FitSugar

Food Review: Intentional Dark Chocolate Pistoles

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:26 -0700

About a month ago we received a package from Intentional Chocolate. I didn't try anything at first because the marketing material was way too new agey for me - everything is made with love and positive intention, and Dalai Lama-trained monks infuse meditative energy into the chocolate. Too kooky for me. But when a chocolate craving hit me a few weeks later, I had no problem ripping open a bag of the dark-chocolate pistoles ($15 for 7 oz. bag).

Wow. This stuff is incredible. I'm pretty picky with dark chocolate because it's often too bitter and chalky, but the pistoles from Intentional Chocolate are the exact opposite of that. The pistoles are smooth, creamy, and melt in your mouth. A pistole is about the size of a quarter, and it's all you really need at a time because the richness of the chocolate makes it a very satisfying snack. One serving size equals about 19 pistoles and contains 139 calories and 11 grams of fat. It's also totally vegan, and I can see it as being a great chocolate for baking.

I still don't know if I buy its claims that Intentional Chocolate has more benefits than any other dark chocolate, but it is seriously some of the best I've ever tried.

Keep Track of Water Intake With Chocolate

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Drinking enough water is so important to our health. Not only is staying hydrated good for our skin, it also promotes regularity and weight loss by keeping cells fully functional to stoke your metabolism. Eight glasses of water isn't the standard anymore, so to find out how much water you need per day, depending on your age, height, weight, and activity level, check out Fit's Calculator. I need about 80 to 100 ounces a day, so I figured out a fun and tasty way to monitor my daily water intake.

I put eight to 10 dark chocolate-covered cranberries in a little dish on my desk. Every time I drink 10 ounces of agua, I treat myself to a chocolate morsel. It reminds me to consistently drink water throughout the day until the dish is empty. If chocolate doesn't inspire you, fill your dish with something else you enjoy like cashews, dried cherries, or yogurt-covered raisins.

Which Kind of Chocolate Do You Prefer?

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

In my house Valentine's Day is all about chocolate. If you're trying to eat healthy, you may only stick to eating an ounce or so of dark chocolate a day for the health benefits. Plus, just a taste of dark chocolate with over 70 percent cocoa is enough to satisfy my chocolate craving. Others don't share my love of dark chocolate and only eat milk chocolate, even if it's known to be less healthy. Since it's Valentine's Day, and we all have chocolate on our minds, tell me which type you prefer . . .

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Is Chocolate Keeping You Up at Night?

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0800

Decadent chocolate stimulates your taste buds, and the caffeine and theobromine in this treat stimulate your heart rate in a way that could prevent you from falling asleep. There's nothing wrong with indulging in a piece of chocolate after dinner, but try to take your last bite well before bedtime.

Not all types of chocolate are equal in terms of the amounts of caffeine they contain. According to The New York Times, a dark chocolate Hershey’s candy bar has about 30 milligrams of caffeine (same as a cup of instant tea) and a milk chocolate bar has 9 milligrams. White chocolate is the safest bet before bed, as it doesn't have any theobromine and barely has any caffeine. If you have love for dark chocolate, like I do, consider checking the clock before reaching for a piece.

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Chocolate That's Good For Your Teeth? Sweet!

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Chocolate is one of those foods I always save room for. Not only is it the perfect way to end a meal, but it also has health benefits such as the ability to lower blood pressure and soothe coughs. One problem with chocolate, aside from it being high in calories, is that one of its main ingredients is sugar, so it's not good for your teeth. This problem is being eradicated by two European companies, Barry Callebaut and Smet, who have created the first-ever chocolate that won't cause cavities. That's right. It doesn't cause tooth decay because it's made with a different type of sugar called isomaltulose, which doesn't cause an increase in acidity in the mouth, which can lead to tooth decay. This dentist-friendly chocolate has even been approved by Tooth Friendly International, a nonprofit organization which works to improve oral health.

To see what other surprising foods naturally benefit your chompers read more.

More sweet news for your teeth - it turns out that cheese fights cavities. The texture of cheese increases the secretion of saliva, which helps keep cavities at bay. Also, nutrients found in cheese, like calcium, phosphorous, and protein, actually neutralize plaque. Another food that may benefit your teeth is wine. I know what you're thinking, that red wine can cause staining. But in preliminary studies, drinking red or white wine may fight the bacteria that causes cavities. This is great news for your teeth, but these three foods still contain calories, so you should remember to enjoy them in moderation.

You Asked: I Thought Chocolate Was Good For You?

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:30:00 -0800

A recent post on curing chocolate cravings with a brisk walk left one Sugar user a bit confused. So I wanted to clarify a few things about dark chocolate's new status as a health food. She asked:

But I thought dark chocolate was good for your health, so wouldn't you not want to reduce your craving at least for dark chocolate?
- Pinkzvm

Let me just begin by stating my deep love for dark chocolate. I appreciate that it is satisfying in such small amounts because even though dark chocolate is high in flavonoid antioxidants, it is still a high-calorie food. Two to four small pieces of dark chocolate offer a similar amount of antioxidants as many fruits and veggies, but with more than double to triple the caloric load. Chocolate is also lacking many other benefits found in produce, like fiber, and it contains considerably more fat, especially saturated fat, than say broccoli or an apple.

To learn what happens to chocolate as it is processed, read more.

While it is true that plain chocolate is high in antioxidants, these plant chemicals also impart the chocolate with a bitter taste and are often removed during the manufacturing process. With the flavonoids removed, chocolate is just a decadent treat. The majority of chocolatiers do not list the antioxidant content of their chocolate.

I believe in eating a bit of dark chocolate daily to satisfy my chocolate cravings. It is recommended that you eat just one ounce a day. And if those small tastes of chocolate, which I urge you to savor and even meditate on, don't satisfy, then you can always go for a brisk walk and see how you feel after your stroll.

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Walk Away From Your Chocolate Craving

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0800

If you crave chocolate intensely, know that you are not alone. Considered the most commonly craved food, chocolate now has a new proven adversary - walking. A recent British study involving a small number of chocoholics found that the simple act of walking reduced cravings for this cocoa derived delight. Walking briskly for 15 minutes not only reduced the blood pressure of study participants, but it reduced their cravings as well.

Next time you are craving chocolate, take yourself for a walk. I think this little trick might just work with any craving. Test it out and see.

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Adora: A Better Calcium Supplement

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

When I suggested that chocolate-flavored calcium supplements make a good substitute for dessert, many of you weren't so into the high-fructose corn syrup that comes with most calcium chews. But I'm still concerned about my daily calcium intake, and I still like a sweet bite after meals, so I was excited to discover Adora Calcium Supplements ($6 for a 30-piece bag).

These dark-chocolate supplements are free of corn syrup, as well as gluten, artificial sweeteners, and other weird stuff. In fact, the only thing on the ingredient list that wasn't all natural or a vitamin was soy lecithin.

The individually wrapped candies are sizable and tasty enough to satisfy chocoholics. Though they're not exactly Scharffen Berger, they do taste unvitaminy - actually a lot like Hershey's Special Dark. You can buy a bag here for $6. Have you ever tried Adora? Do you think you will?

Calorie Counts on Chocolate: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:30:00 -0700

The flip-flopping of whether NY eateries have to post calorie counts on their menu boards has got a lot of people thinking about where and when we want to see how many calories we're taking in.

A new concept has taken this idea literally by actually printing the calorie count right onto the chocolate bar, which means you'll see how many calories you're eating with each piece you break off. The idea is just that, an idea, and not yet available for purchase but it's still fascinating to think about. Me, I am not sure I'd want to know exactly how much each bite was costing me - seems to take the fun out of splurging on chocolate. Nonetheless, it's a cool idea. What do you guys think?

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What's Soy Lecithin Doing in My Chocolate?

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0700

I've been trying to eat more chocolate, only because it has antioxidants, can lower blood pressure, and can even soothe a cough. Well, I'm also addicted, but that's beside the point. I was checking out the label of a bar I picked up and noticed soy lecithin in the list of ingredients. Is it something I should avoid? To find out read more

Soy lecithin is a food additive extracted from soybeans, and is a by-product of soybean oil. Only a small amount (about one percent of the weight of the food) is added to chocolate to keep the cocoa and cocoa butter from separating. It's not bad for you and actually is high in choline, which is also found in egg yolks, and has been found to be good for brain development, increased memory, and heart disease prevention. Awesome. Another reason to eat chocolate.

Fit's Tips: Soy lecithin is bad if you have an allergy to soy, since it's made from soybeans. So check labels on all products, especially candy bars, breads, cakes and other baked goods. It's used in dough to make it less sticky, and it's added to cake batter to make it spread in the pan more easily.

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