, but it's really not a great habit to get into.

[Asker]

I've tried to teach him moderation, but it doesn't work. If he KNOWS there's chocolate in the house, he's restless until he gets some. He gets frustrated/angry, when I won't share MY stash or only give him a row, because he wants more. Next day he goes out to buy 8 blocks so he won't have to beg for chocolate. And the cycle repeats itself.

[Asker]

Can it really be the sugar in the chocolate when he doesn't want anything else that is also sweet? He just wants chocolate.. at some point, he prefered a certain ice cream that I introduced to him, but now he's back to chocolate.

[Kythe]

It's most likely a psychological addiction. Potentially addictive compounds in chocolate (including sugars) are present in higher amounts in other substances.

[Asker]

I can't say. He eats lunch everyday, but he sometimes substitute chocolate for breakfast or dinner or both.

[Kythe]

I would be far less concerned about it if he were getting regular exercise. Still, not a great nutritional habit, though. Overall diet is the most important thing, not individual components (outright toxic materials, like poisons, being the exception, of course).

[Asker]

He plays football, but he only starts eating like that during winter break, when they don't have practice and matches on weekends. He doesn't lift regularly.

Any idea how to break the psychological addiction? I don't even know if I should be worried, because he's not fat, doesn't have diabetes or else and there are more harmful addictions out there.

[Kythe]

Habits can be broken in several ways. Some people can change them completely (e. g. stopping smoking cold turkey), others need to take things step-by-step.

Does he drink a lot of water? If not, drinking more water, as well as consuming more protein, fiber, etc., would probably leave less room for chocolate.

Can you two agree on a "no snacks before dinner" rule?

Ultimately, keep in mind that he has to want to stop chowing down the chocolate. If he doesn't, nothing will work.

[Starsite]

Best way to stop a bad habit is to replace it with a good one ;)

[Asker]

he drinks a lot of water. we also cook meals with probably an unhealthy amount of protein. but sometimes he says he's too hungry, he can't wait 30 minutes and needs a little chocolate now, but then ends up eating half a block and only eats a small dinner. :/ I usually can't see how much he's eating because I'm cooking.

is there anything disgusting in chocolate that could make him not want to eat it anymore? because he doesn't like/eat sausages anymore when he heard they throw everything that can't be sold separately in it, including eyes.

[Kythe]

I wouldn't worry too much about the protein. Unless he has a pre-existing kidney condition or is not getting enough calcium (which, ironically, chocolate may inhibit the absorption of), there's not much evidence that large amounts of protein are necessarily unhealthy. In fact, protein intake is associated with better body composition overall.

[Starsite]

Dark chocolate in moderation is good for you, but lots of chocolate, especially milk chocolate is full of sugar and some candy bars have caffine so yes it can become addicting. The amount of chocolate he's eating is not healthy.

[Asker]

He likes dark chocolate, but he also eats milk chocolate and white chocolate. He's not very picky with chocolate. He only doesn't like chocolate if it tastes like something else (e. g. with fruity sugar fillings).

Any ideas what I could tell him that will make him want to eat chocolate more responsibly?

[Starsite]

You could find out the nutritional information of which chocolate bars he's eating and show him along with what is the normal caloric intake for a male his age? Dark chocolate has antioxidants in it so it's not as bad as white or milk. You could tell him point blank eating all that chocolate will cause weight gain. Chocolate stimulates the pleasure receptors in the brain which is why so many people like it, but maybe he's substituting chocolate for that quick fix of feeling good or he's addicted to the caffine fix. Good luck :)

[Asker]

haha, that's a good idea, but he reads those labels himself WHILE eating or right after eating and says 'omg so many calories, so much fat and sugar. i shouldn't eat it' and can stop maybe for a few hours, and then everything is forgotten again :(

[Asker]

he always starts eating like this during winter break, so it is possible he's just missing the endorphines he gets from practice and matches. but it's also possible that he craves chocolates during other seasons too, but just curbs his consumption because he wants to be a good player.

[Kythe]

Ah, so he's conflicted.

[Asker]

@Kythe yes, but it doesn't stop him. he eats chocolate throughout the year, just less.

[martyfellow]

Most commercial chocolate is loaded with unhealthy saturated fat, and lacks protein.. if he's going without nutritious meals to avoid gaining weight, that will catch up to him before long.

[Brownrecluse1224]

It depends, milk chocolate is bad while dark chocolate is a little better, I love dark chocolate more. Everything is good in moderation.

[Asker]

I have nothing against chocolate in moderation. the color doesn't even matter to me, but I don't like it when he shoves it down like it's chewy water.

[Brownrecluse1224]

So then tell him your concerns over his health

[Asker]

I have, it doesn't work.

[Brownrecluse1224]

Well then, just let him.!