Eating This Dessert in the Morning Could Help Burn Fat, New Study Says

 If you're looking for an excuse to eat sweets for breakfast, here it is.

Eating dessert first thing in the morning may sound like an easy way to gain weight, but a recent study found that it could actually have the opposite effect. If you're looking for a reason to start your day with a sweet treat, look no further. A new study found that if you eat this beloved indulgence within the first hour of waking up, it could help burn fat and contribute to other positive health benefits. Read on to find out which dessert you should be enjoying with your morning coffee.

Eating chocolate in the morning can help burn fat.

A June 23 study published in The FASEB Journal examined the effects of postmenopausal women eating milk chocolate within one hour of waking up. Researchers found that when the women ate 100 grams of chocolate in this timeframe, it helped reduce blood glucose levels, burn fat, and decrease waist circumference. Additionally, eating chocolate in the morning also resulted in lower daily cortisol levels. According to the study, "lower cortisol levels have been related to a lower stress-related appetite which may partly explain the better caloric compensation."

Eating chocolate before bed also has health benefits.

The study also found that consuming milk chocolate one hour before bed had a slew of health benefits as well. A late-night snack of chocolate was shown to positively alter next-morning resting and exercise metabolism. According to the study, chocolate intake at night "could be advisable for next morning performance during high-intensity exercises or prolonged exercises." Consuming chocolate also helped decrease hunger and a desire for other sweets—and that was true for morning and night consumption, but especially at night.

When we eat might be as important as what we eat.

The study found that eating milk chocolate close to waking up or going to sleep didn't lead to weight gain, even though the participants increased their caloric intake. Researchers found that the timing of eating may be just as important as what we eat. "Our findings highlight that not only 'what' but also 'when' we eat can impact physiological mechanisms involved in the regulation of body weight," neuroscientist and co-author of the study Frank A. J. L. Scheer, PhD, said in a statement.

"Meal timing can influence circadian rhythms and eating a high energy and high sugar food, such as chocolate, either at night or in the morning may have a different effect on the circadian system, the peripheral clocks of different organs and tissues, and consequently on body weight and metabolism," the study explained. According to researchers, eating at the "wrong" time could throw off how the circadian system and various metabolic processes work together, which could ultimately negatively affect energy, metabolism, and your risk of obesity.

Chocolate has been linked to lower weight before.

A 2012 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that men and women who had chocolate the most frequently had a lower body mass index (BMI) on average than people who consumed chocolate the least. The lead author of the study Beatrice Golomb, PhD, told The Boston Globe that she considers chocolate to be a plant food because aside from milk and sugar, it's made up mostly of chocolate and cocoa butter, which comes from the cocoa bean.

Never Eat or Drink This During a Heat Wave, Experts Say

 Drop this drink and step away from these foods that will dehydrate you.

With temperatures climbing to record-breaking levels across the country, everyone should be doing what they can to stay safe. Drinking water and wearing sunscreen (preferably with an SPF of 30 or above) can help protect you during a heat wave, but there are also certain foods and beverages you should avoid while trying to beat the heat—and they're not what you might think. Read on to find out what four things experts say you should never consume as temperatures climb.

1.Coffee and tea

In the summer months, you might assume an iced tea or coffee would be the pinnacle of refreshment. But those drinks have powerful diuretic properties, meaning they naturally help flush water out of the body. Diuretics can be a great aid in helping the kidneys flush out excess water, which in turn lowers blood pressure, according to Harvard Health Publishing. But when temperatures are soaring, it's important that we hang on to as much water as possible. And that's when relying on diuretics like coffee too much could lead to dehydration.

As a stimulant, caffeine can actually bring on the urge to go to the bathroom. And before you switch out your iced latte for an iced tea, keep in mind that many herbs used in popular teas also have diuretic qualities. According to the Mayo Clinic, several herbs including dandelion, ginger, and juniper, have diuretic qualities. Hibiscus, too, is also a natural diuretic and should be avoided, Medical News Today reports.

2.Some healthy veggies, including fennel, artichokes, and asparagus

Some vegetables are also considered diuretics. Amino acids in asparagus, for example, are natural diuretics, and reduce water retention. There are several other foods, including onions, garlic, bell peppers, artichokes, and fennel, that create a similar effect, Healthline reports.

Again, it's not that you should avoid eating these foods all together—many of them offer great nutritional benefits. Just be aware that they also contain diuretic properties, and plan your water consumption accordingly.

3.Mangoes

A fresh, ripe mango seems like a great idea in the sweltering summer months, but mangoes are another food that may actually flush water out of your body. Mangoes are high in potassium, which is a natural diuretic. Eating too much mango during a heat wave could dehydrate you.

If you're craving something sweet and natural, experts say that strawberries and melons make a good substitute, because of their high water content.

4.Alcohol

Many of us love kicking back with a cool cocktail on a hot day to quench our thirst. But too many alcoholic drinks could cause you to feel less hydrated than if you'd drunk nothing at all. That's because alcohol has natural diuretic properties, forcing your liver to go into overdrive to cleanse it from your system, Healthline explains.

On a normal day, this can cause a hangover. But on an especially hot day, the stress and strain your body experiences from alcohol can lead to a major dehydration episode. So make sure to drink in moderation when it's especially hot out, and alternate glasses of water with cocktails.

That advice holds true whether you're drinking alcohol or not. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that women should drink around 2.7 liters a day, and men should drink around 3.7 liters a day to stay hydrated.

Never Drink This After Working Out,Experts Warn

 Enjoying this delicious drink after exercising can do more harm to your body than good.

A good workout is one of the best things you can do for your body. After you finish exercising, you'll want to continue to nurture your body in a healthy way—and that means eating and drinking right. Deciding what to put in your body after you've just worked up a sweat can be a challenging decision to make, and sometimes the foods we think of as healthy are actually not ideal. In fact, experts warn that there's one common drink many people enjoy after a workout that can do more harm than good. Read on to see what you should be avoiding when you're feeling parched after exercising.

Avoid sugary smoothies after working out.

Chances are you've enjoyed a frothy smoothie after a workout to both cool you down and fill you up. However, experts say you should avoid smoothies after a workout. It's important to remember that all smoothies are made differently, but for the most part, they're not going to provide what you need. "Smoothies are high in vitamins and minerals, but that's about all they have to offer. They're low in fiber and have no protein and no complex carbs," says fitness instructor nutritionist Carly James, PhD.

Registered dietitian nutritionist Kristin Gillespie says that post-workout snacks should have a variety of macronutrients, including protein, fiber, and healthy fats in addition to carbohydrates. "Many smoothies are lacking in this balance, containing large amounts of carbohydrates and sugar with minimal other macronutrients present," she explains. Although smoothies contain natural sugars from fruits, consuming any kind of sugary drink after a workout can throw off your post-workout energy levels, resulting in a crash. She advises that if you must have a smoothie after exercising, it should be "rich in protein and low in calories."

Smoothies can have the opposite effect of a workout.

Gillespie points out the obvious: It's not wise for your post-exercise snack to have more calories than what you just burned. Personal trainer Rohan Arora agrees that you should avoid smoothies that will spike your calorie count right after a workout. He also notes that because smoothies often contain a mixture of different ingredients, you could end up with a distended stomach. "Bloating and gas issues are common for people who consume regular smoothies, which is exactly the opposite of what you want after your workout," Arora says.

You should also avoid fried food, caffeine, and high-fat foods after working out.

Smoothies aren't the only post-sweat snack you need to be wary of. Co-founder of RockBox Fitness and certified nutritionist Steve Halloran says pre-mixed post-workout shakes are "laden with processed ingredients to make them shelf-stable" and should also be avoided. Drinking caffeine or alcohol is also ill-advised, as it can exacerbate dehydration and hit you harder since your metabolism is higher post-workout.

James says anything that requires significant effort to digest should also be avoided, including fats, oils, and high-fiber foods. "They may be healthy in general, but after a workout, you want your body to focus on repairing itself, not digesting a challenging meal," she notes. And Gillespie points out that high-fat foods—such as fried foods, oils, and fatty meats—slow down your metabolism, which is less than ideal after working out.

You should consume a healthy balance of nutrients.

Snacks that strike the right balance of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates can "help sustain energy levels over a longer period of time," Gillespie says. She also notes that post-workout snacks can help to build muscle, but it's hard to achieve that without consuming protein, so you want to make sure your snack has enough of it. "Bananas with peanut butter, cottage cheese with fruit, chocolate milk" all contain a healthy balance of carbohydrates and protein, as well as fiber and micronutrients that your body needs following a workout, she explains. Per Arora, eggs, sweet potatoes, chicken, and fish are good options for after a workout if you're looking for a heartier meal.

Here Are Our Favorite Women This Week

 Adornment, what a science! Beauty, what a weapon! Modesty, what elegance! - Coco Chanel