One of the healthiest and most potent antioxidant rich food is dark chocolate.  Chocolate has been known to improve heart health.  A 2007 report in The Journal of the American Medical Association study showed that procyanidins and epicatechins, which are the flavanols in cocoa, can improve heart health by reducing cholesterol and blood pressure.  It has also been discovered that chocolate may uplift your mood.

What to know about Chocolate:

The darker the better for your health
Always select a minimum of 70 % percent cocoa or more for max benefits
If buying cocoa powder do not by Dutch processed as it loses nutrients
(destroying flavenols in the processing)
The purer the source such as organic dark at 75% or more is better for you

Amount of Antioxidants over other

Chocolate has double the antioxidants as red wine
Chocolate has three times the antioxidants of Green Tea

Recommended Amounts

1 ounce  of dark chocolate daily
(Chocolate is delicious melted in a hot cup of almond cocoa)

Benefits of Chocolate Recap

Flavenoids – Anti-inflammatory
Weight Loss -Eat Less/ Less Cravings/ Less Overeating
Antioxidants – 4 Times the antioxidants as Tea
Blood Pressure – Reduce blood pressure
(Polyphenols Protect DNA from damage – British Journal of Nutrition Study)
Cholesterol – Reduces cholesterol

Be sure when shopping for a good dark chocolate bar to get the purest you can preferrably highest percent of cocoa, organic, non gmo.  Unfortunately one of my favorite bars Green & Blacks Organic bars are made with GMO soy lecithin so I will be looking to find a better bar and so should you.  So eat up your chocolate now, and know it is in your bodies best healthy interest for you to have this in your diet. Look for the purest sources.  If you can find 70% cocoa and up, organic, non gmo, and percent of proceeds go to fund then you have found GOLD.  Enjoy the journey!