The Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Guess what? Chocolate can be good for you! So many people are afraid that once they start eating healthy that they can’t eat their chocolate anymore. That’s not true For the majority of people, chocolate can be a good thing and also blast a sugar craving to the curb. But not all chocolate is created equal. There are some chocolates that are FULL of sugar. (aka Milk Chocolate). But there are good dark chocolates or unsweetened chocolates that can add FUN to your kitchen and satisfy your taste buds. That means that the  I’m going to show you that there are healthy benefits to eating chocolate and also how to use it in a variety of ways!

Our home is never without chocolate. My husband is a choco-holic. He’s always been that way, and I think always will be. Because of that I make sure to have some healthy dark chocolate in our house at all times. And I try to have quiet a few chocolate dessert recipes available too (I’ll share my favorites below too!!)

What are the Healing Powers of Chocolate?

1. Antioxidant Levels

Dark chocolate contains a lot of powerful antioxidants. Cocoa beans (raw and unprocessed) are one of the foods with the highest antioxidant levels.

2. Can Promote Heart Health

There are many studies that show the benefits of chocolate for the heart. The antioxidants can help the oxidation of cholesterol and the plant flavanols can lower blood pressure and increase the blood supply to the heart.

3. Can Support a Healthy Weight

Dark chocolate contains healthy fats. So a few chunks can fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth also. It’s amazing how much better I can feel after a few chunks of dark chocolate. Any food cravings disappear and I no longer feel hungry. The power to healthy fats once again! (Yep, some dark chocolate a few times a week doesn’t cause weight gain!)

4. Good Source of Magnesium

So many of us are deficient in the mineral magnesium. Now I don’t promote chowing down on chocolate to get your magnesium levels up (there are other good sources and supplements for magnesium). But you can increase magnesium with eating dark chocolate or using cocoa powder in baking or a smoothie.

 5. Less Stress

Who are we kidding… chocolate just tastes good, right? This may not be the most scientific point but it proves true. If I can indulge in a few pieces of dark chocolate after dinner or when I am reading as a snack I instantly feel more relaxed. It is able to cut stress levels for me. Feeling stressed… grab some dark chocolate. Now just be careful not to eat the whole thing… I’ve definitely done that a time or two! (but then don’t stress about that, enjoy it!)

Types of Dark Chocolate

1. Cocoa

We all know cocoa powder! It’s made by grinding the nibs into a powder. I use cocoa powder all the time. Throw it in smoothies, muffins, cookies, cakes, pies… well a lot of desserts!

2. Cacao Nibs

Cacao Nibs are a broken pieces of cacao seeds. They are the least processed type of chocolate and are very crunchy. They aren’t something you will grab a handful and eat because they aren’t very sweet. I use them in recipes or in smoothies when I want a little crunch or a little bit of a coffee taste. You can even throw a few on a salad for a little crunch!

3. Unsweetened Chocolate

Unsweetened chocolate is my favorite to use in baking. You can sweeten it with stevia and/ or raw honey in the recipe and decrease the overall sugar content. It is made almost completely from cocoa butter and cocoa solids. If you sweeten unsweetened cocoa with stevia you have a 100% sugar-free dessert. I call that amazing!

4. Milk Chocolate

I have cut all milk chocolate out. It has a high sugar and dairy content and is any chocolate containing less than 50% chocolate. With a plethora of dark chocolate available almost anywhere it is easy to kick the milk chocolate to the curb and choose dark chocolate instead

A fews Chocolate Tips

• Choose a chocolate that is unsweetened (for baking) and add your own sweetener like some stevia or raw honey
• When choosing a dark chocolate choose a higher number for less sugar. I love to choose a chocolate 80% or higher. If I am wanting a special treat I’ll will choose 70% chocolate that’s full of mint or almonds and sea salt or berries. Yum!
• Always choose organic cocoa powder. It is much healthier (no pesticides) and  doesn’t cost much more than non-organic plus it tastes so much better
• The best choice for a cocoa powder is cacao powder. It is raw and NOT processed so it contains more nutrients and flavor

Some of my Favorite Chocolate Recipes

1. Chocolate Pudding:

This is a traditional pudding recipe and an extremely rich dessert that is free of sugar. Topped with fresh whipped cream and you have the perfect dessert for two. (Recipe Here)

 

 

 

2. Chocolate Pots De Creme

This is one of the richest chocolate desserts on my blog. Plus, it’s actually really easy to make! It combines coffee + chocolate. Who doesn’t love that combination? If you are only making this recipe for two, cut the recipe in half. You still may have some leftover. (Recipe Here)

 

3. Peanut Butter Cups

A dessert full of healthy fats and peanut butter. If you make this recipe you will sure to have leftovers for the next couple of weeks. This is one of my absolute favorite recipes to make because it means I always have a chocolate treat around the house when a sweet craving comes around! (Recipe Here)

 

4. Chocolate Ganache Pie

This recipe came about because of a failed stuffed cookie recipe. But it ended up being a good thing because this amazing pie came out of the kitchen failure. I created a buttered coconut crust, added gelatin to the ganache (so the pie sets up) and it was rich, creamy and wonderful! Phil and I ate the whole thing in a week. This recipe makes enough to share with someone else. (Recipe Here)

 

5. Homemade Nutella

This recipe isn’t a complete dessert in itself. But Nutella is so popular that I had so share my refined sugar-free version of nutella. The Nutella you buy in a store contains a ton of sugar. I believe over 50% of the ingredients is sugar. You’ll be surprised how good this tastes and it’s actually good for you. (Recipe Here)

 

6. Espresso Cupcakes

I purchased some espresso salt from a cute little spice and tea shop in the area and I made cupcakes with espresso and this salt. Sweetened with dates, this recipe is sure a treat. I don’t use dates or eat dates that often, but for valentines day, go for it! (Recipe Here)

 

7. Flourless Fudgy Brownie Bites

I had to make these fudgy brownie bites into the shape of roses in honor of Valentines Day. But don’t think that you have to, you can also make these in a mini-muffin tin. These brownies are flourless and full of chocolate! (Recipe HERE)

 

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