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The amazing benefits of dark chocolate, from our teeth to our hearts, have been in the news a lot. Since it’s only a certain cacao level that that has all those good polyphenols we benefit from, I attempted to explore how easy is it for people to find the right kind.
I found that quality dark chocolate is not readily available (especially if you live in an area without many specialty stores) and it’s not inexpensive. Consider what fills most of the candy aisles – cheap Hershey and Mars brands that label themselves “Dark” but are loaded with sugar and barely contain cacao.
Other brands call themselves dark but as you look closely at the label are full of sugar with little cacao content. Remember, we want high cacao and low sugar in our dark chocolate to reap all of its benefits!
I realized that it’s almost impossible to find quality dark chocolate in local supermarkets. Some of the bigger chains may have it but you have to look. Trader Joes and other specialty stores ranked high in availability.
Depending on where you live, you may have to turn to the internet as many companies sell directly from their website; if you know you like a product you can save money by ordering several bars at once.
Quality dark chocolate won’t tempt you to overindulge because it’s not tasty to do so. A bar of the good stuff always lasts longer than the cheap stuff. Quality dark chocolate is definitely worth the extra cash. Here are a few of my favorites!
Valrhona Noir Extra Amer 85%
Trader Joes!
$2.99/bar
Green & Black’s Dark 85% Cacao – Organic
Trader Joes!
Dagoba Eclipse 87% – Organic
Whole Foods!
80% Extra Dark Organic Chocolate – Fair trade and organic
Online at multiple sites available for $3.99/bar or $23 for 6 bars
Equal Exchange Organic Panama Extra Dark Chocolate
$3.99/bar
Sweet Riot – 70% or 80% – fair trade and organic
Available at their website and discounted on Amazon
In case you were wondering, your teeth aren’t the only body part that dark chocolate does wonders for. It’s chock full of a variety of powerful antioxidants that protect our cells from oxidative damage. Along with good fats, it is packed with many important nutrients like fiber, iron, magnesium, manganese and copper.
It’s been linked to lower risk of cardiovascular death, likely by lowering blood pressure, raising HDL and lowering LDL. It also has a favorable impact on insulin resistance!
As with everything, moderation is key. You shouldn’t get your daily recommended value of the above nutrients from dark chocolate alone – though you may want to! I have a nibble a day – usually in the late afternoon when I need a pick me up and I don’t want to worry about brushing my teeth. A little dark chocolate is just what the doctor ordered!
