Natural Cures Blog Carnival, A Little Chocolate Love

Artisan Chocolate with Brown Sugar and Cocoa Butter

Sweet! Chocolate is Healthy

by Guest Blogger, Peggy Webb, Local Nourishment blog

What’s not to love about chocolate? As we study more about plant biology and human physiology, we are learning some really cool things about one of my favorite foods. For example:

• A 2008 study found that people who ate a small amount of dark chocolate a day (about 6.7 grams) had lower levels of a protein that is associated with inflammation in their blood.
• Other recent studies have found that blood platelets clump together more slowly in chocolate eaters.
• Eating chocolate has shown to help with math skills, as chocolate may increase blood flow to the brain.
• Chocolate may also have anti-cancer benefits

The amazing chemical which has been credited with these health benefits is flavonoids. As a group, flavonoids show anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory,, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer activity. Cacao, the plant from which chocolate is derived, has been found to have nearly twice the antioxidant content of red wine and up to three times that of green tea in in-vitro tests.

Flavonoids exist naturally in cacao, but because they can be bitter, they are often mostly removed from the chocolate we find on the candy aisle, even the dark variety. While the flavonoids are present in small quantities in milk chocolate, studies have shown that they are not as easily assimilated by the body.

So we want the benefit of flavonoids, but we don’t want milk in the chocolate, we want to consume as little sugar as possible with it, and we still want it to taste good! We are looking for a bitter element, instead of the super-sweet variety marketed under national names. We also want to try to avoid the soy, vegetable oils, and preservatives that would turn a health-promoting special treat into a non-food. Also important to remember is consumption in moderation.

New to my local scene is Olive and Sinclair chocolate. They are grinding, roasting and creating chocolate in Nashville, TN, right around the corner from the site of the East Nashville Farmer’s Market! They offer several varieties including some seasonal varieties.

My first adventure with O&S line was the 67% bar. I was so excited when I read the ingredient list: Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Beans, Brown Sugar. That’s all! And the cocoa bean’s source was even listed. It was delicious. The slight bitterness of true cocoa was there, but the blend was very pleasant. I also enjoyed the 75% dark, and coffee varieties. I liked the salt-and-pepper style, but hubby thought it a little over the top. Being a spice wimp, I won’t be trying the cinnamon-chili bar.

I really love that I can now enjoy the occasional indulgence of a really good bar of chocolate without having to forgo my “locavore” status entirely. Although the beans aren’t grown locally, this is a local business I can really support! The Olive and Sinclair blog is a fun read, too!

So, eat your chocolate, in moderation, of course, and enjoy a real food treat!

Peggy Webb

Peggy Webb is a homemaker, mom of six and blogger. She’s not a doctor, nutritionist or other health care professional, just a student nutrition and herbal health. Her articles are not to be construed as medical advice. Please consult your own trusted healthcare professionals about your concerns and questions. Visit Peggy’s blog at LocalNourishment.com.

Today is Natural Cures Tuesday on Hartkeisonline.com!

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