Good news! A chocolate binge is okay (sometimes)

It’s not often that we hear scientists telling us that having a short term binge on chocolate could be okay for us do we?

Well, that is exactly what has recently been announced as these scientists have declared that having an occasional chocolate binge may not be as bad for us and our health as once thought.

A five day period of over indulgence does not trigger harmful long term body changes that could lead to diabetes, research has shown.

Scientists said although too much high calorie food can cause obesity ‘it does not mean having to be careful for 365 days a year’. They studied how the body dealt with changes in blood sugar during feasting. Researchers tested a group of healthy lean men with an average age of 22 by letting them eat an extra 1,000 calories a day for five days.

They then compared the results with men who did so for 28 days in row. This included tucking into crisps, chocolate and high calorie ‘meal replacement drinks’. The five day period was chosen because it was ‘indicative of over eating during festivals such as Easter and Christmas.

Those on the 28 day plan saw impaired blood sugar control and insulin levels, whilst those on the 5 day trial revealed that the human body adapted to compensate for the extra calories.