Eat chocolate for a better workout, some new research from the NY Times We work out for many reasons, including fun, to stay in shape, to work towards a race or just to look good by the pool. Some of us are obviously more competitive than others, and for those who like to work out hard, there is a sweet idea that you are going to like. It turns out that chocolate, which has known health benefits can also help your workout. For those about to sweat, eat chocolate. Check out this article in the NY Times Chocolate Can Boost Your Workout. Really. By Gretchen Reynolds March 23, 2016 Adding a little dark chocolate to a training diet may effortlessly improve endurance performance, according to a new study of sports nutrition. The findings provide ammunition both for athletes looking for an edge and those hoping for an excuse to indulge. For some time, dark chocolate has been touted as a relatively healthy treat, with studies showing that small amounts may have benefits for the heart and brain. Most of this research has focused on the role of a substance called epicatechin, a plant nutrient found in cocoa. Dark chocolate is generally rich in epicatechin, though levels vary, depending on how the sweet was produced. Levels of epicatechin tend to be much lower in milk chocolate, which contains little cocoa, and white chocolate contains little or none of the nutrient. Read more