Top six scrumptious, healthy ways to savor chocolate

Go cuckoo for cocoa without guilt! Choose sugar-free diet Swiss Miss, for example, with just 25 calories a cup. You get the benefits of cocoa without the calories or fat. Antioxidants in cocoa are heart-healthy and can reduce your blood pressure, according to WebMD.Less is more. Buy gourmet dark chocolate, such as dark chocolate truffles. Savor just three rich, dark chocolate truffles with a cup of espresso - and eat your treat after a meal that's high in fiber and protein, so that you're comfortably full. Three Lindor Truffle Balls (dark chocolate variety) have 220 calories.You scream, I scream, we all scream for healthy chocolate ice cream! Choose a version with reduced fat, such as Dreyer's slow-churned chocolate ice cream. It tastes just as rich as the type with a higher fat percentage - but it has half the calories and half the fat. One-half cup has only 100 calories. View the list »
Choose dark chocolate, not milk chocolate, to benefit from the antioxidants.

Holistic Health newsletter

Close your eyes and say the word "Chocolate." Envision hot fudge sauce melting on a mound of vanilla ice cream, an enormous bowl of double-dipped chocolate walnuts and a triple-layer devil's food cake with dark chocolate frosting...ahhhhh! Now envision all those calories accumulating on your waistline...aaaarrrrgh! Want to enjoy chocolate without guilt? First, learn about the benefits. Then get ready for our luscious list of the top six most delicious, healthy ways to dig into this divine delight!

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The benefits: Chocolate contains heart-healthy antioxidants, and studies show that it can lower your blood pressure. In addition, a study indicated a correlation between intelligence (based on the number of Nobel prizes won per country) and consumption of chocolate. And another study showed that those who eat chocolate tend to weigh less, according to Reuters. Now that you know all the reasons to savor, here's your list of the six healthiest scrumptious chocolate treats:

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  • You scream, I scream, we all scream for healthy chocolate ice cream! Choose a version with reduced fat, such as Dreyer's slow-churned chocolate ice cream. It tastes just as rich as the type with a higher fat percentage - but it has half the calories and half the fat. One-half cup has only 100 calories. 
  • Less is more. Buy gourmet dark chocolate, such as dark chocolate truffles. Savor just three rich, dark chocolate truffles with a cup of espresso - and eat your treat after a meal that's high in fiber and protein, so that you're comfortably full. Three Lindor Truffle Balls (dark chocolate variety) have 220 calories.
  • Go cuckoo for cocoa without guilt! Choose sugar-free diet Swiss Miss, for example, with just 25 calories a cup. You get the benefits of cocoa without the calories or fat. Antioxidants in cocoa are heart-healthy and can reduce your blood pressure, according to WebMD.
  • Get ready to enjoy life with chocolate chips from Enjoy Life! The secret to savoring cocoa bliss without guilt: Make a bowl of hot, fiber-rich oatmeal. Then sprinkle with a handful of chocolate chips and stir until melted.  You'll kick-start your day and stay satisfied until lunch.
  • Dr. Mehmet Oz lists chocolate-covered nuts as his favorite guilty pleasure. How to savor the bliss without the guilt? Limit yourself to a handful a day, and choose dark chocolate-covered nuts, which are higher in antioxidants. We recommend Trader Joe's brand for their dark chocolate flavor and crunchy almond pleasure.
  • Cocoa nibs or cacao nibs are increasingly popular for their intense chocolate flavor. Try sprinkling over plain yogurt for a healthy snack or just nibble on a handful when you're craving chocolate. And for something unusual, try making brown rice pudding with cacao nibs added. 
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, Holistic Health Examiner

With a B.A. in English lit from UCLA and an M.S. in holistic nutrition, Joanne Eglash has more than 15 years of experience as a blogger, columnist and editor. She's written feature stories, articles, newsletters, horoscopes, and blogs for ediets.com, Yahoo, Natural Health magazine, Shape magazine...

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