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Eat Your Heart Out
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Happy Valentine's Day!!!
This week, The Weekly Beet brings you the truth on the scrumptiously, decadent, unavoidable dark stuff we all love so much called chocolate. Is there really any health benefit to it???
OK, so, for starters, there is no way that most chocolates sold today could be healthy because they contain loads of refined sugar! Refined sugar (or white sugar) is a highly processed sugar that is stripped of all vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This processing accounts for a removal of 90% of the natural plant. Refined sugar is highly addictive, which is probably why one handful of M&Ms leads to about ten. Refined sugar is the major culprit behind cavities, osteoporosis, and loads of other health problems. We'll let Nancy Appleton, PhD., author of Lick The Sugar Habit, tell you the effects sugar has on your health! Click here.
 Now, with that said there has been MUCH discussion over the benefits of eating chocolate. Chocolate does contain antioxidants called flavonoids, which are also found in apples, blueberries, and greens such as broccoli. Flavonoids are said to fight cancer and promote cardiovascular health, lowering the bad levels of cholesterol called LDL. But, please don't get confused! These studies imply that DARK chocolate contains these benefits, not milk chocolate. Click here to see what Dr. Mercola says about eating chocolate. We are a big fan of Dr. Mercola!!!
 With all this confusing information, we wish to let you in on a little secret we learned from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. When eating chocolate, it's better to go for quality over quantity. That means eat chocolate from brands such as Ghiradelli, Lindt, Rapunzel, or Ithaca Fine Chocolates. These chocolates contain the finest ingredients by far! Rapunzel and Ithaca Fine Chocolates' Art Bar go the extra mile and use unrefined sugar. What's so great about unrefined sugar??? Unrefined sugar is the healthiest alternative to white sugar. It's the best because there is very little processing done to the actual sugar cane. Unrefined sugar is much easier on our blood sugar levels and will not cause the addictiveness that refined sugar does. Rapunzel bars contain Rapadura which we reported on previously. Click here to refresh your memory. So, here at The Weekly Beet, we say if it's dark chocolate and made from UNrefined sugar you are making an unBEETable choice. Enjoy!! But, obviously, never overinduldge or your stomach will not be your best friend.
For those of you a little confused about the photo above, it is an actual chocolate heart. :) You can click here to order one of these for your sweetheart next Valentine's Day. We can't vouch for it being healthy, but it is quite a cute idea!
Don't miss a Beet. Stay tuned for next week!
Love,
Mary Kent
Check out Debbie Rotkvich, Field Vice-President of lia sophia at Ladies Who Launch.
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