The Virtues of Chocolate
As we see Easter chocolate eggs and bunnies hop off the shelves from Henderson’s Pharmacy right onto the tables in Thorold households this week, consider the healthful attributes of the roasted and ground cacao pods. Kindly put the typical chocoholic guilt trips on hold and consider these timeless points on the virtues of chocolate. Please stay with me because this is what I learned while producing the Cheers to Wine and Food radio show many years ago.
Eating chocolate may be like falling in love, but the jury is still out on chocolate’s healthful attributes. The claim is that chocolate contains antioxidants that are similar to red wine, and red wine, in moderation, is good for your health. The operative word is moderation.
Eat Chocolate in Servings of 550 Calories for Healthful Attributes
It seems that in order to get chocolate’s benefits you have to eat it in daily servings of 550 calories. Plus it contains saturated fats that contribute to elevated cholesterol levels. But the good news is that a cup of cocoa with calories cut by water or skimmed milk, showed higher antioxidants than a glass of red wine or a cup of green tea. Be really healthy and have a cup of cocoa in the morning, green tea at lunch and a glass of wine at night. Cheers to the sweet life in Thorold!
The Rise of High-End Chocolates
We’re trying so hard to limit our intake of empty calories that life can sometimes lose its luster for those who have a sweet tooth. Now, science has confirmed that we can have the occasional splurge. Chocolate can not only retard tooth decay, the darker the chocolate the higher will be the antioxidants that inhibit a heart attack or stroke. High-end chocolates contain little, if any trans fats, which is an added attraction. With this increased market, we’re starting to see finer chocolates even appearing on our small-town shelves. So go ahead. Treat yourself to an artfully-dipped, gold-leafed goodie at a store near you. It’s a little indulgence good for the soul.