Chocolate Is Healthy

There’s still time to offer healthy, organic Halloween chocolate treats, instead of the unnatural processed candy found in the supermarket.

We came across this great roundup of all natural Halloween treats.  Options include fair trade certified chocolate coins from Ghana, Clif Spooky S’mores Energy Bars, organic gluten-free chocolates from Equal Exchange and vegan Bluestocking peanut butter cups.  Any of these will deliver the delights of chocolate, without the additives and preservatives.

6 Healthier Halloween Eco-Treats for Kids (No Tricks, We Promise!) | Inhabitots.

It’s never too early to think about holiday gift giving. Healthy raw chocolate bars, with their organic ingredients and gorgeous packaging, are great for sharing with loved ones.

We’ll continue to provide you with chocolate gift ideas over the coming weeks.   Why? Because they’re delicious, easy to send, and gift recipients won’t believe they’re healthy!

We came across this Pomegranate Acai Bar made by Gnosis Chocolate. It features 100% organic raw ingredients, so you won’t find any refined sugar, dairy, soy, cholesterol or gluten in their products. In this delicious combination, you’ll have the deep satisfaction and therapeutic value of raw, dark chocolate PLUS massive antioxidants from the acai and pomegranate.

Pomegranate Acai Bar.

As you may know, cacao finds its way into many dishes, both savory and sweet.  But were you aware that chocolate is also a key ingredient in many new cocktails?

Gone are the days of the “alcoholic Fudgesicle.”  Today’s chocolate spirits add bitterness and depth, and not too much of the sweet.  Some are entirely unsweetened, made from cacao nibs, vanilla and rum.

Mixologists are careful with incorporating cacao nibs into mixed drinks.  Sippers may not recognize the true, bitter and heavy taste of chocolate, unaccustomed to the unsweetened version.  Nevertheless, many bars are introducing sophisticated cacao-infused cocktails to adventurous customers.

“Even as they harness chocolate’s bitter and savory notes, these bartenders are proceeding cautiously with customers who might still be thinking milk instead of tequila.

“Sometimes people see chocolate and think ‘alcoholic milkshake,’ ” Patterson says. “If you can steer away from putting ‘chocolate’ in the name of the drink, you have a better chance of explaining things.”

Chocolate-infused spirits with kick, not sugar.

We found this killer list of delicious chocolate gifts including bars, truffles and even chocolate spa treatments.   While we can’t say that every item on this list is healthy, there are some wonderful options either on their own or to create a chocolate gift basket.

Here are a couple of our healthier chocolate favorites:

Alter Eco Dark Cacao Chocolate

“Alter-Eco is a San Francisco based gourmet food company that offers a full line of Fair Trade gourmet chocolate. The ingredients used in the chocolates are sourced from marginalized farming cooperatives in the global south – providing fair wages, direct trade and funding for community development, scholarships, women’s empowerment programs and more. The company offers a unique variety of chocolate bars crafted with passion by a master chocolatier in Switzerland from all natural ingredients and Fair Trade Certified ingredients. Alter-Eco’s Dark Cacao Chocolate blends a fine dark chocolate (73% cocoa) with crunchy nibs of roasted Organic cacao beans—the perfect balance of bitter and sweet! The chocolate is both Fair Trade Certified and USDA certified organic. To make this chocolate, Alter-Eco uses the finest ingredients harvested by the members of the El Ceibo cooperative located in the heart of the Bolivian Amazon who use sustainable farming methods that preserve the local agricultural biodiversity. www.altereco-usa.com

Navitas Naturals Make-Your-Own Organic Chocolate Superfood Kits

Navitas Naturals is making it easy for people to bring home the art of chocolate making with their innovative new Organic Superfood Chocolate Kits. Available in three delicious organic superfood varieties – Goji Berry, Cacao Nib and Goldenberry. Each fun and unique Kit creates 12 organic chocolates. Navitas Naturals Organic Superfood Chocolate Kits are full of healthy antioxidants, and these treats can be prepared in just minutes. In addition to the Kit ingredients, the only other items needed to complete the easy recipe are a knife, a small bowl, a large bowl and an ice cube tray. Each Organic Superfood Chocolate Kit contains raw: organic cacao butter, organic cacao powder, organic mesquite, organic lucuma, organic maca and the specific organic superfood which is featured in the chewy center of the chocolates (Goji Berry, Cacao nib, or Goldenberry).”

Chocolate Gifts – Chocolate Gift Guide for 2009.

Sounds ridiculous, right?  But there are lots of new chocolate dietary supplements on the market.  But the question is, do they taste good?  And, do they really help people lose weight?

Many chocolate dietary supplements are downright delicious.  They taste like candy or cookies and eating them gives you the feeling you’re having a special indulgence.  In fact, they will soon be available in the form of granola bars, gum and more.  Chocolate supplements also contain many essential vitamins and minerals that are core to the body’s functioning.  They are enjoyable to eat even if you’re not trying to lose weight.

However, keep in mind a few things if you’re going to try chocolate supplements for weight loss.  Make sure the ingredients are USP grade, meaning they are of high quality.   Be mindful of calories, because some chocolate diet products have lots of calories.  They have a relatively high price tag, so keep that inmind if you want to make a long-term commitment.  Don’t substitute chocolate supplements for exercise and eating healthy foods.