Happy Valentine's Day
Dark Chocolate
When I first walked into the life of my wife and her two girls, I learned quickly how important chocolate is. I always kept a stash of chocolate for those times when things began to get little weird. It worked. At the time, it was a famous brand of Kit Kat that did the trick. A frown quickly changed into a smile and an affectionate response. And so it has always been a goal of mine—to find a healthy, nutritious chocolate. Early research revealed that dark chocolate was good for the heart – not just figuratively, but literally. However, there are many kinds of chocolate. We were surprised to learn that some manufacturers even added ground brick to their mixture in the early days of its development. That’s no lie or exaggeration. Finding a reliable source of "dark chocolate" was not going to be easy. I thought of calling all the major companies and asking for their input, but that seemed too tedious a task. Luck would have it that, as I browsed through recent resources, I found what I was looking for, only days before "Valentine’s Day."
Dark chocolate has always been great for your cardiovascular health: one of the latest studies found that eating 3.5 ounces a day lowered blood pressure in people with hypertension. And leave it to the Italian researchers, who found that women who eat chocolate regularly have higher levels of sexual desire than women who don’t indulge. The Italian researchers could have been slightly biased, but as an added benefit, feeling sexy is certainly a big plus. The research specifically referred to women. I guess men will just have to consider one of the newest medications.
Imagine, taste-testers, testing 45 samples of chocolate from around the world, judging on taste, richness, "mouth feel," and flavor combos. Nice work, if you can get it. An avid reader, who cuts out articles, puts markers in books, and places the material where it is handy to my lap top computer–is the love of my life, and the one who is the catalyst for my writing this article. It never ceases to amaze me how easy life is when you go with the flow. Prevention magazine was at my fingertips.
So aren’t you lucky? Giving credit where it is due, Prevention’s February 2006 copy gave me almost everything I needed to do this special on chocolate. Comparing the sugar content was primary to me. Naturally the sugar content will determine the sweetness and the number of calories and so the least amount of sugar will result in a slight bitterness. With diabetes reaching epidemic levels, sugar content is more important now than ever. The purer chocolate will contain a higher percentage of cocoa, originally pronounced "ka-cow" We’ll break down a few of the more interesting types of chocolate so as to keep in line with the goal "healthy eating."
Veré Chocolate Bar contains 75% cocoa beans from Equador. A one ounce serving contains 70 calories and 1 gram of protein, 20 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of fat with 3.5 mg of saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol and 2 grams of fiber; 0 grams of sodium and only 2 grams of sugar per 1 oz. serving size. My problem has been to find this precious "dark chocolate" and so here it is: www.veregoods.com
Hershey is one of the most important figures in the commercial growth of the chocolate industry. Cost was a major factor and chocolate was a very pricy commodity to bring to middle-class Americans. Hershey made mass produced 5-cent Hershey bars which would change in size based on the price of the cocoa beans, at the time of production. As all of you know, Hershey had to eventually give in to the inflationary pressures on the price of the cocoa bean, bringing the price up gradually, rather than changing the size of the bar.
The best Hershey dark chocolate we found was Hershey’s Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate with cranberries, blackberries and almonds (all healthy ingredients.) The bar contains 60% cocoa with bits of antioxidant rich berries and nuts. Those testing the chocolate said "I love a little crunch with my chocolate." That’s probably one of the reasons that Kit Kat was so popular with me. The serving size of the Hershey dark chocolate: 1.3 ounces; 200 calories; 3 grams of protein; 20 grams carbs; 12 g fat, 7 g sat.fat<5 mg cholesterol; 4 g fiber; 0 mg sodium and 14 g sugar. The chocolate bar is priced at $3 per bar in grocery stores nationwide. $3/bar.
Endangered Species Chocolate Company Dark Chocolate with Deep Forest Mint 79% cocoa and 10% of the profits are donated to protecting endangered animals. One of the testers said, "This one turned me into a dark chocolate lover." The staffers liked the balance of mint and cocoa and the charitable-tie-in. A serving size is 1.5 ounces; 250 calories; 2 g protein; 23 g carb; 16 g fat; 10 g sat. fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g. fiber, 50 mg sodium, 17 g sugar. The $2.75 per bar is available at natural food stores; www.chocolatebar.com This one is too rich for my blood – literally.
Dagoba Raspberry Chocolate Bar is $2.89/per bar with 59% cocoa blended with dried raspberries and bits of rose hips; 100% organic; supports fair trade. A choco-maniac commented, "Loved the tart, sweet bits of raspberry blended into a decadent dark chocolate." Serving size: 1 oz.; 157 cal, 1 g pro.; 17 g carb, 9 g fat, 6 g sat. fat., 0 mg chol, 3 g fiber, 0 mg sodium, 12 g sugar. Www.dagobachocolates.com
Newman’s Own Organics Sweet Dark Expresso Chocolate is only $1/bar at grocery and natural food stores; www.newmansownorganics.com The cocoa content was not available and the bar is 99.9% organic; 100% of Paul Newman’s after-tax royalties go to education and charitable causes. "So creamy and smooth. Tastes like a mocha coffee in a bar form," raved a fan. Serving size: 1.2oz; 169 cal, 2 g pro, 17g carb. 12 g fat, 7 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 2 mg sodium, 14 g sugar.
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Bar is $4.25/bar; www.scharffenberger.com (U.S. only) Staffers tested a variety of bars from this brand, but the bittersweet was just right for its smooth, melt-in-your-mouth, flavor. Serving size: 1.5 oz. 250 cal, 3 g pro, 20 g carb, 18 g fat, 11 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, <1 g fiber, 0 mg sodium, 13 g sugar.
For more information try the web sites listed above or go to www.prevention.com
Julie and I were given two 1-pound boxes of Stover’s chocolate as a promotion, and they are well hidden. I am a choco-holic and have to avoid any contact with this addictive sweet. I could really pig-out on the stuff and it’s not really good for me. On Halloween, Julie picks the candy I don’t like, for the trick or treaters, so that I am protected from doing any major damage with too much sugar.
Well, we did find the healthy-eating "DARK CHOCOLATE" and you have the information you need to please that special someone in your life.
I think I’ll consider flowers instead—just to be on the safe side.
When I first walked into the life of my wife and her two girls, I learned quickly how important chocolate is. I always kept a stash of chocolate for those times when things began to get little weird. It worked. At the time, it was a famous brand of Kit Kat that did the trick. A frown quickly changed into a smile and an affectionate response. And so it has always been a goal of mine—to find a healthy, nutritious chocolate. Early research revealed that dark chocolate was good for the heart – not just figuratively, but literally. However, there are many kinds of chocolate. We were surprised to learn that some manufacturers even added ground brick to their mixture in the early days of its development. That’s no lie or exaggeration. Finding a reliable source of "dark chocolate" was not going to be easy. I thought of calling all the major companies and asking for their input, but that seemed too tedious a task. Luck would have it that, as I browsed through recent resources, I found what I was looking for, only days before "Valentine’s Day."
Dark chocolate has always been great for your cardiovascular health: one of the latest studies found that eating 3.5 ounces a day lowered blood pressure in people with hypertension. And leave it to the Italian researchers, who found that women who eat chocolate regularly have higher levels of sexual desire than women who don’t indulge. The Italian researchers could have been slightly biased, but as an added benefit, feeling sexy is certainly a big plus. The research specifically referred to women. I guess men will just have to consider one of the newest medications.
Imagine, taste-testers, testing 45 samples of chocolate from around the world, judging on taste, richness, "mouth feel," and flavor combos. Nice work, if you can get it. An avid reader, who cuts out articles, puts markers in books, and places the material where it is handy to my lap top computer–is the love of my life, and the one who is the catalyst for my writing this article. It never ceases to amaze me how easy life is when you go with the flow. Prevention magazine was at my fingertips.
So aren’t you lucky? Giving credit where it is due, Prevention’s February 2006 copy gave me almost everything I needed to do this special on chocolate. Comparing the sugar content was primary to me. Naturally the sugar content will determine the sweetness and the number of calories and so the least amount of sugar will result in a slight bitterness. With diabetes reaching epidemic levels, sugar content is more important now than ever. The purer chocolate will contain a higher percentage of cocoa, originally pronounced "ka-cow" We’ll break down a few of the more interesting types of chocolate so as to keep in line with the goal "healthy eating."
Veré Chocolate Bar contains 75% cocoa beans from Equador. A one ounce serving contains 70 calories and 1 gram of protein, 20 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of fat with 3.5 mg of saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol and 2 grams of fiber; 0 grams of sodium and only 2 grams of sugar per 1 oz. serving size. My problem has been to find this precious "dark chocolate" and so here it is: www.veregoods.com
Hershey is one of the most important figures in the commercial growth of the chocolate industry. Cost was a major factor and chocolate was a very pricy commodity to bring to middle-class Americans. Hershey made mass produced 5-cent Hershey bars which would change in size based on the price of the cocoa beans, at the time of production. As all of you know, Hershey had to eventually give in to the inflationary pressures on the price of the cocoa bean, bringing the price up gradually, rather than changing the size of the bar.
The best Hershey dark chocolate we found was Hershey’s Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate with cranberries, blackberries and almonds (all healthy ingredients.) The bar contains 60% cocoa with bits of antioxidant rich berries and nuts. Those testing the chocolate said "I love a little crunch with my chocolate." That’s probably one of the reasons that Kit Kat was so popular with me. The serving size of the Hershey dark chocolate: 1.3 ounces; 200 calories; 3 grams of protein; 20 grams carbs; 12 g fat, 7 g sat.fat<5 mg cholesterol; 4 g fiber; 0 mg sodium and 14 g sugar. The chocolate bar is priced at $3 per bar in grocery stores nationwide. $3/bar.
Endangered Species Chocolate Company Dark Chocolate with Deep Forest Mint 79% cocoa and 10% of the profits are donated to protecting endangered animals. One of the testers said, "This one turned me into a dark chocolate lover." The staffers liked the balance of mint and cocoa and the charitable-tie-in. A serving size is 1.5 ounces; 250 calories; 2 g protein; 23 g carb; 16 g fat; 10 g sat. fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g. fiber, 50 mg sodium, 17 g sugar. The $2.75 per bar is available at natural food stores; www.chocolatebar.com This one is too rich for my blood – literally.
Dagoba Raspberry Chocolate Bar is $2.89/per bar with 59% cocoa blended with dried raspberries and bits of rose hips; 100% organic; supports fair trade. A choco-maniac commented, "Loved the tart, sweet bits of raspberry blended into a decadent dark chocolate." Serving size: 1 oz.; 157 cal, 1 g pro.; 17 g carb, 9 g fat, 6 g sat. fat., 0 mg chol, 3 g fiber, 0 mg sodium, 12 g sugar. Www.dagobachocolates.com
Newman’s Own Organics Sweet Dark Expresso Chocolate is only $1/bar at grocery and natural food stores; www.newmansownorganics.com The cocoa content was not available and the bar is 99.9% organic; 100% of Paul Newman’s after-tax royalties go to education and charitable causes. "So creamy and smooth. Tastes like a mocha coffee in a bar form," raved a fan. Serving size: 1.2oz; 169 cal, 2 g pro, 17g carb. 12 g fat, 7 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 2 mg sodium, 14 g sugar.
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Bar is $4.25/bar; www.scharffenberger.com (U.S. only) Staffers tested a variety of bars from this brand, but the bittersweet was just right for its smooth, melt-in-your-mouth, flavor. Serving size: 1.5 oz. 250 cal, 3 g pro, 20 g carb, 18 g fat, 11 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, <1 g fiber, 0 mg sodium, 13 g sugar.
For more information try the web sites listed above or go to www.prevention.com
Julie and I were given two 1-pound boxes of Stover’s chocolate as a promotion, and they are well hidden. I am a choco-holic and have to avoid any contact with this addictive sweet. I could really pig-out on the stuff and it’s not really good for me. On Halloween, Julie picks the candy I don’t like, for the trick or treaters, so that I am protected from doing any major damage with too much sugar.
Well, we did find the healthy-eating "DARK CHOCOLATE" and you have the information you need to please that special someone in your life.
I think I’ll consider flowers instead—just to be on the safe side.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, and the "love of your life."
posted by Stan Kent at
11:11 PM
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