Baby Tips The Low-Down on Chocolate

One of my favorite ingredients, chocolate has a way ofbeing there for us whether we’ve had a stressful day, an insane headache, or arun of the mill sweet tooth craving. So how can something that’s lifted our spirits time and time again havesuch a bad reputation?  Well, theproblem isn’t in the cocoa, which happens to be loaded with lots of vitamins,minerals, and antioxidants that help lower blood pressure and protect fromheart disease. The culprits are the cream, sugar, caramel, and nougat found inmany chocolate bars.

Ounce for ounce, dark and milk chocolate have about 150calories and 9 grams of fat each but dark chocolate has more nutrients,specifically antioxidants, so it’s healthier overall.  Keep in mind that dark chocolate is still high in caloriesand should be consumed in moderation. If you prefer sweet, look for dark chocolate with a 60-70% cacaocontent.  Anything higher is goingto have a bitter aftertaste but a lower sugar content. Typically, higher-endchocolates will advertise their cacao percentage and are usually notalkalized.  For cacao content on avariety of chocolates click here.Personally, I'm a fan of Ghirardelli's line of dark chocolates with high cacao percentages.

It's important to avoid chocolate that has been Dutch-processedor alkalized.  This process makesthe chocolate darker and gives it a milder flavor but it also destroys most ofthe flavonoids, stripping the dark chocolate of its healthy components.  Hershey’s “Special Dark” chocolate isalkalized and no better for you than Hershey’s milk chocolate so stop foolingyourself.  It will say in theingredients if it has been alkalized. Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder is natural and not Dutch-processed soI approve of it.

Natural vs Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder

Chocolate makes us feel better because it containsserotonin, a natural anti-depressant. It also stimulates endorphin production which leaves us feeling warmand tingly.  So the next timeyou’re feeling blue, snack on a couple squares of high quality dark chocolate,a natural pick-me-up.

Check out my guest post on Kitchen Tested for a decadent recipe for spiced dark hot cocoa.