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The Health Benefits Of Organic Dark Chocolate

By Michelle Howe


Indulging in chocolates is a guilty pleasure for people all over the world. However, not all chocolates are healthy. The health benefits depend on the ingredients used and how they are processed. A product like milk chocolate rates poorly in this regard. Choosing to eat organic dark chocolate is not only pleasurable but can be eaten as part of a healthy diet without any guilt.

One of the differences of such a product is that all the ingredients must be certified organic. This certification requires strict standards. For example, they have to be cultivated without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation.
Processing is limited and biodiversity as well as use of renewable resources is considered.

Increased demand for these products means that there are more bars being produced using a high quantity of cocoa. Bars indicate the percentage of cocoa used on the wrapper. Other ingredients used are emulsifiers and unrefined cane sugar. Some people are against emulsifiers like soy lecithin and choose products that rather contain a higher quantity of cocoa butter.

The majority of cocoa is grown in West Africa, much of it coming from Ghana. This is because it does particularly well in an equatorial climate with humidity and enough rainfall. In order to make sure that workers are not exploited, many manufacturers only sell fair trade certified products. This means that trading conditions are controlled, workers are paid fair wages and sustainability is ensured.

The higher the cocoa content, the better a bar is for your health. A high level of antioxidants is found in cocoa. These are stable and easily available to human metabolism. They absorb free radicals which can cause cell and tissue damage.

Minerals like copper, iron, zinc and magnesium are also found in cocoa. All of these minerals are critical for healthy functioning of the body. Magnesium helps to keep the brain, heart and digestive system functioning well. Iron is needed for the red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body. Zinc is found in cells throughout the body and helps the immune system to work properly.

The cocoa bean contains many substances like dopamine and serotonin that work together to alleviate depression. When people say that they love chocolates, they are not far wrong. It contains a substance which produces a brain chemistry that is associated with falling in love.

The product may have all the health benefits in the world but the taste matters too. People often fear that dark chocolate may have an overly bitter taste. They are often surprised by the delicious intensity of flavor. Other ingredients like organic vanilla may be added to round out the bitter notes and soften any tartness. Numerous other ingredients like fruit, nuts, mint and chili may also be added to enhance the taste experience and give texture.

These products may be found at health stores. Of course a wide variety are available from online stores and this means that you can easily compare brands and prices before making your selection to ensure that you are choosing the healthiest product at the right price. If you are addicted to your daily dose of chocolate, why not rather make it organic dark chocolate. This way you can indulge in a piece or two without any guilt whatsoever.




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