The Pros Know: Your Health
Learn To Love Dark Chocolate By Kris Denning
I eat chocolate every single day. I am as consistent in my daily chocolate eating as I am with brushing my teeth, but of course, the former is much more enjoyable. This habit of mine is guilt free, because I like it dark. Really dark. But I didn’t always. When I was younger, I wouldn’t go near the dark chocolate. I was pretty grossed out by it. But that was back in the day when Reese’s cups and Hershey bars were my go-to chocolate treat. Fortunately, I wasn’t too far into my twenties, before I was enlightened. Dark chocolate, made from the seeds of the cocoa tree, is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet! Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, which is a chemical reaction in our bodies that produces cell-damaging free radicals. When our cells get damaged, we are more susceptible to life altering diseases, so it’s important to consume those protective antioxidants as often as possible. Other fantastic sources of antioxidants are dark berries, grapes, spinach and kale, nuts, sweet potatoes, and green tea. All plants… Upon learning this, I knew I must find a way to love dark chocolate, but it’s hard to go from milk chocolate to a 70% or higher cocoa content dark chocolate, without a bit of a transition.
So, here are a few tips on how I did it, and how you can make the leap to cell-protecting, mouthwatering, luscious deep dark chocolate… First, end your relationship with conventional chocolate. Those chocolate candy bars near the checkout in most stores have a lot of added sugar/ artificial sweeteners/milk fat solids/preservatives, and very little actual cocoa content. Second, switch to high quality milk chocolate. If milk chocolate is your preference, switching to a higher quality milk chocolate bar first will help you acquire a taste for more pure chocolate. Don’t go straight from a milk chocolate Hershey bar to an 80% cocoa content bar or this may not work. Start with a 40-50% cocoa content milk chocolate organic/natural bar. Several good brands include Endangered Species, Chocolate Love, Green and Blacks, Alter Eco, etc. Then, incrementally increase the cocoa content with each new bar you buy, until you reach 70% cocoa or higher. That is the sweet spot for cancer fighting antioxidants. Keep in mind, the dark stuff should be eaten slowly. If you try and take big bites, you may miss the flavor. Keeping them in the fridge will
make them harder to devour in large quantities, and little nibbles go a long way. Let a square just melt in your mouth as you complete some daily tasks. Just a few squares a day will probably be enough to satisfy, but it’s always ok to eat more. And yes, the dark chocolate may cost a little more, but without all that added sugar, you won’t be tempted to binge on large quantities. You will eat far less calories and will be satisfied with a much smaller serving. I save money by buying pure dark chocolate discs or chips in bulk at my natural foods store and keeping them in a jar in my fridge. This transition can take a little time, but what better way to spend time than eating your way through bars of chocolate until your taste buds adjust. And when they do? Heaven... Mind, Body, and Cell.
Kris Kris Denning is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and a yoga/pilates teacher at Timberhill Athletic Club. Contact her at
healthytothesoul.com
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Willamette Living Magazine February / March 2019