Love raw treats? Love chocolate? Let's compare the two.

Nutrition
Written By Emma Hackett

I LOVE a good Protein Ball or Raw Treat. They taste AMAZING! I also LOVE a bit of chocolate. So, which is better for you? 

Now I am sure you said the Protein Ball right? Well that depends. Am I choosing it because I think it’s healthier, that it will help keep me on track to lose weight?

The answer may surprise you. This is about understanding energy intake.

Fat loss generally boils down to calories in vs calories out. ie what you eat vs what you burn off. IF you consistently consume more than you expend that results in a gain, if you consistently expend more than you consume that results in a loss (certain medical conditions aside and assuming proper diet and exercise etc).

PROTEIN BALLS

So, say I make these protein balls – http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/healthy-cacao-coconut-date-balls/74b65893-7f88-4b12-9f00-6f5a387c4123

Which I am sure are delicious!

The nutritional info of these balls are (per ball):

  • Energy – 806kj (193 cal)

  • Fat – 9.8g

  • Protein – 2.6g

  • Carbs from sugar – 19.3g

  • Total Carbs – 26.6g

That’s right PER BALL. Now who stops at just 1 ball? Seriously it’s like they make them for it to be impossible to eat just one. So let’s say you have 2 – that’s almost 400 calories!

LET’S COMPARE THIS TO CADBURY OREO MINT CHOCOLATE.

The nutritional info for a serve of Cadbury Oreo Mint chocolate is (4 pieces or 1 row):

  • Energy – 533kj (128 cal)

  • Fat – 7.5g

  • Protein – 1.3g

  • Carbs from sugar – 11.4g

  • Total Carbs – 12.8g

THE RESULTS

  • Cadbury Chocolate has 65 calories LESS per serve than a Date and Coconut Ball

  • Cadbury Chocolate has 2.3g of Fat LESS than the Date and Coconut Ball

  • The Date and Coconut ball has 1.3g MORE protein

  • Cadbury Chocolate has 7.9g of Carbs from Sugar LESS than the Date and Coconut Ball

  • Cadbury Chocolate has 13.8g of Total Carbs LESS than the Date and Coconut Ball

SO then if we assume you have 2 date balls equaling 386 calories you could really have 12 pieces of Cadbury Chocolate for the same amount of calories…

HOWEVER… 

This is NOT to say that:

  • Chocolate is better for you than a Date ball or that you should consume lost of chocolate 😉

  • That the nutrients are equal.

  • That eating either will cause weight loss/gain

But it IS to say:

  • That you should read nutrition panels and understand serving sizes

  • That what you consider ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ should also take into account a balanced lifestyle and calorie value

Emma Hackett

Emma is a freelance Australian designer specialising in graphic & web design services for new and existing businesses. My mission is to enhance the way your clientele perceive and interact with your business by creating effective, functional and memorable visual communications. Whilst following your brief, I will also offer expertise in terms of functionality and aesthetic to make sure the end result is something we are both proud of! My personal aesthetic is very much a 'less is more' approach. I love spacious design, beautiful imagery and creating communications that accentuate a brand's values and provide a pleasant experience for their target market.

https://emmahackett.design
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