By Ashley Danielson, RDN, LD February is American Heart Month, and we can all use a nudge to give our heart health a little extra focus. There are so many different lifestyle factors that affect our blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol levels, and more. As a Registered dietitian, heart health is a common topic with me clients, and unfortunately people need more education on how nutrition plays multiple roles within the heart.
Of course, some small steps that you can make include increasing exercise to get your heart pumping a little extra – this can include yoga, cardio, or strength training. When it comes to nutrition, we want to focus more on healthy fats like salmon or avocado, and fiber found in fruits, vegetables, and even whole grains. One food that doesn’t get brought up a lot in the heart healthy discussion is chocolate. Chocolate is candy, considered an indulgence, and doesn’t seem like the best option when trying to eat healthier.
However, dark chocolate can be part of a heart-healthy diet, especially when we can find dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa, with additional fiber and minerals like zinc and selenium. Dark chocolate is well known for containing antioxidants, which help protect our body against free radicals and creates a shield with our immune system. The antioxidants in dark chocolate may also help raise your HDL (good) cholesterol and lower your LDL (bad cholesterol). Your cholesterol levels are highly tied to the health of your heart – maybe incorporating a small square after dinner isn’t a bad thing after all!
As a dietitian who works in the retail world, I get to sample products often! I love doing this as it helps me find new favorites, and also supports the recommendations that I can give to my clients. Read on for some of my favorite dark chocolate bars and treats.
The founders of Hu Chocolate are brilliant for creating delicious options that take out all of the junk, and “help people get back to human”. They started off with chocolate bars, which is why I love to talk about them in the first place! Their simple dark chocolate bar just has three ingredients: organic cacao, organic unrefined coconut sugar, and organic cocoa butter. Many sweets and chocolate options in general these days typically contain sugar alcohols and erythritol, but Hu just keeps it simple. Plus, they have so many other great options up their sleeve.
Theo Chocolate really bases their company off of sustainability, organic ingredients and fair-trade products. Their 70% dark chocolate bar also has three ingredients; the cocoa is sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the sugar is sourced from Brazil. Theo has a lot of chocolate bars to offer, but also cookie bites and fun gift baskets to send out.
Endangered Species started with two people who were really just looking for better sourced chocolate with ingredients that focus on health. They have grown into a larger company that continues focus on that aspect and creating chocolate without random additives or weird sweeteners. Their chocolate really covers it all for anyone – from loads of flavors of chocolate bars (I’m adding Oat Milk Mixed Berries + Dark Chocolate to my next order), to baking chips, to single serves, and rounding out with variety packs, there are so many options.
Alter Eco is a completely organic company that is again focusing on putting just the real ingredients in their products, which I appreciate. They use packaging that reduces waste and they remain very eco-friendly for their customers. Just like some other chocolate brands, they have expanded their selections from their line of basic chocolate bars. Since I personally go for the dark chocolate, you can choose from a 90% Cacao bar, or maybe even 100%! They also tailor to those who prefer more of the milk chocolate taste, and some of their new products include granola and truffle thins.
Allergy-friendly friends, don’t fear! Free2b has you covered with their amazing chocolate! Their cute little sunflower cups baking wafers are free from 12 major allergens: peanuts, dairy, tree nuts, gluten, coconut, egg, sesame, soy, mustard, corn, fish and shellfish. I love their story and how they were challenged to help a family with allergies enjoy some sweets. Now, they can help so many families that may have allergies in their home.
You can find all these chocolate options in your local grocery store, or you can simply click on each one to view their website to order directly from them. This month, try a little extra chocolate to help your heart and find a new favorite!
The purpose of this blog is solely for guidance and enjoyment. The information included on this site is not a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider before altering your diet, changing your exercise regimen, starting any new treatment or making changes to existing treatment.
