Dark chocolate: a healthy treat

I love chocolate. There is no denying this blatant fact. Many would view a love for chocolate as a negative attribute for anyone whose dedicated to their health and fitness, but I've got some news for all of those hating on chocolate: it can actually be good for you!

Now I'm not talking ANY kind of chocolate- I'm talking dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is loaded with flavonoids, which are antioxidants that prevent blood clots (which can lead to stroke), ward off blood vessel damage, and can lower levels of bad cholesterol and up the levels of good cholesterol. Dark chocolate can also help satisfy your sugar cravings, which can keep you from indulging in other types of desserts that aren't so great for the waistline. Though milk chocolate does have some benefits, they come nowhere near to matching up to its dark counterpart (taking into account milk chocolate's higher amounts of saturated fats and lower cacao percentage; dark has about 3x the amount of antioxidants).

The darker you go, the better the chocolate is for you. Increasing the cocoa percentage means you're getting more of the raw product and less fat and sugar. When deciding on a dark chocolate bar, make sure to choose one that is 70% or higher, and be also check to see that it doesn't contain high amounts of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and saturated fat. The raw product alone is high in calories and fat, so be careful not to overdo it. The recommended amount is a 1 oz ounce serving, or you could choose to get your chocolate fix in by adding a small scoop of unsweetend cocoa powder into your greek yogurt or smoothie.

If you're a choco-holic and are worried about losing all self-control, something I personally do is freeze my dark chocolate (I currently have a 14.1 oz bar from Fresh and Easy sitting in my freezer), making it more difficult to dig in.... and this is no joke. I have to take a serrated knife and work into it to get a small piece off. I also prefer my chocolate frozen anyways; I can't say why, but I think it tastes better. So yes, the next time you get a hankering for some chocolate, do your body some good and indulge a bit!