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.

In a recent episode of Channel 4’s “What Not to Eat,” health experts voiced concerns over a couple’s nightly indulgence in chocolate. Vicki and Rob, featured on the show, confessed to consuming two bars of milk chocolate every evening, along with a diet rich in brownies, instant noodles, and other high-fat, high-sugar foods. This revelation prompted a cautionary response from medical professionals Tim Spector and Kandi Ejiofor.

Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and the founder of Zoe, suggested that the couple could still satisfy their chocolate cravings by switching to dark chocolate, which typically contains less sugar. However, he warned that even dark chocolate can have more sugar than expected, emphasizing the importance of being aware of sugar intake for a healthier lifestyle.

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Dr. Kandi Ejiofor, a general practitioner and lifestyle medicine specialist, further elaborated on the sugar content, telling the couple, “When you eat those milk chocolates, you’re consuming at least 100 grams of pure sugar.”

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.”