FitSugar

5 Healthy Reasons to Eat Valentine's Day Chocolate

Leta Shy — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:07:13 PST

It's almost Valentine's Day, and that may mean you've got chocolate on your mind. Though you may be fearing the amount of calories in those heart-shaped boxes, there are many reasons to love Valentine's Day sweet treats. In fact, here are five healthy reasons to eat dark chocolate.

It helps you exercise longer: A recent study found that eating a tiny amount of dark chocolate before a workout helps fight fatigue, which means you can go that much further during your workout. The amount that worked in the study was tiny - just half a square, but if it's good quality chocolate, a small square will go a long way.
It's stress-relieving: And not just when you're PMSing. A study found that when highly stressed participants ate an ounce and a half of dark chocolate (the equivalent of a Hershey's bar) a day for two weeks, the level of stress hormones in their bodies, dropped significantly. While eating a candy bar a day can contribute to a whole new set of stresses if you're watching your weight, it's nice to know that dark chocolate has a measurable effect on stress levels.

Read on for three more reasons to eat dark chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Lovers Rejoice - It's Still Good For You!

Heather Dale — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:05:01 PDT

Well how's this for starting your weekend on a high note - after reviewing 21 different chocolate studies, science is still touting the many health benefits of eating the dark confection.

The studies, which involved 2,575 participants who ate sugar-free dark chocolate rich in cocoa containing polyphenolic flavonoids, found the following health benefits: improved blood pressure levels, a decrease in bad cholesterol for those younger than 50, and a rise in good cholesterol levels. But before you go pig out on chocolate, keep in mind that too much of a good thing can be harmful to your health due to calories; chocolate may help your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but maintaining a healthy weight is even more beneficial. Plus, scientists are still unclear of why chocolate positively affects blood pressure and cholesterol.

"The research looks at the benefits of cocoa and used very specifically prepared cocoa . . . Cocoa is an ingredient of chocolate. How the cocoa is processed makes a difference in whether or not the chocolate drink or bar is contained [and] will have health benefits," says Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

So on that note, I'm curious why you eat chocolate. Please participate in the poll below!

Make Chocolate Count: Organic, Fair Trade, and Vegan Picks

Michele Foley — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:40:08 PST

I'm definitely a fan of Valentine's Day, but mostly because I like the excuse to eat chocolate. Besides tasting good, dark chocolate is full of heart-healthy flavonoids (equal to many fruits), can soothe a cough, increase blood flow, and lower blood pressure.

Spread the love even more this holiday by buying my picks for chocolate that's organic, Fair Trade, or health-inspired, and don't forget to throw in a cute card - your sweetie will love you even more for it!

Vosges chocolatier Katrina Markoff fuses her premium chocolates with things like curry, wasabi, and ginger, but we especially like Vosges because of its yoga and chocolate weekend workshops. Make vegan and gluten-free friends happy with the Vosges vegan truffle collection ($25) - with ingredients like agave nectar, organic coconut milk, pomegranate, and acai, this collection is sure to be a hit with health conscious friends.
The handmade Drunken Figs ($35) from Cocoavino are made with red wine and dark chocolate - talk about antioxidant overload! Chocolate from Cocoavino is organic and Fair Trade certified, made with wind power, and sold in eco-friendly packaging.
Forget Nestlé Crunch; Dark Quinoa Chocolate bars ($5) from Alter Eco give you that same crunch except with a tiny burst of protein. Alter Eco sources all of its ingredients from Fair Trade farms and also helps fund community development programs.

To see what other chocolate made the cut,

The Belle of the Berries ($22) box from Lillie Belle Farms is completely organic and made from raspberries, strawberries, and marionberries straight from the Lillie Belle Farm in Oregon.
If you're looking for pure chocolate without the frills, grab a Kallari chocolate bar ($6), one of the few organic, Fair Trade, or Rainforest Alliance bars that got good marks from The New York Times. The Kallari story is unique in that the company is a cooperative of indigenous Kichwa farmers from the Ecuadorian Amazon; the group is made up of cacao farmers, self-taught chocolate makers, and other artisans.

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Yummy Links: From Miss USA to David Chang

partysugar — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:45:54 PDT

Find out what Miss USA eats. - Grub Street NY
Here's three quick, easy, and fun ways to fold cloth napkins. - Serious Eats
Learn the proper technique for tasting dark chocolate. - Chow
Beloved neighborhood sandwich shop, Ike's Place in San Francisco, has been given an eviction notice. - San Francisco Chronicle
Exit interview with this week's booted Top Cheftestant, Stephen Hopcraft. - Feast NY
A look at the grape harvesting immigrants' daily grind. - Eatocracy
Everything you need to know about the Italian dessert budino. - The Epi-Log
Yesterday, chef David Chang celebrated his 33rd birthday. - Eater NY

Food Review: Dark Chocolate Quinoa Midnight Crunch

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:00:25 PST

Quinoa in chocolate? That's what I said, but if you're a fan of Nestle Crunch, you might want to give Dark Chocolate Quinoa Midnight Crunch chocolate bar ($5) a try. It contains rice-quinoa crisps from Bolivia. It's vegan, GMO-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and certified organic. Not only that, but since it's made by Alter Eco, you know it's also fair-trade certified, which means you can feel good about "supporting farming families through fair prices, direct trade, community development, and environmental stewardship."

OK, so we know this chocolate is eco-friendly and PC, but how does it taste? To find out,

Made with 61 percent cocoa, this dark chocolate bar has an amazingly rich and robust dark chocolate flavor. I was really blown away by how creamy and mouth watering it was. I also loved the texture of the crispy quinoa crisps. Honestly, this chocolate is up there in flavor with expensive chocolates I've tried, and being that it has such a deep, dark flavor, after a few squares, your chocolate cravings will be satisfied. I'll definitely be buying this again, as it's my new go-to chocolaty treat.

Serving Size	10 squares	3 squares
Calories	220	66
Total Fat	15 g	4.5 g
Saturated Fat	10 g	3 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	0 mg	0 mg
Carbs	22 g	6.6 g
Fiber	4 g	1.2 g
Sugars	15 g	4.5 g
Protein	2 g	.6 g
Iron	30%	9%

Ingredients: Cocoa Mass, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Rice-Quinoa Crisps

Like I said, I was satisfied after about three squares, so really, that's only 66 calories. Not bad for a sweet treat. If you're looking for more sweet stuff, check out my recommendations for more organic, fair trade chocolate goodness.

Dark Chocolate Gets Even Better

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:00:55 PST

Let's face it, most of us don't need a reason to indulge in a little dark chocolate. But it's nice knowing that it helps lower blood pressure, soothes coughs, and increases blood flow to the heart. It seems like the antioxidants in chocolate are really working overtime to take care of us! It gets better too: a recent clinical trial found that eating dark chocolate lowers the levels of stress hormones in our bodies.

Researchers asked a group of participants who identified themselves as being "highly stressed" to eat an ounce and a half of dark chocolate every day for two weeks. (That's the size of an average Hershey bar, by the way.) At the end of the two-week period, the levels of stress hormones in the individuals had dropped significantly. I can definitely attest to eating a little bit of chocolate to cheer me up (PMS, anyone?), but this is the first study that has shown a physiological relationship between chocolate and stress hormones.

While I won't be using this study as a catalyst to eat a candy bar every day, I might allow myself a little chocolate pick-me-up, as needed.

Make Your Own Milano Cookies

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:15:10 PST

Rather than going out to buy something for your sweetheart, stay in and bake these homemade Milano cookies. Everyone is familiar with the delicious Pepperidge Farms treats, with their crisp and crumbly cookies sandwiching a thin layer of chocolate. However, the homemade variation takes the cake - or that is, the cookie! The batter is easy to make, although I had trouble baking them for the first time. I wanted fun shapes, but the batter runs in the oven, so don't bother trying to make a heart-shaped cookie. Stick with one-inch strips, or for a circular cookie, very thin layers in a lined muffin tin. Once you get the hang of the cookies, the filling is simple. Skip the baked goods aisle at your local gorcer and make your own Milano cookies.

10 Chocolate Bars to Enjoy on Valentine's Day

partysugar — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:00:05 PST

This year, instead of picking up a standard box of chocolate, grab a chocolate bar. With a box of chocolates, there's always the inevitable ones you don't like, but if you get a bar, you can select your favorite flavor and enjoy the whole thing! It's also incredibly romantic tearing off a chunk of chocolate while sipping a glass of red wine. We are always sent a bunch of chocolate, but I handpicked these 10 bars to share with you.

Yummy Links: From Dungeness Crab to Turkey Cookies

partysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:50:32 PST

San Franciscans get excited: it's dungeness crab season! - SFoodie
This holiday season, why not bake a beautifully festive cake or cupcakes? - Hostess With the Mostess
Eating dark chocolate may help you handle stress. - The Epi-Log
The FDA has withdrawn the ban on the sale of Gulf Coast raw oysters during warm months. - Eater
Introducing: people talking on bananas. - People Talking on Bananas
Could Jose Garces be the next Iron Chef? - Grub Street Philadelphia
Rachael Ray on the Martha Stewart Show makes for some uncomfortable television. - Eat Me Daily
Learn how to fight wine snobbery. - Chow
Turn Keebler Fudge striped cookies into Thanksgiving turkeys. - Serious Eats

Food Review: Intentional Dark Chocolate Pistoles

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:26 PDT

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.