We've heard much lately about the virtues of dark chocolate. For instance, it's been touted for its ability to improve blood vessel function and lower blood pressure.
What irks me, though, amidst all the hoopla about dark chocolate is that the sugar content often tends to get ignored or discounted.
For instance, in this article about dark chocolate being on the rise in the U.K., the sugar content was pretty much summarily dismissed. Aargh!
As sugar expert Nancy Appleton told me, even three teaspoons of sugar can throw your body out of balance.
So what benefit are you really deriving when you're eating a dark chocolate candy bar?
Here's where it pays to be discriminating. Carefully pick your dark chocolate, because they're not all created equal. Choose one that has very little sugar, if possible. The less, the better.
So you may be wondering: Do I eat dark chocolate? Yes, but, as I pointed out here before, I go for the unsweetened cacao beans or cacao nibs.
To be honest, raw cacao may be a challenge for some, but, as I've found, if you eat them along with raw almonds or cashews, the combination tastes quite intriguing. Not sweet, but flavorful and interesting.
And face it, your heart will be happier with caco beans than those sugar-filled dark chocolate concoctions. 
We've heard much lately about the virtues of dark chocolate. For instance, it's been touted for its ability to improve blood vessel function and lower blood pressure.
What irks me, though, amidst all the hoopla about dark chocolate is that the sugar content often tends to get ignored or discounted.
For instance, in this article about dark chocolate being on the rise in the U.K., the sugar content was pretty much summarily dismissed. Aargh!
As sugar expert Nancy Appleton told me, even three teaspoons of sugar can throw your body out of balance.
So what benefit are you really deriving when you're eating a dark chocolate candy bar?
Here's where it pays to be discriminating. Carefully pick your dark chocolate, because they're not all created equal. Choose one that has very little sugar, if possible. The less, the better.
So you may be wondering: Do I eat dark chocolate? Yes, but, as I pointed out here before, I go for the unsweetened cacao beans or cacao nibs.
To be honest, raw cacao may be a challenge for some, but, as I've found, if you eat them along with raw almonds or cashews, the combination tastes quite intriguing. Not sweet, but flavorful and interesting.
And face it, your heart will be happier with caco beans than those sugar-filled dark chocolate concoctions.