Hey there, I’m back with another one of my crazy TIPs!

Today’s piece of advice is about chomping on dark chocolate!

Yup, the verdict is in, and high cacao chocolate it’s a very healthy food indeed! Studies show that eating the stuff on a somewhat regular basis (2-3 times per week) is not only good for your heart (lowers blood pressure) and your brain (increases blood flow and cognitive function), but it actually helps to control your blood sugar as well, by helping your body to use its insulin efficiently!! Dark chocolate happens to have a low glycemic index as well, so it will not cause a spike in blood sugar when you eat it.

Chocolate has a very long and fascinating history, and believe me it is no fad: Chocolate is derived from the seed of the cacao (or cocoa) tree, and is said to have originated in the Amazon at least 4,000 years ago! Its Latin name, Theobroma, literally means, “food of the gods”.

So what are some of the goodies found in dark chocolate? Try some of these…

• • healthy fats (mostly monounsaturated and saturated fat, with very little polyunsaturated fat)
• • antioxidants in cacao puts the so-called super-fruits to shame (acai, pomegranate, cranberry, blueberry, etc.)
• • theobromine, which hardens tooth enamel and actually lowers your risk of getting cavities, unlike other sweets
• • plenty of vitamins and minerals (potassium, copper, magnesium, iron)

If you ever want to stay abreast of the fascinating discoveries about cacao and its benefits in human nutrition, or to learn just about anything else on the topic, visit the World Cocoa Foundation website.

Always aim for chocolate of 75% or higher cacao content, or any bar that doesn’t have sugar as its first ingredient. Besides that, know that the more bitter it tastes, the higher in flavonols (polyphenols) so the better for your health.

Chocolate like this may take some getting used to, but I swear it’s amazing once you get to enjoy the rich subtleties in taste! All you need is 1-3 squares per serving and that’s plenty to put a smile on your face and flood your brain with endorphins, which generate feelings of pleasure and promote a sense of well being. Now who can say no to that?!

Finally, by buying fair-trade organic chocolate bars (such as Camino or Green & Black’s), you are getting the highest possible quality, while also supporting workers and producers to get fair wages for their labor and products.

So go on, be a sport! Do good for yourself and the world – and enjoy every bite! 😉

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.
–Charles M. Schulz

Don’t wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty.
Chocolate isn’t like premarital sex. It will not make you pregnant.
And it always feels good.
–Lora Brody

Chemically speaking, chocolate really is the world’s perfect food.
–Michael Levine