The health benefits of chocolate were discovered by the Aztecs, a Mexican empire that flourished in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Organic Raw Chocolate is a healthy superfood that is chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Raw chocolate means that the cacao has not been heated or processed allowing it to preserve all of its rich nutrients. Organic chocolate means that there have been no chemicals, fillers, and preservatives used in the production of the chocolate.

Processed chocolate that includes dairy, sugar, and chemicals, results in blocking the antioxidant and health benefits.

Processed chocolate also contains fat, wax, fillers, and preservatives. When pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones from the processed chocolate ingredients are added to its production, processed chocolate becomes a food with no health benefits.

Over 300 Healthy Properties

More than 300 minerals and properties have been identified in raw organic chocolate. Cacao contains copper, manganese, zinc, sulphur, and is rich in B -vitamins that includes niacin.  Because there is no sugar, raw organic chocolate is a great treat for children.

“Cornell University discovered that Cocoa has twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times those found in green tea.”

Health benefits of raw organic chocolate include:

• Lower blood pressure
• Increases energy, alertness, creativity, and improves mood.
• Containing very little caffeine, raw organic chocolate is a major source of magnesium which helps your heart.
• Rich in Flavonoids which has a cancer-fighting antioxidant result
• Promotes healthy blood flow thereby reducing the risk of strokes, blood clots, and heart attacks
• Rich in Antioxidants thereby decreasing damaging free radicals

• Increased Longevity: Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that those who eat chocolate up to three times each month live almost a year longer than those who overindulge or eat junk food.
• Cocoa is reported to help brain function.  The magnesium is essential for maintaining brain function.  Raw chocolate is also composed of brain functioning elements such as tryptophan and anandamide
• Recently, the Theobromine in cocoa has been noted as calming the coughing reflex thereby helping to stop coughing.
• Can reduce cholesterol by 5-10 percent
• Decreases menopause and PMS symptoms
• Helps control appetite and supports weight loss

Eating chocolate is a pleasure that almost everyone loves. The availability of raw organic chocolate and fair trade chocolate is steadily increasing. Due to popular demand, supermarket chains, specialty stores, health food stores, and online health companies are now providing raw organic chocolate. Consumers now have the ability to enjoy the health benefits of this delicious treat.

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Yes, its every chocoholics wildest dream - to wake up one morning and discover that their addiction is actually good for them! Finally, health experts are starting to agree with what chocolate addicts have suggested for some time, that eating the right type of chocolate in moderation really can be good for your health.

Historically, back in the times of the Aztecs, it’s been viewed as an aphrodisiac and it was valued to highly that cocoa beans were even used as currency. Unfortunately, until the late eighteenth century, chocolate was only available as a fairly bitter drink, not something today’s addicts would probably approve of. Thanks to the Swiss company, Lindt, who first used conching to create a really smooth melting chocolate, we can now enjoy the kind of smooth tasting flavour we know today.

As it contains small amounts of flavonoids, antioxidants, theobromine and phylethylamine (PEA), all of which can have a beneficial effect.

Flavonoids which naturally occur in the cocoa plant are though to help lower blood pressure. Theobromine is a stimulant, with similar, but less powerful effect to caffeine. Phylethylamine (PEA) is a mood elevator, hence chocolates association with love and romance, as it can give a lift similar to that of being in love. Antioxidants can help minimize the damage done to our body by free radicals.

Studies by the University of L’Aquila showed that eating dark chocolate (70% or more) could help control type 2 diabetes and reduce blood pressure. Other research has shown that regular eating of it can benefit the cardiovascular system. One Harvard study showed that eaters live longer, up to one year longer than non-choc eaters. The best results were shown for those who ate 1-3 bars of chocolate per month.

Before you start changing to a 100% choc diet, it’s important to remember that it also contains fats and sugars, so should only be eaten in moderation.

Beware eating too much milk or white chocolate as these are full of added sugar and milk, with greater risk to health and far reduced health benefits. The chocolate which has been shown to have most benefits is dark (or plain, black) chocolate, with over 70% cocoa content. Top selling brands include Lindt, Divine and Green & Blacks.

Good news for those on a dairy free diet, is that they can indulge in dark chocolate, as it contains no milk. Make sure you choose bars with 70% minimum! Unlike some milk chocolates, dark chocolates have a stronger taste, wonderful slowly melting on the tongue.

So, how to include the right amount in your diet without overdoing it? Have a square of dark chocolate for dessert instead of your usual pudding or sweet. Enjoy hand made truffles for special occasions or give as gifts to health conscious friends.

You may have to adapt your eating habits - but the good news is that eating the right type of chocolate is now good for you and you can indulge in your favorite food guilt free!

Jen Carter runs the Diabetia website which offers healthy diabetic recipes. For type 1 diabetics. Her daughter, Alissa, also writes articles on managing your diabetic diet on the Diabetia website.

Chocolate lovers know that easily the best way to please someone dear to you is to make him a Romantic Dinner. We’ve gone one better and prepared a special collection of Romantic Dinners.

See pictures of recipes and other details at

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I remember when I first learned that chocolate has some health benefits. I could not believe that chocolate contains antioxidants.

They have sent years and thousands of dollars researching the health benefits. Eating chocolate on a regular basis will help lower the chance of getting cancer and heart disease. The antioxidants will also lower your LDL cholesterol.

Chocolate will also add beneficial iron, and magnesium to your body. Learning these interesting facts about chocolate has been a lot of fun. Looking up these facts can be a terrific way to pass the time. The downside is that, I often find myself looking up more interesting facts about chocolate than I do studying for an upcoming test. I can not believe that the chip was not introduced until 1939.

Nestle was the first company to introduce the chocolate chip. Which are still the most popular chocolate chip used in most chocolate chip cookie recipes. I also have a hard time believing that the first, milk chocolate bar was not introduced to consumers until 1938.

Believe it or not Nestle was also the first to bring this bar to market. Bring these different chocolate formats to market contributed to the overall, chocolate consumption. Americans consume a large amount of chocolate on a regular basis; however, they consume less than most Europeans consume, especially the Swiss.

Americans consume 2.8 billion pounds of candy a year. This is split between candy and chocolate. When you think of the amount of chocolate this equates too, you may not want to know all of the interesting facts about chocolate.

Do not let this fact scare you away, chocolate is still great! Did you know that the term white chocolate is a misnomer? There is absolutely no chocolate in white chocolate. In order to be classified as chocolate, you need to have some chocolate in your product.

If you are one of those individuals watching your caffeine intake, you do not necessarily have to give up chocolate. Chocolate has less caffeine in it than tea. This is a great fact for most chocolate lovers. The best fact out of them all is that there is scientific proof that chocolate does not cause acne, nor does it make acne worst.

These are all old wives tales, to get you to stop eating chocolate. Shame on them for telling us these tales!
Let’s eat!

Bob Pardue writes about health benefits of chocolate at http://chocolatefacts.wordpress.com/.

Chocolate lovers know that easily the best way to please someone dear to you is to make him a Romantic Dinner. We’ve gone one better and prepared a special collection of Romantic Dinners.

See pictures of recipes and other details at

Romantic Recipes They Love