People have been advised to make the same swap (Image: Getty)
Experts on a Channel 4 programme have issued a warning after one couple admitted to eating two bars of milk chocolate every evening, prompting concern from Tim Spector and Kandi Ejiofor. The medical experts appeared on the Channel 4 series, What Not to Eat, which examined the diet of Vicki and Rob. The couple openly discussed their unhealthy eating habits, revealing a regular intake of chocolate, brownies, instant noodles and other foods high in fat and sugar.
Addressing their nightly chocolate habit, Professor Tim Spector, epidemiologist and founder of Zoe, suggested that if the pair wanted to keep their chocolate fix while cutting back on sugar, one simple switch could make a big difference – opting for dark chocolate instead. He issued a further warning, adding that it may contain more sugar than we think, and if we want to live healthier lives, we need to know how much sugar we’re having.
Tim explained: “Every night, Vicki and Rob eat two giant bars of milk chocolate each. It’s ultra-processed, and only around 25% of it is cocoa solids, and it has a staggering amount of sugar.”
Doctor Kandi Ejiofor, a GP and clinical lead who is also a specialist in lifestyle medicine, revealed to the pair: “When you’re eating those [milk chocolate], you’re having at least 100 grammes of just sugar.”
Visibly shocked, the couple admitted the information was hard to take, saying the realisation made them feel sick. While most people know chocolate isn’t particularly nutritious, the experts explained why it is so hard to resist.
The Professor explained: “Like many ultra-processed foods, milk chocolate has been specially formulated to be hyperpalatable. The perfect combination of fats and sugars triggers the reward centre in your brain, tempting you to eat more and more. But not all chocolate is created equal. The more cocoa, the less sugar.”
Both experts advised Vicki and Rob to swap milk chocolate for dark chocolate, explaining that a 90% cocoa bar would require eating 31 bars to match the sugar content of just one bar of milk chocolate – a fact Vicki described as “shocking”. Dr Ejiofor also highlighted the health benefits of dark chocolate, saying: “It has anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants and a range of minerals that can be really beneficial.”
Tim revealed: “Our plan is to swap them off of the sugary ultra-processed stuff and onto the good stuff.” Trying 80% chocolate, the pair said they “could get used to it” but the 90% was “very bitter.”
6-week check in
Six weeks on, Professor Spector said the couple’s diet had “completely transformed” their health. Rob had lost nearly a stone, while Vicki had lost around a quarter of a stone.
Despite previously having “worrying levels of inflammation”, Tim confirmed these markers had dropped significantly, showing the changes were having a lasting impact. During their check-in, Rob told the experts: “Since day one on the dot, we have not had a single piece of that chocolate in the house at all. I went straight to 90.”
Tim humorously referred to the move as “hardcore”, with Rob updating: “We had some 80% chocolate the other week and it tasted really sweet.” And for anyone else wanting to try the same, the Professor suggested: “If you want to make a lasting change, it still has to feel like a treat. And for Vicki and Rob, 80% is a sweet spot.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
