Dark Chocolate Saves Lives! March 07 2016

Occasionally, I hear from people who tell me that they are sorry that they won't be ordering chocolates from me, but that they are either diabetic, or trying to lose weight. Usually this information comes to me second- or third-hand, but when the person has the courage to tell me directly, I say this in reply: dark chocolate is good for you, and if you are careful in your selections, you can eat an ounce of dark chocolate (several times a day, if you please), without a spike in your blood sugar, and with a caloric intake so modest that it is completely offset by the health benefits provided by the chocolate itself.

Leave the milk chocolate and cream fillings for the kids, but get some solid dark chocolate for yourself: Dark chocolate improves mood and metabolism, increases blood flow to the brain, reduces blood pressure, and contains anti-oxidants which can help slow the aging process. Rich in potassium, magnesium, and iron, chocolate is a real powerhouse!

My husband (rather ironically) is a diabetic, and many of the confections that I make, he shouldn't eat. But there are three things that I make that he eats regularly, with no spike in his blood sugar levels. They are (in Bonbon or Egg form): Hazelnut Coffee; Lime-Jalapeno; and Spicy Almonds.

And for people who are just watching their weight and don't have the health concerns associated with diabetes, any of the solid dark chocolates I offer are excellent choices, and each one offers its own nutritional benefit -- orange peels are packed with vitamin C, limes are rich in anti-oxidants, ginger helps cleanse the blood and detox the body, almonds are an anti-inflammatory superfood, and mint aids in digestion.

So, don't give up chocolate! Eat more, not less! The life you save may be your own!