Have Your Chocolate, and Eat It Too!

If you are trying to comply with a diabetic or low carb diet and believe that you have to give up taste to do it, you will be surprised at the tempting chocolates available at ChocoholicsHeaven.com. Our satisfying, savory chocolates are ideal for people with diabetes, dieters or just people that would like to restrict their intake of sugar without losing the wonderful taste we all expect from gourmet chocolates and truffles. Chocolate cravings can be satisfied without sacrificing tastes or health.

Whether you’re craving milk chocolate or dark chocolate, our fabulous sugar free chocolate truffles are perfect. In an assortment of mouthwatering flavors like Cherry Nut, Hazelnut, Mint and Coconut, everybody’s craving for the very best gourmet chocolate candies can be satisfied.

At http://www.chocoholicsheaven.com, we feature chocolate confections that is so mouth watering, we guarantee you won’t be able to tell it is sugar free or you’ll get your money back. Our extraordinary candy’s secret is maltitol, a lower calorie sweetener, and the very best European chocolate you will ever taste. If you are in the market for tasty, sugar free chocolate bars, you may be amazed at both the assortment available, and how luscious and amazing each of them taste. With different flavors such as Orange, Mint, Mocha Coconut and Nutty Peanut, they are sure to satisfy even the choosiest of chocolate tastes.

Whether you’re a diabetic, on a diet, have other health problems or just don’t want the extra sugar in your diet, sugar free gourmet chocolates could be just what the doctor ordered so that you can keep both your cravings and your diet under control.

Dave Brandley
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/have-your-chocolate-and-eat-it-too-58916.html

Chocolate has antioxidant-rich phytochemicals called flavanols. Although chocolate have some healthful antioxidants it is still considered a “treat” food by professional dietitians. It is not a health food. Walnuts on the other hand are loaded with nutritional benefits.

Some researchers think the cocoa bean may improve blood flow and reduce the formation of clots. The Kuna Indians of Panama are heavy consumers of cocoa. They boast an unusually low amount of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Harvard researchers found that chocolate eaters lived a year longer than abstainers. Most believe chocolate causes acne; this is not true. A small study done recently suggests the appearance of the skin of chocolate-eating women showed improvement.

Not all chocolate is good for you. In general, darker chocolate is better because it contains more flavanols and less sugar than milk chocolate.

Use cocoa powder that has been dutched to make hot chocolate. The dutch treatment destroys phytochemicals.

And as for walnuts - well - walnuts are a whole different story. Walnuts offer substantial cardiovascular benefits. The FDA allows companies to say on their packaging that eating 1.5 ounces every day can reduce the risk of heart disease.

Walnuts are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, particularly alpha-linolenic acid, which helps to raise the good cholesterol. Researchers have also found that the alpha-linolenic found in walnuts helps keep your blood flowing smoothly through your arteries - even after you eat a lot of saturated fats, which can harden the arteries and potentially contribute to heart attack and stroke. Fat found in walnuts decrease inflammation in the arteries and helps keep them flexible.

Walnuts are rich in antioxidants that help rid the body of unstable molecules called free radicals, which can lead to cancer. Other benefits of walnuts may include:

?Some protection against the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis
?Good for your teeth in that they help to fight cavities
?Helps increase the feeling of fullness after a meal (try eating six walnuts twice a day, 30 minutes before lunch and 30 minutes before dinner)

Storing walnuts:

?Store shelled walnuts in the refrigerator in an airtight container to keep them fresh for up to six months. Freeze them to last up to a year.
?Store unshelled walnuts in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to six months in any cool, dark place.

Walnuts and chocolate seem to go good together and both are good for you. Walnuts and chocolate are both high in calories so moderation is the key when enjoying either of them. Walnuts seem to have the most scientific proof of being an excellent health food especially for the heart. Chocolate is still considered a “treat” food.

Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. Article written 3-2007.

Connie Limon
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/chocolate-and-walnuts-good-for-the-health-139979.html

Chocolate is packed with antioxidants and certain nutrients including iron, copper, magnesium and potassium. Your body may need more of these nutrients and crave chocolate as a response.

In addition to this, chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which controls oxytocin and endorphins, both of which will give you a feeling of wellbeing and even euphoria.

Chocolate also contains anandamide, a chemical that acts like THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. This, in addition to the increased endorphins in your brain, when you eat chocolate explains why you crave chocolate.

Craving chocolate during your period can be explained by the fact that chocolate contains a large amount of iron (more than in beef liver). Your body needs extra iron during this time, thus the craving.

Is Chocolate Really Dangerous Or Addictive?

Yes, chocolate does seem to be mildly addictive due to the brain stimulants mentioned above. I wouldn’t really call it dangerous, but you do have to watch out for your chocolate consumption, and make good choices in the type of chocolate you eat. Chocolate addictions are perhaps the best kind because you can easily control it by what you eat.

Darker chocolate is more beneficial to your health. Stick with quality dark, bitter sweet chocolate that uses cocoa beans that are as unprocessed as possible. The process used to make milk chocolate destroys many of the beneficial flavanols. White chocolate contains all the fat and calories of the sweet treat, without any of the flavanols and antioxidants. Take a look at the type of fat that is used in making the chocolate. Good quality chocolate uses cocoa butter. The main fat in cocoa butter, stearic acid, is a saturated fat that doesn’t seem to raise your cholesterol.

Also remember that chocolate contains caffeine, which may keep you up at night. Excess caffeine does have some negative side effects. You should avoid caffeine as much as possible if you are pregnant. Learn more about caffeine (link to caffeine page).

What Can I Do To Curb My Chocolate Cravings?

The best way to curb chocolate cravings is to enjoy it in moderation and to stick to the healthier dark chocolate that also contains lots of antioxidants.

Craving chocolate is also often an indication of a lack of certain nutrients such as iron, copper, magnesium and potassium. Let’s see what other foods you should be eating to make sure you get enough of these nutrients.

Iron – eat brown rice, whole wheat, liver, dates and beets

Copper – eat nuts (especially cashew), sunflower seeds, chickpeas, liver and oysters

Magnesium – eat peanuts, tofu, broccoli, spinach and soybeans

Potassium – eat apricots, bran wheat, raisins, figs, and baked potato with skin

I understand that sometimes you just have to have chocolate and the idea of eating some tofu or a slice of whole-wheat toast just won’t work. Grab a small piece of quality dark chocolate and savor it. Take your time, really taste the chocolate melting in your mouth and enjoy it without feeling guilty. This should take care of your craving and keep you from binging on a box of Hershey’s bars.

Diana Walker
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/why-do-i-have-chocolate-cravings-77163.html