Chocolate cravings....

I've been craving chocolate for the past month....warm chocolate chip cookies (which I've given in to repeatedly) and chocolate candy....fruit with fruit dip (the fat-free, low-cal kind). I think I've gotten it out of my system...I've now got fruit in the house without the dip and no more candy or cookies. Not sure what brought on this sugar craving after more than a year (emotional stress more than anything), but it was pretty intense...one I wasn't strong enough to battle very well.

Are there any health benefits to chocolate? Yes..but it must be dark chocolate.

*Dark chocolate contains antioxidants which help protect the body from aging.

*Dark chocolate has nearly 8 times the number of antioxidants found in strawberries. (Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Chocolate dipped strawberries....now there is a powerful antioxidant snack, huh?! lol)

*The flavanoids in dark chocolate also help lower blood pressure.

*Dark chocolate can also help reduce bad cholesterol by a small percentage.

*Dark chocolate also stimulates the peptide hormones in the pituitary gland---endorphins--which makes you feel good.

*It contains serotonin which we all know helps with depression.

*It acts as a stimulant much like caffeine does.

*About a half a bar of dark chocolate (3.5 oz. or less) contains about 200 calories--one shouldn't eat more than that a day--and will give a person the added health benefits without crossing too far over the high calorie, high fat line.

What about sugar--the white, refined kind? Did you know that sugar is the number one food additive in the U.S.? Kinda scary, huh? There aren't any health benefits that I'm aware of. There are, however, natural sweeteners such as spices (vanilla, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, cloves), fruit juices, and honey which can have health benefits.

P.S. None of the chocolate I had was dark--- I was a very bad girl!!