It probably doesn't come as a surprise that February is National Chocolate Lovers Month considering Valentine’s Day and all, but February also has four more chocolate holidays! February hosts National Dark Chocolate Day, National Cream Filled Chocolates Day, National Chocolate Mint Day, and National Chocolate Soufflé Day. That is 28 days of happiness if you ask this chocoholic.

Now, you might be asking, “How does chocolate fit into Healthy Wednesday posts?” Well, allow me to share with you the best piece of health food news I ever received. CHOCOLATE IS GOOD FOR YOU.

However, not all chocolate is health food. In most commercially sold chocolate bars, healthy cocoa powder has been highly processed and added to a slurry of blood sugar spiking sweeteners, saturated fats, and health diminishing preservatives. After all of this processing the tiny amount of nutrients left in the cocoa powder are far outweighed by all of the unhealthy ingredients. On average, one milk chocolate bar contains 235 calories, 13 grams of fat (8 of which are saturated), and 21 grams of sugar.

In contrast, cocoa powder, the flavoring agent of chocolate bars. Is chock full of healthy nutrients. It is an excellent source of Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, and Selenium, which are minerals that our bodies need to function properly. It is filled with flavonoids, a really great category of antioxidants, and has plenty of fiber. Chocolate is quite the superfood. So, it’s not the chocolate that is bad for us, it’s what we are adding to it.

So, how can we enjoy cocoa as a part of our healthy diet? There are a few ways.

1. Choose the right kind of chocolate bar.

Chocolate bars should be 70% cocoa or higher. If the bar doesn’t specify the percentage of cocoa, skip it. There are plenty of great bars available that label. After you check the cocoa percentage (it should be on the front of the package) flip it over and read the ingredients. Choose bars with as few ingredients as possible. A good bar will contain cocoa beans OR cocoa powder OR chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and if you're looking for a sweetened bar, sugar. High quality chocolate bars can be purchased at some grocery stores, many health food stores, and right here online. 

2) Use raw cacao powder in your cooking and baking.

Raw cacao is a minimally processed cocoa powder that has never been heated, allowing it to retain many of its nutrients. It is just ground cacao beans with all of their wonderful health benefits. Raw cacao has more flavor than Dutch Processed or other varieties of cocoa powder, and a little goes a long way. If you are swapping out regular cocoa powder and adding in raw cacao, you may need to adjust the recipe a smidge by adding a bit less raw cocoa. This is of course a matter of personal taste, so if you are a chocolate lover, add away! Raw cacao powder can be purchased at some grocery stores, many health food stores, and right here online. 

3) Add in cacao nibs to your diet.

Cacao nibs are the least refined version of cocoa. They are simply whole cacao beans that have been fermented (all cocoa is) and have been broken into smaller pieces for culinary use. These nibs are unsweetened and have a bitter chocolate taste that can pair well with a sweet dessert. I have even seen them added into a recipe in place of chocolate chips. Toasting cocoa nibs really brings out their flavor. Cacao nibs can be purchased at some grocery stores, many health food stores, and right here online. 

Now that you are ready to get eating, here are some links that will take you to recipes that are full of deliciously good for you chocolate.

Healthy recipes featuring chocolate on Spark and Spark:

• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Truffles

Healthy recipes featuring chocolate around the web:

• Chocolate Lava Baked Oatmeal on Catching Seeds
• 3 Ingredient Homemade Chocolate Bars on My Whole Food Life
• The Best Hot Chocolate on 8th and Lake
• Raw Almond Coconut Cacao Nib Bites on Oh, Ladycakes

About Laurel Cornwell

She is the voice behind Catching Seeds. A dream-seeking twenty-something self-proclaimed foodie living in the Inland Northwest. She has a passion for creating whole food recipes that not only taste amazing, but have a positive impact on our health. Check out her blog here.