Organic Chocolate Bar

Organic Chocolate Bar? Yes, indeed. Highly sought after for health benefits, flavor as well as for ethical and environmental considerations. You can have great flavor, preserve the environment and help your help all at once with every delicious bite.

The certified organic chocolate comes in a variety of forms, from dark chocolate to milk chocolate as well as vegan chocolate and gluten free chocolate. Natural sweeteners run the gamut from raw honey and evaporated cane juice to rice syrup and agave. With the use of such natural sweetening as stevia, the chocolate can also be made completely sugar free.

Yes, the health benefits are real. As more and more studies come in, it’s clear that chocolate can be a part of a healthy diet. Chocolate has become known for the high amount of antioxidants. As for rankings, the cocoa powder, which similarly can be found in organic form has the highest antioxidant content. Dark chocolate such as you would find in your favorite organic bar has eight times more polyphenols than strawberries. (And of course, as we know, the chocolate strawberry combination is a favorite.) Milk chocolate would rank third in terms of antioxidant content.

A series of studies from 2001 and 2005 have shown that chocolate consumption can foster higher levels of good cholesterol, HDL (High Density Lipoprotein ), decrease bad cholesterol, known as LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein), as well as lowering the blood pressure in individuals suffering with hypertension. Not bad for such a tasty treat.

Of course, what has been problematic with the chocolate are the other ingredients such as refined sugar, saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, preservatives and other food additives. Calorie content can be too high as well, piling on unwanted extra pounds. Go organic and avoid needing to make compromises in order to get a dose of the antioxidants that will benefit you. It’s becoming mainstream knowledge that chocolate — minus the bad ingredients — is a very healthy food, something that can help the cardiovascular system by lowering cholesterol levels.

organic chocolate bar

Chocolate has such a delicious flavor it is easy to forget that it is derived from a plant; yes, in essence your chocolate bar was once a vegetable and as such has the amazing aforementioned antioxidant content from flavanoids which protect against free radical damage which ultimately accelerates the aging process.

As we know chocolate is also somewhat addicting, and this is due to substances which affect the neurochemistry due to its Theobromine content and low amounts of caffeine.

Fat content in chocolate does not have a negative impact on the body. The cocoa bean fat content is one third each of Oleic acid, Stearic acid, and Palmitic acid. On the book of medicine and other health practitioner guide, this Oleic Acid is a monounsaturated fat which Olive Oil is known as its good source. Another component of this chocolate is a Stearic Acid which is a saturated fat that according to some research and studies shows to be of no effect on cholesterol. Palmitic Acid is saturated fat which bears similarity to coconut oil, as a tropical oil which is not harmful and has shown to have health benefits. Ideally dark chocolate is your best best for maximum health benefits, as defined with a cocoa content of 65 percent or higher.

organic chocolate bars

Chocolate has a long history, and is said to have its origins in the Amazon in circa 2000 BC and part of the Maya culture; this is where we derive the name chocolate; xocoatl meaning bitter water. They are also said to be the first to cultivate the cocoa bean in what would be our modern day equivalent of plantations. For the Maya, as well as the Aztecs, the health benefits were recognized and the drink made from cocoa was highly sought and believed to bestow wisdom.

Now fast forward hundreds of years, with the Internet, we are fortunate to obtain high quality organic chocolate quite easily. A variety of all natural chocolate is available. For highest quality look for USDA certified organic chocolate. Some manufacturers are using cocoa beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms which must meet rigorous standards for environmentally sound and sustainable farming, along with proper treatment and respect for workers’ rights. Chocolate that is certified as Fair Trade and Equal Exchange are also highly sought for adhering to ethical principles.

Popular brands include Green & Black Organic Chocolate, Dagoba Organic Chocolate, and Theo Chocolate. With the Internet you have a wide variety of choices of organic chocolate bar.

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