# dark chocolate, magnesium and me



## ghitta (Jul 6, 2002)

hi all. i was just browsing the food/nutrition forum and there is an amusing thread on chocolate which made me think how i have not mentioned here how good quality, dark chocolate (65%-70% percent cocoa minimum) has and continues to help me with spasms, bloat, gas and C. i do not partake every day but when i eat a small quantity of good quality chocolate (i am not talking hershey's here, nor nestle nor any other "supermarket brand" but generally french/swiss/belgian chocolate and nothing but chocolate, no creamy centers or nuts or other stuff) i feel better and contrary to popular belief, the chocolate not only does not constipate me but helps me to go. also, it is so high in magnesium, i'm wondering if those folk who can no longer do mag supps may benefit from a tiny amount of dark chocolate? if i eat it, it is usually late morning or late afternoon, not as a dessert, and just a little piece from a bar or something ....many health food stores in america sell really good quality chocolate with a cocoa content of over 65%. milk chocolate and white chocolate (which isn't even chocolate but just sugar) is NOT what i am referring to here. i don't know if this could help anyone out there but it is worth a shot. works for me! best, -g


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## AD (Jan 23, 2000)

I do doubt that any specific food has a direct impact on C in general. I think the overall diet is more of a factor in that. Yet there can be trigger foods that cause a reflex reaction in the colon (usually helping the C or causing D). Chocolate seems to be one of them for some people.One thing that is likely helping is the fiber present in chocolate. Many people don't realize that pure chocolate (without too much added milk or other ingredients) is a good source of fiber. The fat from the cocoa butter may also affect some people. For those avoiding fat (whether for weight, health or IBS discomfort), unsweetened cocoa powder has about 1 to 2 grams per tablespoon, with less than 1 gram of fat.I often eat chocolate sorbet which is basically cocoa, sugar and water in the form of a frozen treat. It has 4 grams of fiber per cup, and I think it helps me. Anytime I eat anything with chocolate or cocoa though, it does noticably darken my stool the next day.It does seem logical that chocolate contains fiber. After all, it does come from a bean!


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## Cigarello (Jun 17, 2000)

If chocolate acted as a laxative for me, I would live in the john; truly, I eat more chocolate then I should and it is always dark chocolate; sometimes plain and lots of times with cream,nuts, etc. I have not found any food that helps my constipation. I remembe when I was normal anything with sorbitol helped; which makes me wonder if I tried sorbitol, if that would help now?? hmmm. how could I get sorbitol in an adequate dose to assist my problem? anyone know?


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## ghitta (Jul 6, 2002)

hi. cigarello- first, have you tried eating a small amount of chocolate, on an empty stomach, as a snack, late morning or late afternoon? just a thought. in answer to your Q about sorbitol, which is absolutely something that can help C, a small dosage can be found in certain sugarless gums and candies. the best way to try that is by finding and buying the sugarless gum sold in health food stores which will have not only sorbitol but mannitol, another substance, non addictive, that can help C. i try not to chew gum that often cause of gas but .....out of experience i know for me that both sorbitol and mannitol work wonders! there is a brand of "digestive" gum sold in french health food stores that contains both sorbitol, mannitol, fennel, thyme, etc that one chews after meals and let me tell you, it really works for C. i have never seen it sold in the united states but perhaps you could find an equivalent. good luck!


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