Which Chocolate is Good for You?

Which chocolate is good for you? It’s a common question among health-conscious eaters who want to indulge in something tasty while improving their well-being. Chocolate is very healthy for you but only if you eat the right kind. Otherwise, you’re doing your health more harm than good.

What Chocolate is Good for You?

The health benefits include improved circulation, lowered blood pressure, improved cognitive function, decreased anxiety, and better overall mood. Dark chocolate is also rich in free-radical-fighting antioxidants that can help slow the aging process!

When selecting your chocolate, you’re going to have to invest a little bit of money. Those 99 cent dark chocolate bars you see at your grocery store checkout are too processed to be of any real benefit. Instead, select an organic dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao content.

Also, the least amount of preservatives in your chocolate, the better.

Types of Chocolate to Avoid

There are dozens of types of dark chocolate on the market and it’s just as important to know which ones to eat as which ones to avoid.

Be sure to avoid any dark chocolate with these ingredients:

• Soy Lecithin

Despite what you’ve been lead to believe, soy is anything but a health food. It comes from the sludge left over after crude soy oil goes through a type of “de-gumming” process. Plus, 80% of soy is genetically modified, which means every time you eat a food product containing it, you’re eating pesticides.

• High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup is terrible for your health. It has been scientifically-proven that this common food additive causes obesity. HFCS also causes chronic inflammation and has been associated with the development of autoimmune disease, diabetes, and cancer.

• Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Partially hydrogenated oils are trans fats and they’re terrible for your health. They raise bad cholesterol levels while lowering good, which leaves you at risk for developing heart disease and suffering a stroke.

• Artificial Colors

Artificial colors such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue Lake have been linked to neurological disorders, behavioral problems, mood swings, and chronic inflammation.

• Dipotassium Phosphate

This common food additive has been shown to cause impaired kidney function when consumed over long periods of time.

The Right Drink for Chocolate

You may think that milk is the perfect drink to pair with chocolate but studies have shown that milk blocks the uptake of the beneficial calcium and magnesium in chocolate. Instead, pair your favorite organic dark chocolate with a cup of tea or a nice glass of red wine.

Chocolate is very good for your health. When you eat dark chocolate, you just have to know which chocolate is good for you and which to stay away from. Remember, the best kind is organic and preservative-free. Here’s to your health!

Click to Learn How to Lose Weight with Chocolate!