If only chocolate were the new broccoli :)

Chocolate actually has many benefits. The only issue today is, as with other foods, is that most chocolate is processed. You have to make sure when reading ingredients your first ingredient is NOT sugar, if so then you now most of it is sugar and will do more harm then good. Your first ingredient should be cocoa beans or cocoa. This is usually found in chocolate that is labeled 65% or higher dark chocolate. It is best to get an organic chocolate as well so you know that most the nutrients were still contained in the cocoa beans. Yes chocolate has fat, higher calories but also antioxidants and other benefits. So if your going to eat chocolate at least do it with some that will do your body so good. You can actually find dark,, real chocolate in many places now versus before you could only find it at health food stores/markets.

Benefits:

• Fats in chocolate (real chocolate) are good for you ---oleic acid (monounsaturated fat), palmitic acid (saturated fat---so moderate the chocolate) and stearic acid (saturated)
• seratonin (so is an antidepressant)
• antioxidants (fight free radicals in the body)
• natural caffeine (from cocoa beans)
• stimulates endorphins
• cocoa flavonols (increase circulation, antioxidants)/can help decrease heart disease

other cool ideas for uses:

• can add a tiny square to your oatmeal for sweetness
• can melt it and mix with chocolate silk soy milk (for hot chocolate)
• can melt and dip bananas,strawberries, pineapple etc.
• can put into smores

Everything in moderation. If chocolate is your weakness keep the good kind around.