Chocolate Is Healthy

While there is an increasing number of vegan and fair trade chocolatiers, there are fewer making raw chocolate bars.   It’s an expensive and labor intensive process that leads to very high price tags.

The Village Voice profiled two relatively new raw chocolate bars, both based in Brooklyn, New York.  One is “Bean to Bar” by Jacques Torres.  The other is the lesser-known Mast Brothers who make gorgeously-packaged from-scratch artisan chocolate bars.  We are delighted that attention is being given to the nuances as raw chocolate.  Just as there is tremendous variety within processed dark chocolate bars, raw chocolate bars can vary significantly in flavor and depth.

Here’s where the article netted out:

“Both bars, in other words, offered completely different experiences, and beauty that was very much in the eye of the beholder. The Masts and Torres are doing excellent work, so calling one better than the other based solely upon taste does a disservice both to them and to the highly subjective reactions that chocolate inspires. If you want a more bitter, idiosyncratic bar, you want the Masts. If you want a smoother, more comforting bar, then go for the Torres.”

Battle of the Dishes: Bean to Bar Chocolate Bars From Jacques Torres and Mast Brothers – New York Restaurants and Dining – Fork in the Road.

This is an interesting discussion at The Chocolate Life about whether raw chocolate is healthier (or tastier) than roasted chocolate.   We’ve heard that roasting chocolate destroys some of its nutritional properties, but is that really true?   As far as taste, you wouldn’t eat raw coffee beans, and roasted chocolate can taste better than raw chocolate.

“Recently, at a San Francisco chocolate event, I overheard the people at the Xocai booth telling the public that the heathful anti-oxidants in chocolate are destroyed by roasting, which is clearly not the case when you look at ORAC ratings. However I would be very interested to hear any thoughts on actually how much of a change roasting makes, and any references to studies on this. Raw chocolate has not been cooked past 114 degreesF I believe, does it taste as good?……”

Raw chocolate, how raw is it really? – The Chocolate Life.

The Washington Post recently asked several nutrition experts what they see as the best ingredients to keep in your kitchen that will have positive long-term health effects.

The list include:

• fresh or frozen blueberries
• broccoli and other dark greens
• quinoa
• sardines
• and of course, cacao!

Here’s why cacao made the list of the most healthy foods to incorporate into your diet.

“You’ll often see dark chocolate turn up on “superfood” lists because it contains blood-pressure-lowering plant phenols and loads of antioxidants. Cacao, or raw chocolate, is even better because it lacks sugar and other additives. Though bitter, the whole beans or nibs can be eaten plain. In its powder form, cacao can be mixed into a smoothie or pancake batter, making it taste much like the guilty pleasure we all know and love.”

Nutrition experts recommend healthful must-haves for your kitchen – washingtonpost.com.

Eat.Drink.Better posted this amazing raw chocolate truffle recipe, made from nut pulp (from making nut milk), raw nut or seed butter, raw cacao powder, raw agave nectar, vanilla, salt and some shredded coconut.   Raw chocolate truffles make a wonderful dessert to enjoy at home, or package up an assortment and give them as gifts to both vegans and non-vegans.  They’re fun and easy to make and can be stored in the freezer.

Raw Chocolate Truffles : Eat. Drink. Better..

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.