Yes, Dark Chocolate Is Healthy For You!

Before I get too far into creating a ton of nutrition posts that say to stay away from sweet and sugary foods, I thought I would share something that might get you excited to learn about how to eat healthier! This post is especially targeted toward all of you chocolate lovers out there.

I absolutely love chocolate, and was pleasantly surprised when I learned that eating dark chocolate actually comes with many long lasting health benefits. Keep in mind that this specifically pertains to dark chocolate, not milk or white chocolate. 

Photo Courtesy Of:
http://www.antioxidants-4-life.com/darkchocolate.html 

One of the biggest benefits of dark chocolate is that it is good for your heart and can help lower your blood pressure. According to the article, "6 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate," it is also good for your brain, can help control your blood sugar levels, is packed rich antioxidants (see photo to the left), and contains many vitamins and minerals. For a full list of these benefits and explanations, read the full article from the FitDay website by clicking on the name of the article above.

"Dark Chocolate is Healthy Chocolate," an article from WebMD, is another great source of information. It shares the benefits and also explains the studies behind them. 

Another important piece of information to point out is that it is not a good idea to start eating a lot of dark chocolate in place of other healthy foods. Yes, dark chocolate has many health benefits, but it is also high in fat, calories and sugar. How much is too much? According to a study published in the European Heart Journal and reported on CBS News, about 6 grams of dark chocolate a day is enough to be able to experience the benefits. That is about the size of one square of  a chocolate bar. So yes, enjoy your dark chocolate. :) But do so in moderation. For more information regarding the healthy amount of dark chocolate to eat, read this article, "How Much Dark Chocolate Should You Really Be Eating?" 

Photo Courtesy Of: 
http://www.dovechocolate.com/Product/detail?p_id=16 

My favorite kind of dark chocolate is Dove Dark Chocolate, specifically the Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Swirl. You can buy all Dove Chocolate in bars or in bags with individually wrapped miniature squares. I currently have a bag of them in my apartment, and I do eat about one square every day or every other day. Dove also has other dark chocolate flavors including regular Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Almond, and 71% Cocoa Dark Chocolate. Check out their website for more information! http://www.dovechocolate.com/Home

You might already have your favorite brand of dark chocolate, but if haven't yet tried Dove, I would definitely recommend it! 

I hope this gets you excited to learn more about nutrition. Eating healthy can be fun! :)