my super fabulous aerobics instructor (also a personal trainer) gave us some good info in class tonite. she was at a week long fitness conference in miami and took several nutrition courses while she was there, etc.
in one of the sessions, the guest speaker (doctor/nutritionist) was talking about how strong/persistent chocolate cravings usually indicate a need for more magnesium in one's diet.
the doctor indicated that she recommends a magnesium supplement to her patients/clients that complain of such cravings.

found this to be interesting and maybe helpful for some. of course, i have no official documentation or research, but it is interesting ....

Interesting... but I'd rather eat a bit of super dark chocolate!

Extra dark chocolate is so intense and not very sweet - so I don't need much. I realize not everyone can tolerate such extra dark chocolate, but I find that it really addresses a chocolate wish without inducing cravings the way milk chocolate does.

A couple of squares - about 10 g. - from a Scharffen Berger 82% Cacao bar runs about 5 g. carbs.

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~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

Do I crave chocolate??? Just reading this thread makes my mouth water.

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Judy
All time highest = 180, Goal = 140, Current status = RIGHT ON TARGET!
Every single time I put food in my mouth, it matters. No more fooling myself!

oooh sorry, judy! didn't mean to spark any demons!

No wonder that I am dying to chocolate quiet often. Mag is my problem. thanks.

Also, Hershey's sugar free chocolate ( yes, you read it correct "sugar free") is delicious, and I mean it! each small chocolate bite size bar has only 5 carbs. Wal Mart, candy section.......BTW, it is also very creamy and dark chocolate.

Interesting about magnesium; however, calcium and magnesium work together, and you should take them in a 2 to 1 ratio. It's better not to take one without the other.
Calcium alone can cause constipation and magnesium alone can cause diarrhea (that's why you take milk of magnesia for constipation).

I love chocolate, but am determined to live without it because I have not had any that comes close to the real sugary kind, without major gastric distress from sugar alcohols.

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Nita

Note on the Hershey's SugarFree: It is primarily sweetened with lactitol, a sugar alcohol. While it may be sugar free, it is not carb free. 5 little bite sized pieces (which weigh 40 gms, the equivalent of a regular small chocolate bar) have 23 net grams of carbohydrates. (Total - fiber is how I derive net carbs.)

I really dislike the taste of these. Hershey's did have a product line called 1Carb, which was sweetened with splenda and erythritol (the only sugar alcohol which does not jack up my BGL) and I thought they were delicious. They were a 40 gm bar size with only 11 net gms of carbs. Unfortunately, they have discontinued this particular product line.

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Lactitol --- that's some evil stuff in my book. I have never ever had anything cause stomach cramps like that stuff does. One little piece of Hershey's chocolate cured me from ever eating that brand again.

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Judy
All time highest = 180, Goal = 140, Current status = RIGHT ON TARGET!
Every single time I put food in my mouth, it matters. No more fooling myself!

I don't crave chocolate any more. Interesting because I started using the calcium supplement from Costco a while back - and it has magnesium and vitamin D in it. I take one tablet 3 times a day, a little bit after a meal. Maybe that explains the lack of the chocolate demon for several months now! LOL!

Char

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Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

Okay... I've been having leg cramps and Nita suggested calcium/magnesium for that... after reading this, I'm definately going to get some.

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Katie
275/238/150
Restarted 01/08/2007
37 pounds lost!
http://justanotherfatgirl.blogspot.com

Yeah...those sf Hershey bars are WICKED on the intestinal tract!!! Just bought a few more Hershey1 bars at my local grocer...gonna miss those little jewels when they're gone!!

Hmm...just checked the Hershey site, and the Hershey1 bars are still listed...I'm not sure that they truly are discontinued...keeping my fingers crossed!!

They are truly discontinued - several months ago. I spent about an hour in telephone hell before I could reach someone to confirm it. This was some time ago and they said they were going to update their site, but never have. If you see 'em and you like 'em, scarf them up and throw them in your freezer for future reference.

That's what I did. *** sigh ***

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I like Dagoba Eclipse 87% bars. One bar has 10 sections and I usually have two at a time which works out to 4 grams carb or 2.4 grams net if you subtract the fiber. Not bad and it's serious chocolate, just a few steps above bitter. It satisfies and doesn't trip cravings the way the regular stuff does.

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>^..^<
Esther

While at the health food store, I gave the salesperson a rundown on what I was taking and asked if there were any gaps I needed to fill....he could've tried to sell me the entire store, but only suggested I take a magnesium supplement, since it facilitates the usage of other vitamins and minerals in the body. (Namely calcium, as Nita said.)

I just quit experimenting with the sugar alcohols altogether. My tummy just can't take it. When the cravings hit (usually with TOM), I make a 3-Minute Chocolate cake or mix up some lowcarb fudge.

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