Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

3

Why not?

I am a lean young guy, a hardgainer, and chocolate tastes great and is convenient.

Is this a realistic energy bar for us?

I'm always on the lookout for easy ways to eat food because I constantly need more calories than a strict paleo diet makes easy to get. I can do a spoonful of coconut oil but honestly it tastes bad and any more than that much makes me sick. I cook meat with butter/coconut oil as much as I can.

Pros:

High fat. mostly saturated The small carb content is more fiber than sugar (8 g fiber, 7 g sugar out of 19g total carb) Great taste, mental boost, antioxidants compared to something like coconut oil which tastes pretty bad.

Sugary bars like larabars make me feel sick to my stomach and even gain some fat.

Potential cons:

Too much chocolate if I'm eating 1 bar per day or more? Some say there is phytic acid to worry about in the chocolate. Addiction to chocolate? Is this bad though if I am fine with eating them everyday? Thats sort of like saying addiction to hamburgers... I dont see the problem if it's grass-fed meat.

So, anything I'm missing here? If my diet is clean and strict paleo otherwise (no nuts, dairy even) and based mostly on meat with some fruit and veg, are chocolate bars an acceptable way to get more calories.

Please don't just say too much of anything is bad ... I know that. But realistically a paleo diet needs some staples to make it work in the modern world - staples like chicken, beef, turkey, berries, etc. I want to add chocolate as one of these staples.

flag	asked Nov 18 2011 at 3:31 Chase 877●3●15

	Why not just make your own chocolate? Cacao/Cocoa + Honey/Maple syrup + Coconut oil/ghee. Mix, let sit in fridge...home made chocolate...I great energy food. – ryan Nov 18 2011 at 5:06
	If you're strapped for calories, why are you concerned about restricting carbohydrate? – Matt Nov 18 2011 at 14:23

Canis Minor · Answer 1 · 2011-11-18 05:06:42Z UTC

I'm not a hardgainer, so take this for whatever it's worth to you.

I eat two squares of 100% dark chocolate every day, paleo or not. Chocolate makes me feel good. It may have benefits and it may not, but I've watched it interact with me over time and it seems to have no negative effects. My chocolate has lots of fat and some caffeine, but I'd hesitate to call it an "energy bar" simply because I dislike the concept of energy bars (and I try never to fool myself about what I'm eating). It's just chocolate, I consider it food, it seems to work for me and so I eat it and enjoy it.

I'd also never ever eat sugared chocolate every day personally or suggest it to others, but then, I don't consider berries a "staple" either. (I eat them sparingly and in season.)

I say try the chocolate if it's what you want to do, and see if it works. If it doesn't, adjust or eliminate it and don't worry about addictions and whatnot.

AlohaSpeck · Answer 2 · 2011-11-18 09:30:36Z UTC

The other day I ate a 1/4 of a bar of 70% before a workout, I would not do it again, felt quite sick. Also cannot say I experienced any energy benefits, but I was unmotivated so hoped the chocolate would give me a feel good kick and this it did do. So for mood, perhaps a little chocolate daily would be beneficial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate

Cocoa solids contain alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, which have physiological effects on the body. It has been linked to serotonin levels in the brain. Some research found that chocolate, eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure.

Eric · Answer 3 · 2011-11-18 08:55:39Z UTC

Eat whole foods and enjoy chocolate on occasion. You can likely get away with anything weight wise right now. However it is better to feel good because you are eating well than because you are eating chocolate a lot. It is not sustainable.

Bristlebeard · Answer 4 · 2011-11-18 10:07:46Z UTC

1

My two cents:'

It's probably feasible, but I'd think it's going to be pretty expensive in the long run, unless you have some kind of access to cheap bulk 90% chocolate. I'd look for some better (and cheaper) calorie sources.

If you're really in a bind for ingesting more fat easily, I usually cook frozen spinach in a good amount of fat, probably 4 TBSP, and eat that. The spinach acts as a vector to carry the fat, and doesn't taste that bad. You don't have to take fat straight, just think about other ways to get it in your stomach.

answered Nov 18 2011 at 10:07

Bristlebeard
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	spinach does too "taste that bad" (at least for me) Yecch. – gydle Nov 18 2011 at 12:36
	Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. – Bristlebeard Nov 18 2011 at 17:14
	substitute spinach for chocolate? omg. no. Damn Bristlebeard you are the Chuck Norris of Paleo. +1 for dedication! – texasleah Nov 18 2011 at 19:08
	Had a good chuckle at the "Chuck Norris of Plaeo." I've also been known to eat 4-8Tbsp of butter straight for a snack, but I started eating it with spinach or other veg, otherwise it was a very BM promoting snack. – Bristlebeard Nov 20 2011 at 13:25

90% Chocolate bars as energy bars?

4 Answers