During the week before Valentine’s Day, about 1.1 billion boxed chocolates — that’s about 58 million pounds of chocolate candy — will be sold in the United States.

A pound of milk chocolate packs 2300 calories, 140 grams of fat, 270 grams of carbohydrates, and 31 grams of protein. Although a lot has been reported about the heart healthy benefits of chocolate, especially dark chocolate, it’s important to remember that it is still a high calorie, high fat treat. And, it has caffeine.

Isn’t Chocolate Good For Me?

Depending on the type and the amount, the answer is yes. Chocolate’s health benefits come from cocoa and dark chocolate has a higher concentration of it than milk chocolate. White chocolate, without any cocoa in it, is not really chocolate.

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains flavonols which have antioxidant qualities and other positive influences on heart health. But typical Valentine’s chocolates are caloric and moderately high in fat, one-third of it the type of saturated fat that is not heart healthy. Extra ingredients like crème and caramel fillings can add lots of extra fat and calories.

And Then There’s The Caffeine

You’ve finished dinner – perhaps you’re stuffed to the gills – and some chocolate arrives along with the check. It could be those squares nicely wrapped in shiny foil or it could be some chunks of the really dark stuff artfully arranged on a plate.

Somehow there magically seems to be some room for the chocolate to fit in your already full belly. And, just maybe, this chocolate follows a chocolate dessert that tasted so fantastic that you wanted to lick the bowl. All of that was washed down by a wonderful cup of coffee.

Is it coffee or chocolate that’s keeping you awake?

Then you get home and sleep is just downright elusive. You wonder why you’re wide awake since you’ve been on the go all day.

Here’s a thought – it might be the caffeine found in the coffee, tea, and even some soda you’ve drunk and from the chocolate you nibbled (or devoured). There isn’t a huge amount of caffeine in chocolate, but perhaps enough – especially if you’re a chocoholic – to help tip the insomnia scales when it’s combined with a day’s worth of other caffeinated food and drinks.

Caffeine And Chocolate

Here are a few facts about chocolate and caffeine that most people don’t know:

Chocolate contains caffeine – not enough to give you a big time boost, but — depending on the type of chocolate, enough to register — especially if you’re working your way through some of those oversized bars or you’re a little kid stuffing in a bunch of fun-sized bars.

It would take about 14 regularly sized (1.5 oz) bars of milk chocolate, and fewer bars if they were dark chocolate (see stats below), to give you the same amount of caffeine that you’d get from an 8 ounce cup of coffee. Along with that little caffeine buzz you’d also be shoving in about 3,000 calories and more than 300 grams of sugar.  If you’re looking for caffeine, coffee seems like a better bet at about two calories for an 8 ounce cup (black, no sugar).

Something To Think About

The next time you find yourself reaching for those foil wrapped chocolate squares after dinner you might consider the caffeine if you want a restful sleep.

It’s also worth it to remember that getting kids (and some adults) to sleep on Halloween, Easter, and other chocolate heavy holidays might have a whole lot to do with both the sugar and the amount of caffeine in the chocolate candy.

Caffeine In Chocolate

• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, 1bar/1.55 ounces:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar, 1 bar/1.45 ounces:  20 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Kisses, 9 pieces:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Kisses, 9 pieces:  20 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Milk 41% Cacao, ½ bar:  17 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Extra Dark 82% Cacao, ½ bar:  42 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Milk Chocolate 37% Cacao, ½ bar:  9 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao, ½ bar:  36 mg caffeine

Caffeine In Coffee

• Coffee, generic brewed, 8 ounces: 133 mg caffeine (range: 102-200; 16 ounces, 266 mg caffeine)

• Dunkin’ Donuts regular coffee, 16 ounces:  206 mg caffeine

• Starbucks Brewed Coffee (Grande), 16 ounces:  320 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic instant, 8 ounces:  93 mg caffeine (range 27-173)

• Espresso, generic, 1 ounces:  40 mg caffeine (range 30-90)

• Starbucks Espresso, solo, 1 ounces:  75 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic decaffeinated, 8 ounces:  5 mg caffeine (range 3-12)

If you are a traditionalist and just want a big old chocolate kiss on Valentine’s Day, here’s one already to go — just don’t eat it all at once or you’ll have a nice caffeine buzz!

Or maybe just a bag of pink chocolate kisses will do.

Or some gold milk chocolate kisses filled with caramel — yum!

My posts may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of the links you won’t pay a penny more but I’ll receive a small commission. I do not get compensated for reviews.

The post How Much Caffeine Is In That Piece Of Chocolate? appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

Do you hit the chocolate at night, or maybe mid-afternoon? Does your chocolate nibbling follow a chocolate dessert from earlier in the day, or a hot chocolate, or some samples of chocolate candy? And perhaps all of that chocolate indulgence is washed down by a couple (or more) cups of coffee.

It gets to be bedtime and sleep is downright elusive. You wonder why you’re wide awake since you’ve been on the go all day.

Here’s a possibility – your sleeplessness might, in part, be due to all of the caffeine not just in your coffee (or tea) but in your chocolate, too. There isn’t a huge amount of caffeine in chocolate, but perhaps enough – especially if you’re a chocoholic or caffeine sensitive – to help tip the insomnia scales when it’s combined with a day’s worth of other caffeinated food and drinks.

Caffeine and Chocolate

Chocolate – the darker the better – might have some health benefits. But here are a few facts about chocolate that most people don’t know:

• Chocolate contains caffeine, not enough to give you a big time boost, but depending on the type of chocolate, enough to register — especially if you’re working your way through some of those oversized bars or you’re stuffing in a bunch of fun-sized bars or chocolate Easter eggs.
• Usually, the darker the chocolate, the more caffeine it has. Unsweetened or semi-sweetchocolate has about 5-10mg of caffeine per ounce of chocolate. Milk chocolate generally has 5mg or less of caffeine per ounce.
• It would take about 14 regularly sized (1.5 ounce) bars of milk chocolate to give you the same amount of caffeine that you’d get from an 8-ounce cup of coffee. Along with that little caffeine buzz you’d also be shoving in about 3,000 calories and more than 300 grams of sugar.  If you’re looking for caffeine, coffee seems like a better bet at about two calories for an 8-ounce cup (black, no sugar).
• Dark chocolate has a higher caffeine content than milk chocolate but it would still take four regular sized bars to get the same amount that you’d find in one cup of black coffee.

Something To Think About

If you have trouble sleeping, along with avoiding coffee before bed, you might want to take note of the amount of chocolate you’re eating.

Something else to think about: getting kids (and some adults) to sleep on Halloween, Easter, and other chocolate heavy holidays might have a whole lot to do with both the sugar and the amount of caffeine in all of the chocolate candy.

The Amount of Caffeine in Beverages and Chocolate

Caffeine In Chocolate

• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, 1bar/1.55 ounces:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar, 1 bar/1.45 ounces:  20 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Kisses, 9 pieces:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Kisses, 9 pieces:  20 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Milk 41% Cacao, ½ bar:  17 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Extra Dark 82% Cacao, ½ bar:  42 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Milk Chocolate 37% Cacao, ½ bar:  9 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao, ½ bar:  36 mg caffeine

Caffeine In Coffee

• Coffee, generic brewed, 8 ounces: 133 mg caffeine (range: 102-200; 16 ounces, 266 mg caffeine)

• Dunkin’ Donuts regular coffee, 16 ounces:  206 mg caffeine

• Starbucks Brewed Coffee (Grande), 16 ounces:  320 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic instant, 8 ounces:  93 mg caffeine (range 27-173)

• Espresso, generic, 1 ounce:  40 mg caffeine (range 30-90)

• Starbucks Espresso, solo, 1 ounce:  75 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic decaffeinated, 8 ounce:  5 mg caffeine (range 3-12)

 Caffeine in Non-Coffee Beverages

• Tea, brewed, 8 ounces: 40 – 60 mg
• Green tea, 8 ounces: 15 mg
• Hot cocoa, 8 ounces: 14 mg caffeine
• Chocolate Milk, 8 ounces: 5 mg caffeine
• Red Bull, 8.2 ounces: 80 mg
• Mountain Dew, 12 ounces: 55 mg caffeine
• Pepsi-Cola, 12 ounces: 37.5 mg caffeine
• Classic Coco Cola, 12 ounces, 34 mg caffeiene
• Snapple flavored tea, 12 ounces: 31.5 mg caffeine

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Why are about 1.1 billion boxed chocolates — that’s about 58 million pounds of chocolate candy — sold in the United States during the week before Valentine’s Day? Why not Twizzlers or Gummy Bears?

Chocolate infatuation began around 2,000 years ago when the higher echelon in the Mayan and Aztec societies infused cocoa beans with water creating frothy chocolate drinks that were both drunk on special occasions and used as sacrifices to the gods.

Montezuma, the Aztec ruler, believed that chocolate was an aphrodisiac. He routinely drank it before visiting his harem, cementing the association of chocolate with love and romance. There is now scientific evidence that the chemical phenylethylamine found in chocolate is linked to feelings of excitement and attraction.

Aztec society also used cocoa beans for money and gifts. In the 16^th century, the Aztec’s reverence of chocolate prompted Christopher Columbus to take some back to Queen Isabella of Spain. Her love for chocolate and its mystical powers spread throughout Europe. Chocolate’s power was believed to be so strong that nuns were forbidden to eat it and French doctors used it as a treatment for a broken heart.

In 1822 John Cadbury opened a tea and coffee shop in Birmingham, England and soon began selling chocolates. In 1861 his son Richard created the first heart-shaped box to fill with chocolates for Valentine’s Day. This year more than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold.

Chocolate: The Good And The Not So Good

A pound of milk chocolate has 2300 calories, 140 grams of fat, 270 grams of carbohydrates, and 31 grams of protein. Although a lot has been said about chocolate’s heart healthy benefits, it’s still a high calorie, high fat food.

Isn’t Chocolate Good For Me?

In moderation—and, depending on the type—the answer is yes. The health benefits of chocolate come from cocoa, and dark chocolate has a greater concentration of cocoa than milk chocolate. White chocolate, without any cocoa in it, is not really chocolate.

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains flavonols which have antioxidant qualities and other positive influences on heart health. But Valentine’s chocolates are often not high quality chocolate and are moderately high in fat, one-third of it the type of saturated fat that isn’t heart healthy. Extra ingredients like crème and caramel fillings can add lots of extra fat and calories.

Oh Those Calories: Valentine’s Hearts And Kisses

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some Valentine’s chocolate. Eating the contents of a whole box might be a different story!

Here’s an idea of what the calories might be in some of the more common Valentine’s chocolate:

• Hershey’s Kisses, 9 pieces: 230 calories, 12g fat
• Hershey’s Special Dark Hearts, 5 pieces: 220 calories, 7g fat
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts, snack size: 170 calories, 10g fat
• Russell Stover boxed chocolates, 2 pieces: 150 calories, 4g fat
• Dove Dark Chocolate Hearts, 5 pieces: 210 calories, 13g fat
• Godiva boxed chocolates, 4 pieces: 210 calories, 12g fat

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The post Why Are Valentine’s Day And Chocolate and So Intertwined? appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

At bedtime, sleep is downright elusive.  You wonder why you’re wide awake since you’ve been on the go all day.

Here’s a thought – your sleeplessness might, in part, be due to all of the caffeine not just in your coffee (or tea) but in your chocolate, too.  There isn’t a huge amount of caffeine in chocolate, but perhaps enough – especially if you’re a chocoholic – to help tip the insomnia scales when it’s combined with a day’s worth of other caffeinated food and drinks.

Caffeine And Chocolate

We’ve all heard that some chocolate – the darker the better – might have some health benefits. But here are a few facts about chocolate and caffeine that most people don’t know:

Chocolate contains caffeine – not enough to give you a big time boost, but depending on the type of chocolate, enough to register — especially if you’re working your way through some of those oversized bars or you’re stuffing in a bunch of fun-sized bars or chocolate Easter eggs.

It would take about 14 regularly sized (1.5 ounce) bars of milk chocolate to give you the same amount of caffeine that you’d get from an 8 ounce cup of coffee. Along with that little caffeine buzz you’d also be shoving in about 3,000 calories and more than 300 grams of sugar.  If you’re looking for caffeine, coffee seems like a better bet at about two calories for an 8 ounce cup (black, no sugar).

Dark chocolate has a higher caffeine content than milk chocolate, but it would still take four regular sized bars to get the same amount that you’d find in one cup of black coffee.

Something To Think About

If you have trouble sleeping, along with avoiding coffee before bed, you might want to think about the amount of chocolate you’re eating.

Something else to think about: getting kids (and some adults) to sleep on Halloween, Easter, and other chocolate heavy holidays might have a whole lot to do with both the sugar and the amount of caffeine in all of the chocolate candy.

How Much Caffeine?

Caffeine In Chocolate

• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, 1bar/1.55 oz:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar, 1 bar/1.45 oz:  20 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Kisses, 9 pieces:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Kisses, 9 pieces:  20 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Milk 41% Cacao, ½ bar:  17 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Extra Dark 82% Cacao, ½ bar:  42 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Milk Chocolate 37% Cacao, ½ bar:  9 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao, ½ bar:  36 mg caffeine

Caffeine In Coffee:

• Coffee, generic brewed, 8 oz: 133 mg caffeine (range: 102-200; 16 oz, 266 mg caffeine)

• Dunkin’ Donuts regular coffee, 16 oz:  206 mg caffeine

• Starbucks Brewed Coffee (Grande), 16 oz:  320 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic instant, 8 oz:  93 mg caffeine (range 27-173)

• Espresso, generic, 1 oz:  40 mg caffeine (range 30-90)

• Starbucks Espresso, solo, 1 oz:  75 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic decaffeinated, 8 oz:  5 mg caffeine (range 3-12)

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The post Can Your Chocolate Bar Be Keeping You Awake? appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

You’ve finished dinner – perhaps you’re stuffed to the gills – and some chocolate along with the check.  It could be those squares nicely wrapped in shiny foil or it could be some chunks of the really dark stuff artfully arranged on a plate.

Somehow there magically seems to be some room for the chocolate to fit in your already full belly. And, just maybe, this chocolate follows a chocolate dessert that tasted so fantastic that you wanted to lick the bowl. All of that was washed down by a wonderful cup of coffee.

Then you get home and sleep is just downright elusive.  You wonder why you’re wide awake since you’ve been on the go all day.

Here’s a thought – it might be the caffeine found in coffee (or tea) and chocolate.  There isn’t a huge amount in chocolate, but perhaps enough – especially if you’re a chocoholic – to help tip the insomnia scales when it’s combined with a day’s worth of other caffeinated food and drinks.

Caffeine And Chocolate

Here are a couple of facts about chocolate and caffeine that most people don’t know:

Chocolate contains caffeine – not enough to give you a big time boost, but — depending on the type of chocolate, enough to register — especially if you’re working your way through some of those oversized bars or you’re a little kid stuffing in a bunch of fun-sized bars.

It would take about 14 regularly sized (1.5 oz) bars of milk chocolate to give you the same amount of caffeine that you’d get from an 8 ounce cup of coffee. Along with that little caffeine buzz you’d also be shoving in about 3,000 calories and more than 300 grams of sugar.  If you’re looking for caffeine, coffee seems like a better bet at about two calories for an 8 ounce cup (black, no sugar).

Dark chocolate has more caffeine content than milk chocolate. But it would still take four regularly sized bars to get the same amount that you’d find in one cup of black coffee.

Something To Think About

The next time you find yourself reaching for those foil wrapped chocolate squares after dinner (or the ones placed on your pillow in some hotels) you might consider the caffeine if you want a restful sleep.

It’s also worth it to remember that getting kids (and some adults) to sleep on Halloween, Easter, and other chocolate heavy holidays might have a whole lot to do with both the sugar and the amount of caffeine in the chocolate candy.

Caffeine In Chocolate

• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, 1bar/1.55 oz:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar, 1 bar/1.45 oz:  20 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Kisses, 9 pieces:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Kisses, 9 pieces:  20 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Milk 41% Cacao, ½ bar:  17 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Extra Dark 82% Cacao, ½ bar:  42 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Milk Chocolate 37% Cacao, ½ bar:  9 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao, ½ bar:  36 mg caffeine

Caffeine In Coffee:

• Coffee, generic brewed, 8 oz: 133 mg caffeine (range: 102-200; 16 oz, 266 mg caffeine)

• Dunkin’ Donuts regular coffee, 16 oz:  206 mg caffeine

• Starbucks Brewed Coffee (Grande), 16 oz:  320 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic instant, 8 oz:  93 mg caffeine (range 27-173)

• Espresso, generic, 1 oz:  40 mg caffeine (range 30-90)

• Starbucks Espresso, solo, 1 oz:  75 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic decaffeinated, 8 oz:  5 mg caffeine (range 3-12)

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The post Is It Coffee Or Chocolate That’s Keeping You Awake? appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

I watched an almost four year old girl  (who has an incredible sweet tooth – especially for chocolate) wrap her little fist around as many as she could fit into her vice like grip – until her Father took notice and parsed out one — much to her dismay, or should I say, extreme annoyance.

Caffeine And Chocolate

Here are a couple of facts about chocolate and caffeine that most people don’t know:

Chocolate contains caffeine – not enough to give you a big time boost, but, depending on the type of chocolate, enough to register — especially if you’re a little kid stuffing in a couple of squares or a bunch of mini chocolate bars.

It would take about 14 regularly sized (1.5 oz) bars of milk chocolate to give you the same amount of caffeine that you’d get from an 8 oz cup of java. Along with that little caffeine buzz you’d also be shoving in about 3,000 calories and more than 300 grams of sugar.  If you’re looking for caffeine, coffee seems like a better bet at about two calories in an 8 oz cup of black coffee.

Dark chocolate, the kind now frequently found in those “after dinner along with the check foil wrapped squares,” has more caffeine content than milk chocolate. But, it would still take four regularly sized bars to get the same amount that you’d find in one cup of black coffee.

Something To Think About

The next time you find yourself reaching for those foil wrapped chocolate squares after dinner (or the ones placed on your pillow in some hotels) think a cautionary caffeine note if you want a restful sleep.

It’s also worth it to remember that getting kids (and some adults) to sleep on Halloween might have a whole lot to do with not just the sugar but also the amount of caffeine in the chocolate candy in trick or treat bags.

Caffeine In Chocolate

• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, 1bar/1.55 oz:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar, 1 bar/1.45 oz:  20 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Kisses, 9 pieces:  9 mg caffeine

• Hershey’s Special Dark Kisses, 9 pieces:  20 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Milk 41% Cacao, ½ bar:  17 mg caffeine

• Scharffen Berger Extra Dark 82% Cacao, ½ bar:  42 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Milk Chocolate 37% Cacao, ½ bar:  9 mg caffeine

• Dagoba Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao, ½ bar:  36 mg caffeine

Caffeine In Coffee:

• Coffee, generic brewed, 8 oz: 133 mg caffeine (range: 102-200; 16 oz, 266 mg caffeine)

• Dunkin’ Donuts regular coffee, 16 oz:  206 mg caffeine

• Starbucks Brewed Coffee (Grande), 16 oz:  320 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic instant, 8 oz:  93 mg caffeine (range 27-173)

• Espresso, generic, 1 oz:  40 mg caffeine (range 30-90)

• Starbucks Espresso, solo, 1 oz:  75 mg caffeine

• Coffee, generic decaffeinated, 8 oz:  5 mg caffeine (range 3-12)

The post What’s A Chocolate Buzz? appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

It’s Easter candy time.  Face it – admit it – Easter candy is seductive.  I dare you to eat one jelly bean or unwrap and savor just one brightly colored mini-chocolate Easter egg.

If you’re going to indulge — and sometimes it’s worth it — you might as well know a little about your chocolate Easter candy so you can factor their caloric punch into your eating plan.

Easter Eggs – the Confectionary Type

They’re everywhere and at every price point.  Some are piped with flowers and others are wrapped in foil.  You find them in chain stores, discount stores, and at high end chocolatiers. Easter is the second ranked holiday for candy purchases in the United States (just behind Halloween) and solid, hollow, and filled chocolate Easter eggs are one of the most popular choices.

John Cadbury make the first French Eating Chocolate in 1842 but the first Cadbury Easter Eggs didn’t arrive until 1875 and were a far cry from today’s Cadbury Crème egg (which now also comes with caramel, chocolate, and butterfinger filling). Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate appeared on the market in 1905 and helped boost the sale of chocolate Easter eggs. Today’s chocolate Easter eggs are predominantly milk chocolate and include solid, hollow, decorated, and filled eggs.

Calories in Popular Types of Chocolate Easter Eggs

Chocolate is a high calorie, high fat food.  Some of the most popular chocolate eggs:

Hershey’s Cadbury Chocolate Crème Easter Egg:  1 egg (39g), 180 calories, 8g Fat (5g saturated), 25g Carbs, 2g Protein

Hershey’s Cadbury Crème Egg, original milk chocolate with soft fondant crème center:  1 egg (39g), 170 calories, 6g fat (3.5g saturated), 28g Carbs,  2g Protein

Hershey’s Cadbury Mini Egg:  solid milk chocolate eggs with a crispy sugar shell: 12 eggs (40g), 200 calories, 9g fat(5g saturated), 28g carbs, 2g protein

Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Eggs:  7 pieces, 200 Calories, 12g Fat (7 saturated), 24g Carbs, 3g Protein

Dove Silky Smooth Milk Chocolate Eggs: 6 eggs, 240 Calories, 14g Fat (8g saturated), 26g Carbs, 3g Protein

Dove Rich Dark Chocolate Eggs:  6 eggs (43g), 220 calories, 14g Fat (8 saturated), 26g carbs, 2g Protein

Reese’s Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Eggs:  5 pieces (38g), 190 Calories, 12g Fat (6 saturated), 21g Carbs, 4g Protein

M & M’s Milk Chocolate Speck-Tacular Eggs: 1/4 Cup (12 pieces), Calories: 210 Calories, 10g Fat (6 saturated), 29g Carbs, 2g Protein

Solid Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny:  2.5 oz, Calories: average 370

But Isn’t Chocolate Good For Me?

The health benefits in chocolate come from cocoa. Dark chocolate has a greater concentration of cocoa than milk chocolate.  White chocolate, without any cocoa in it, is not really chocolate. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can be heart healthy if it replaces an unhealthy, high calorie snack, but there’s still no recommendation for the amount to eat to get the health benefits.

The Bottom Chocolate Line

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains flavonols which have antioxidant qualities and other positive influences on heart health. However, those delicious, pastel wrapped chocolate Easter eggs are caloric and moderately high in fat, one-third of it the type of saturated fat that isn’t heart healthy. Extra ingredients like crème and caramel fillings can add lots of extra fat and calories. There’s no recommended serving size of chocolate to help gain cardiovascular benefits. If you’re going to choose a sweet treat, chocolate, especially dark chocolate with a high cocoa concentration, might be a healthier choice than other types of sweets. With a lot of treats – particularly treats associated with a holiday or celebration — there’s often a perceived license to indulge.  If you’re going to enjoy your chocolate, plan on how much you are going to eat, try to eat it in moderation, attempt to balance out the extra calories in the days before and after the celebration, and enjoy every bit of it.

Want to know more about jelly beans and peeps?

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There are 2300 calories, 140 grams of fat, 270 grams of carbs, and 31 grams of protein in a pound of milk chocolate. A lot has been said about the heart healthy benefits of chocolate, especially dark chocolate, but it’s important to remember that chocolate is still a high calorie, high fat treat.

But Isn’t Chocolate Good For Me?

In moderation—and, depending on the type—the answer is yes. Chocolate’s health benefits come from cocoa and dark chocolate has more cocoa than milk chocolate.  White chocolate, without any cocoa in it, isn’t really chocolate. German scientists studied 19,357 people for a decade and found that those who ate the most chocolate (average 7.5 grams a day) had lower blood pressure and a 39% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke than people who ate the smallest amount (1.7 grams a day).

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains flavonols which have antioxidant properties. Those Valentine’s chocolates can be caloric and moderately high in fat, one-third of it the type of saturated fat that is not heart healthy. Extra ingredients like crème and caramel fillings can add lots of extra fat and calories.

If you see “Chocolate Liquor” in the ingredients list of chocolate candy, it is not alcoholic but a thick paste of ground cocoa beans, or nibs.  The higher the amount of chocolate liquor, the greater the amount of beneficial flavonoids and in chocolate vocabulary, “cocoa” and “cacao” are synonymous as are “beans” and “nibs.”

Just So You Know

A treat is something that’s usually associated with pleasure and on Valentine’s Day, with love.  To celebrate the occasion it’s just fine to enjoy a piece or two.

• Hershey’s Kisses, 9 pieces:  230 calories, 12g fat
• Hershey’s Special Dark Hearts, 5 pieces:  220 calories, 7g fat
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts, snack size:  170 calories, 10g fat
• Russell Stover boxed chocolates, 2 pieces:  150 calories, 4g fat
• Dove Dark Chocolate Hearts, 5 pieces:  210 calories, 13g fat
• Godiva boxed chocolates, 4 pieces:  210 calories, 12g fat

The post A Box Of Chocolates appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

You’ve decided you need a snack.  Decision made:  it’s going to be candy – and it’s going to be M&M’s.  Afterall, M7M’s mean melt in your mouth, not in your hand – and who wants melted chocolate all over the steering wheel or suitcase or the mess of papers on your desk?

Why Were M&M’s Made?

M&M’s, around since 1941, were actually designed so people could enjoy their chocolate without it melting in their hands. Named after the inventors Forrest Mars and R. Bruce Murrie (haven’t you always wondered where  M&M came from?), they were introduced to GIs in World War II, flew into space in 1982, and have been part of space shuttle missions since then.

Choices, Choices

M&M’s now come in a whole bunch of varieties and seasonal colors.  But — when you’re staring at the array of colorful M&M packages, your hands itching to tear open the wrapper and pop some into your mouth, which would you choose:  plain, almond, or peanut, or peanut butter?

Of course the purists might say there is no choice other than plain.  But, since there are choices, are there some potentially redeeming nutritional benefits to adding nuts under the chocolate and candy coating?  Do some varieties have more protein or fewer calories or more fat?  Take a look at the nutritional information – maybe it’ll help you with your choice. (Note that the package weight of the different varieties is not identical but very close).

• Plain milk chocolate M&M’s (1.69oz package):  240 calories, 10g fat (6 saturated), 34g total carbs, 1g fiber, 2g protein

• Dark chocolate M&M’s (1.5oz package):  210 calories, 10g fat (6g saturated), 29g total carbs, 2g fiber, 2g protein

• Peanut M&M’s (1.74oz package):  250 calories, 13g fat (5g saturated), 30g total carbs, 2g fiber, 5g protein

• Almond M&M’s (1.5oz package):  220 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated), 25g total carbs, 2g fiber, 3g protein

• Peanut butter M&M’s 1.5oz package:  220 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated), 25g total carbs, 2g fiber, 3g protein

The post Peanut, Almond, Peanut Butter Or Plain M&M’s: Which Would You Choose? appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

They’re everywhere and at every price point.  Some are piped with flowers and others are wrapped in foil.  You find them in supermarkets, discount stores, and fancy candy stores.

Easter is the second ranked holiday for candy purchases in the US (just behind Halloween) and solid, hollow, and filled chocolate Easter eggs are some of the most popular choices of Easter candy.

Calories in Chocolate Easter Eggs

I don’t want to be a killjoy, but chocolate is a high calorie, high fat food.

Here’s the stats for some popular chocolate eggs:

• Hershey’s Cadbury Chocolate Crème Easter Egg:  1 egg (39g), 180 calories, 8g Fat (5g saturated), 25g Carbs, 2g Protein

• Hershey’s Cadbury Crème Egg, original milk chocolate with soft fondant crème center:  1 egg (39g), 170 calories, 6g fat (3.5g saturated), 28g Carbs,  2g Protein

• Hershey’s Cadbury Mini Egg:  solid milk chocolate eggs with a crispy sugar shell: 12 eggs (40g), 200 calories, 9g fat(5g saturated), 28g carbs, 2g protein

• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Eggs:  7 pieces, 200 Calories, 12g Fat (7 saturated), 24g Carbs, 3g Protein

• Dove Silky Smooth Milk Chocolate Eggs: 6 eggs, 240 Calories, 14g Fat (8g saturated), 26g Carbs, 3g Protein

• Dove Rich Dark Chocolate Eggs:  6 eggs (43g), 220 calories, 14g Fat (8 saturated), 26g carbs, 2g Protein

• Reese’s Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Eggs:  5 pieces (38g), 190 Calories, 12g Fat (6 saturated), 21g Carbs, 4g Protein

• M & M’s Milk Chocolate Speck-Tacular Eggs: 1/4 Cup (12 pieces), Calories: 210 Calories, 10g Fat (6 saturated), 29g Carbs, 2g Protein

• Solid Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny:  2.5 oz, Calories: average 370

But Isn’t Chocolate Good For Me?

The health benefits in chocolate come from cocoa and dark chocolate has a greater concentration than milk chocolate.  White chocolate, without any cocoa in it, is not really chocolate. In a recent study, German scientists followed 19,357 people for at least 10 years and found that those who ate the most chocolate, (average 7.5 grams a day or .26 oz), had lower blood pressure and a 39% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke than people who ate the smallest amount (1.7 grams or .06 oz a day).

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains flavonols which have antioxidant qualities and other positive influences on your heart health.  It  can be heart healthy if it replaces an unhealthy, high calorie snack, but there is still no recommended amount for health benefits.

Just a heads-up:  Those delicious, pastel wrapped chocolate Easter eggs are caloric and moderately high in fat, one-third of it the type of saturated fat that isn’t heart healthy. Extra ingredients like crème and caramel fillings can add lots of extra fat and calories.

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