WHEN we eat chocolate, sweets or anything else that contains sugar, our bodies release a hormone called insulin.

Insulin is needed to take the sugar out of our blood stream and move it into our fat cells, where it is stored.

Without the insulin, sugars can build up in our blood stream and cause nasty complications.

Insulin spikes like this are not great if you are trying to lose weight as, firstly, they will turn off your fat burning mechanisms and they will encourage your body to store more fat.

What’s more, a few hours later your body will experience a drop in blood sugar levels and you will feel the need to top up on sugar again.

Once you’ve consumed more sugar, the whole fat-storing cycle begins again.

Not to mention the increased calorie intake, as sugary foods tend to be much higher in calories.

This creates a continuous flow into weight gain and obesity.With Easter approaching, if you are a chocolate lover then this may not be what you want to hear!

But, there may be an answer!

Dark chocolate, or chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa (70 per cent or more), contains a lot less sugar than plain or white chocolate.

Darker chocolate also contains mono-unsaturated fatty acids which slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood stream, preventing an insulin spike.

These fats will also satisfy your cravings, with a small amount, more then same amount of plain or white chocolate.

However, don’t get too excited.

Eating more than a few cubes of dark chocolate will make you store fat too!

So it’s fine to treat your taste buds — but try not to turn a treat into a feast.

  • To get in touch with Claire, follow her on Twitter @CLKpt or email ckopicki@me.com