β-Glucan and Dark Chocolate: A Randomized Crossover Study on Short-Term Satiety and Energy Intake

Abstract

Aim: The aims of this study were to adapt a traditional recipe into a healthier form by adding 3 g of oat β-glucan, substituting milk chocolate to dark chocolate with 70% cocoa, and to examine the effect of these alterations on short-term satiety and energy intake. Materials and Methods: Study subjects (n = 25) were tested in a randomized, crossover design with four products closely matched for energy content. Four different versions of a traditional recipe including milk chocolate-control (CON), oat β-glucan (B-GLU), dark chocolate (DARK) or oat β-glucan and dark chocolate (B-GLU + DARK) were given to subjects on different test days. After subjects were asked to report visual analog scale (VAS) scores on sensory outcomes and related satiety for four hours ad libitum, lunch was served and energy intake of individuals was measured. Results: VAS scores indicated that none of the test foods exerted an improved effect on satiety feelings. However, energy intake of individuals during ad libitum lunch was significantly lower in dark chocolate groups (CON: 849.46 ± 47.45 kcal versus DARK: 677.69 ± 48.45 kcal and B-GLU + DARK: 691.08 ± 47.45 kcal, p = 0.014). Conclusion: The study demonstrated that substituting dark chocolate for milk chocolate is more effective in inducing satiety during subsequent food intake in healthy subjects.

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

“…While this study does not promote the consumption of 245 chocolate, these findings suggest that for postmenopausal women that do consume chocolate, 246 dark chocolate should be the preferred choice in relation to moderating overall energy intake. The observation of reduced energy intake following consumption of dark chocolate is 249 consistent with that of the two previous studies that compared energy intake following dark 250 and milk chocolate ingestion (13)(14). The first study reported a decrease in ad libitum energy 251 intake of a laboratory test meal (pizza) by 548 kJ (17%) following dark compared with milk 252 chocolate consumption in young healthy men (13).…”

“…It is important to note that this study compared two commercially 51 4 available chocolate bars that were not matched for energy content (217 kJ difference between 52 conditions) and were unlikely to be from a cacao bean of similar origin, which would 53 influence the biochemical composition of the cocoa liquor and mixture of polyphenols 54 present. More recently, Akyol and colleagues (2014) demonstrated that substituting milk 55 chocolate for dark chocolate in a traditional Turkish recipe reduced subsequent ad libitum 56 energy intake at a lunch meal; however, the specific origin of the chocolate used in this study 57 was unclear (14). Furthermore, no previous studies have included a white chocolate 58 comparison in order to assess the dose-response to chocolate containing distinct 59 concentrations of cocoa, and the mechanisms for the proposed effect of dark chocolate on 60 appetite are yet to be studied.…”

“…The first study reported a decrease in ad libitum energy 251 intake of a laboratory test meal (pizza) by 548 kJ (17%) following dark compared with milk 252 chocolate consumption in young healthy men (13). Meanwhile, Akyol and colleagues (2014) 253 demonstrated that substituting dark chocolate in place of milk chocolate in a traditional recipe 254 reduced subsequent ad libitum energy intake (by 20%; -719 kJ) of a test meal in young 255 healthy women (14). However, the current study is unique in including a white chocolate was not clear (14).…”

The effects of experimentally manipulated social status on acute eating behavior: A randomized, crossover pilot study

“…Participants were told to mark an ‘x’ on the horizontal line in relation to their feelings in that moment. These scales have been validated for repeated use within subjects under controlled or experimental settings 32 and have been used in similar randomized crossover trials related to dietary intake 33 . The data showed high correlations between the item scores and as a result of our small sample size, we chose to group these items together to increase power.…”

Chocolate Consumption and Health Beliefs and its Relation to BMI in College Students

“…We found an association between types of chocolate consumed and serving size; dark chocolate was consumed in smaller servings compared to other types of chocolate, while milk chocolate was consumed in larger serving sizes. Randomized crossover trials have found that dark chocolate in smaller servings can be more satiating than milk chocolate and curb sweet cravings longer [25,26]. Moreover, another study found that smelling or ingesting 30 g of dark chocolate suppresses the appetite through the involvement of decreased ghrelin, the hunger hormone [27].…”