::: Health by Chocolate ::: Chocolate Thats good for You! :::

We are very concerned about the long-term health effects of artificially sweetened chocolate. For example, mannitol and sorbitol cause diarrhea and there is controversy surrounding sucralose and aspartame; therefore we prefer to use good old-fashioned, unrefined sugar in small quantities.

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I always thought chocolate was bad for me. Are you saying that I could actually get health benefits from eating chocolate?

Yes! Chocolate contains polyphenols. Polyphenols are bioflavonoids that are some of the most powerful antioxidants in the world. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is a measurement for antioxidant activity in food. Of all the healthy fruits and vegetables the USDA has tested, the highest ORAC values were found in prunes (not exactly everyone's favorite snack). But chocolate's ORAC value is more than two times higher- 5,770 ORAC per 100 grams for prunes versus a whopping 13,120 ORAC per 100 grams for chocolate! Dark chocolate has the same amount of flavonoids as red wine and four times the polyphenols of green tea.

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Which is healthier and tastier, dark or milk chocolate?

Dark chocolate has at least 50%-70% cocoa (the healthy part of chocolate). Milk chocolate can have as little as 5%. In addition, milk chocolate contains casein, a milk protein that is a known allergen to many people. Hands down, dark chocolate is healthier. Good dark chocolate is intoxicating in its aroma and smooth in its texture, with a variety of taste sensations that are rich and satisfying. If you've ever tasted dark chocolate that was bitter, it could be that you were eating an inferior product with a "burnt" cocoa taste.

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What about the sugar in “health by chocolate”?

Both health by chocolate bars and the health by chocolate drink are low glycemic foods and contain only 2 teaspoons of sugar. Compare this to soda which contains up to 20 teaspoons per serving. People with type 1 & type 2 diabetes may be able to incorporate health by chocolate into their diets and should check with their health care practitioner.

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Is white chocolate as healthful as dark chocolate?

White chocolate is made with cocoa butter, sugar and flavoring. It does not contain cocoa. So, of course, it has none of the antioxidant value that dark chocolate has.

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How much caffeine is in health by chocolate?

A 50 gram bar contains less than half the caffeine of a cup of coffee (15-40 mg versus 80-100mg).

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Don't some chocolate bars cause allergies?

Milk protein in the form of casein (found in milk chocolate) and added nuts may be the cause of allergies often blamed on chocolate. The chocolate itself is not the problem.

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What are the nutrients in chocolate?

Besides having the highest level of polyphenols as mentioned earlier, dark chocolate is choc-full of minerals. Cocoa contains significant quantities of calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, copper and magnesium.

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Why do health by chocolate bars and drinks contain lutein, lycopene, beta carotene and astaxanthin?

Lutein, lycopene, beta carotene and astaxanthin are powerful antioxidants derived from marigolds, tomatoes, carrots and algae. They have great skin-protecting powers.

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Why add blueberries to the chocolate?

Blueberries are one of the most highly pigmented fruits. These pigments give us a powerful dose of bioflavonoids as well as skin and artery protecting antioxidants.

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What are the health differences between a low-carb bar and a health by chocolate bar?

Even though many low-carb bars are being marketed as dieter’s products, they sometimes contain the same amount of calories as health by chocolate or other bars! Health by chocolate is not marketed as a diet or a meal replacement product. It is a pure, organic, wonderfully delicious snack, naturally rich in minerals and antioxidants.

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What is cranberry seed oil? I've never heard of it!

Cranberry seed oil contains a blend of omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids that are crucial to skin, heart, brain and overall cellular health. It also helps to solve the problem of getting important omega 3 fatty acids into the diet without using fish or flax oil, both of which become rancid quickly. Cranberry seed oil is unique in that it contains antioxidants that keep its valuable fatty acids fresh for 2 years.

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Why is there FOS fiber in health by chocolate?

Cocoa itself is a pretty good source of fiber, but we added FOS (fructooligosaccharide), which is the fibrous part of sugar cane. It is low in calories, slightly sweet, and tremendously beneficial to the body. FOS is a fiber that feeds the good bacteria in the digestive tract. A smooth-running digestive tract leads to radiant skin. Skin is an elimination organ, and when digestion is optimized, the skin glows. FOS helps the body better digest beneficial nutrients. Calcium absorption increases 50% when FOS is in the diet!Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

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I love eating health by chocolate. Could I be a chocoholic?

We hope so! If you love the smooth, luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth feel and the well-rounded sweet taste of fine dark chocolate, then you are not wrong to crave it! Many women crave chocolate before and during their menstrual cycle. This may be because of the needed magnesium which chocolate provides. The desire may also come from the "feel good" natural chemicals such as phenylethylamine or theobromine. Both mimic the euphoric feelings released by our brains when we are in love. We recommend that you consume health by chocolat in moderation so that you can enjoy the health benefits of the cocoa and the added nutrients it contains.

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Where does cocoa come from?

The cacao (pronounced Kah-KOW) tree is called Theobroma Cacao. Theobroma means "Food of the Gods". Cocoa grows wild in the rainforest or on plantations although it prefers the shade under the canopy of taller trees. It thrives in the hot, humid environment provided by the rainforest. Animals such as monkeys and birds eat the seeds and spread them throughout the rainforest as a natural replanting effort.

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What's the history of cocoa?

The Aztecs originally made cocoa into a spicy drink using hot pepper. Cocoa was considered a luxury only to be enjoyed by nobility. By the 16th century, cocoa was discovered by Spanish explorers. They found cocoa to be too bitter so they added sugar and kept their recipe a secret for 100 years. Eventually the British learned about cocoa and opened a chocolate house in London in 1657. From then on, hot chocolate became a popular drink.

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Is your cocoa organic?

Yes. Our chocolate bar is 95% organic and our drink is 70% organic. Both are fair trade certified.

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What does Fair Trade cocoa mean?

Health by chocolate is fair trade certified by Transfair USA, a non-profit organization that certifies that farmers are paid a livable wage and that they engage in environmentally sound growing methods.

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Can I give chocolate to my pet?

Unfortunately, chocolate is not tolerated by dogs and cats, so please keep it away from them.

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What is organic food?

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

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What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis means “porous bone” and is a disease in which bones become fragile. This leads to an increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the hip, spine and wrist. (1) A combination of genetic, dietary, hormonal, age-related, and lifestyle factors all contribute to this condition. (2) The National Osteoporosis Foundation tells us osteoporosis is a major health threat and calls osteoporosis the “silent disease” because bone loss occurs without symptoms. “People may not even know that they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump or fall causes a fracture or a vertebra to collapse. Collapsed vertebra may initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain or loss of height...” (3) Bone is living tissue. Bone just happens to be a harder type of tissue. Because bone is alive, it’s always changing. Your body keeps bones strong and healthy by constantly replacing old bone with new bone. Osteoporosis disrupts this process, causing your body to remove more bone than it replaces. (4)

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