Halloween may be over, but seeing as it is now socially unacceptable to go trick-or-treating, you might still be craving for a chocolate fix! The best part of consuming chocolate, in moderation of course, is that chocolate has several health benefits for the body. Chocolate has been shown to positively help the immune system with the antioxidants it contains (helps you prevent becoming sick!) and promote heart health. Dark chocolate provides the best benefits of all because it contains no milk additives and has even been shown to reduce stress levels.
Consider indulging in organic chocolate, which is even better for you than normal chocolate because it doesn’t have extra chemicals. Organic chocolate means that the cocoa powder, which all chocolate is created from, has no pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides used on the cacao trees (where cocoa is grown). The added chemicals from these pesticides used to grow food may have a negative impact on the health for the body. These chemicals may even increase your risk for developing cancer.
Organic chocolate can be purchased locally at grocery stores. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are two great grocery store suggestions because they provide a variety of organic chocolates. Here are a few suggestions for brands that can be purchased:
Newman’s Own Organic Chocolate
Dagoba Organic Chocolate
Trader Joe’s Organic Chocolate
Green and Black’s Organic Chocolate
Happy chocolate eating, Collegiettes!