How chocolate can help improve these 6 popular workouts

If you’ve been following along with our newsletters, you’ve probably heard us highlight the health benefits of dark chocolate. Heck, we’ve even delved the ways dark chocolate can help with your fitness routine. All told, it’s good news.

But if you love one specific type of exercise, you might still be wondering how chocolate could help you there. After all, you want to be able to truly enjoy your sweet treat guilt-free. 

We’ve got you covered. Here’s a quick look at the different ways chocolate can help with your workout of choice.

H.I.I.T

When you take on a HIIT workout—otherwise known as high intensity interval training— you’re ready to get out of breath. That said, the longer you can go without feeling winded, the more you can push — and the more you’ll get out of your workout. 

Dark chocolate can help here. Studies show that it supports a higher VO2 max. Basically, a higher VO2 max means you’re able to use oxygen more efficiently. And that’s pretty much the whole name of the game in getting through a HIIT workout without feeling like you’re going to pass out.

Spinning

Spin class usually starts really fun. Then, toward the end, the instructor sends you up another hill and you want to give them a piece of your mind. 

At least, that’s the case if you’re not feeling pumped up throughout your workout. But coffee leaves you jittery. The good news? Dark chocolate can give you a happy middle ground. With a balanced energy boost, a little bit of dark chocolate before class can power you through.

CrossFit

CrossFit can transform your body — but it might come with a cost. The intensity of a CrossFit workout puts you at risk for inflammation. 

That doesn’t mean you have to give up on your gains, though. You can use dark chocolate to directly combat inflammation. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which are essentially powerful anti-inflammatory agents. So if you’ve noticed any swelling or pain or areas that are warm to the touch, give yourself some rest days. And when you’re ready to get back to it, introduce dark chocolate to keep that problem at bay.

Pilates

Pilates is taxing. The rewards are worth it, but you might face an unwelcome situation: your muscles are still so sore from the last workout that you can hardly get through this one. 

You can help to avoid that feeling by eating dark chocolate regularly. Studies show that dark chocolate helped elite athletes speed their muscle recovery.

Barre

In barre, form is everything. But making sure you’re maintaining proper form throughout your workout requires a lot of concentration. And if you’re getting your barre workout in during the early morning or after a long day, that can be a challenge.

Fortunately, dark chocolate can help here, too. The flavanols in dark chocolate support better cognitive function. Dip into some dark chocolate when you need a little help focusing on your form.

Yoga

A lot of people who choose yoga do so for the mind-body connection. To get a bigger boost from the mental benefits of yoga, introduce more dark chocolate into your diet. Dark chocolate contains serotonin, the neurotransmitter that helps you feel happy and keep your mood stable. 

Pretty much across the board, if you want to reap the biggest benefit from your chocolate intake, choose chocolate that’s as dark as possible. 70% is a good rule of thumb. 

To help you there, all of our low-sugar and no-sugar JOJO’s Chocolate flavors are at least 65% dark chocolate, plus they’re full of functional ingredients to help you crush your next workout — and feel your best afterward!