Calling all chocolate lovers! We have some good news for you… you do not need to cut out chocolate to be healthy. There are actually health benefits to eating chocolate – particularly for your heart! Keep reading to learn how to incorporate chocolate into your diet and which brands you should be choosing.
The Health Benefits of Chocolate
Did you know that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants? This has been shown to improve cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and reducing risk of stroke and heart disease. Dark chocolate is also packed with flavonols, which helps boost brain function. Finally, many people who eat dark chocolate report feeling less stressed. We already knew chocolate was great, but who knew it could be this good!
It is common to feel guilty eating foods like chocolate. However, if you are trying to cut back on sweets, guilt does more harm than good. One study showed that women who associated eating chocolate cake with guilt were more likely to have unhealthy eating habits, dislike their body, and struggle with weight. Allowing yourself to eat chocolate when you crave it will help you feel more in control around food and have healthier eating habits overall.
How to Enjoy Chocolate Mindfully
If you feel like you can’t have just one piece of chocolate, we’ve got some tips for you!
- Pair the chocolate with some protein or fiber. For example, you can add chocolate chips to greek yogurt, pair it with some nuts, or have it with an apple. This will help you feel more satisfied afterwards.
- Stop the negative self-talk. If you tell yourself you are bad for eating chocolate, you’ll be more likely to say screw it and eat the entire bag. You are not bad for eating chocolate- it can be a part of a healthy diet.
- Allow yourself to eat chocolate when you crave it. When you tell yourself you can’t have something, you are going to want it more! Stop restricting your favorite foods and start allowing yourself to eat them guilt-free.
- Enjoy chocolate mindfully. If you are eating a piece of your favorite chocolate while scrolling through social media, you’ll be finished before you even realized you ate it! Take a pause and allow yourself to truly enjoy what you are eating.
What chocolate should you choose?
Choosing dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao content is associated with the greatest health benefits. Chocolates that are higher in milk and sugar, like milk chocolate, have less health benefits. That doesn’t mean you should cut these kinds of chocolates out of your diet- just be mindful of how much you consume!
When it comes to choosing your chocolate, you want to make sure you are purchasing ethical and sustainable brands. These brands will have the FairTrade logo on the packaging. Some of our favorites are:
- Lily’s Sweets: baking chocolate
- Trader Joe’s: sweet chocolate treats
- Divine Chocolate: chocolate bars and candies
- Ben & Jerry’s: ice cream
- Hu Kitchen: chocolate bars and baking chocolate
- Fran’s Chocolates: chocolate assortments
- Endangered Species Chocolate: chocolate bars and baking chips
At B.Komplete, we LOVE chocolate! Check out this delicious chocolate surprise our founder Beryl Krinsky enjoyed on vacation! All foods fit in a healthy diet! Next time you are feeling guilty for eating chocolate- remind yourself that it is totally okay. Feeling guilty will only make things worse, and the chocolate can actually be benefiting your health depending on the kind you eat!