Ahhh chocolate, the ultimate guilty pleasure! Ice-cream, cake or bar, we love it in any form. Made from roasted cocoa beans, it’s tempered and moulded to achieve the taste we all adore. Yet there is one step in that process which gives du chocolat its ultimate downfall – the addition of tons of sugar and sometimes even dairy. But there is still good news! Chocolate in itself isn’t bad for us, if we know which ones to choose. READY to get smart about chocolate? Then read on for Can Chocolate be Healthy? Here are 5 Ways it Can Be!
1. The Darker, the Better!
Darker chocolate is the least processed. Its nutrients aren’t stripped in favour of additives such as sugar and guess what? It’s good for us! Cocoa beans are one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet. It can lower the risk of heart disease and overall add robustness to your health.
2. Be Smart & Look at the Percentages
Chocolate comes in many strengths, you’ll see it written as cocoa content divided by percentages. The figure signifies the total weight of the bar which comes from ground cocoa beans. Build up your endurance to the dark type, start at 65% and try to get to 95%.
3. Clear Skin
We all know that processed sweets give us breakouts, but they just taste so good…Well, research shows that the bioactive compounds in the dark variety can protect our skin from sun damage and improve skin hydration. Hello, dark chocolate ice-cream on the beach!
4. You Can Still Have Fun with Bitter Chocolate!
SO that’s great, dark chocolate is good for you but you just can’t get over the taste? We know it’s not for everybody. Yet there are choices, you don’t have to suffer plain, boring chocolate. Have fun and try it with orange extract, almonds or dried strawberries. There are loads of variations and as the base is better for you it’s still a healthier choice than the sweet milk types and we’re sure you’ll soon hit on the one you love (tell us about it below)!
5. Chocolate = HAPPINESS
When we crave chocolate and allow ourselves to indulge we get a release of endorphins. It’s basically the scientific term for happy vibes and who wouldn’t want that? We all deserve a treat from time to time…or even every day – tastes even better if you’re celebrating daily progress of some sort.
