Feed your inner chocolate monster

Hi, I'm Erin and I'm a chocolate monster. That is not to be mistaken for the Cookie Monster, which is a whole other entity. I'm just the chocolate monster.

I've discovered that I can't go a day with out having chocolate in some form or fashion. Sometimes it's in the form of my favorite vegan Chocolate Shakeology, but other times I just want to bite in to a piece of dark chocolate. I do love the vegan chocolate Shakeology, because it tastes like a dark chocolate shake. Dark chocolate is my favorite, and the vegan chocolate Shakeology feels like a cheat. It's not a cheat though, because I'm actually TREATING my body. Considering I drink Shakeology daily, sometimes I want that EXTRA bit of chocolate. Don't judge me! One of the lovely receptionists at my school has a candy jar at her desk that she always keeps filled. I've been struggling lately with hitting the candy bowl. I would like to blame end-of-the-year fatigue, but honestly it's likely to be lack of discipline with it.

Let me be clear, not all chocolate is bad! If you want chocolate, then aim for dark chocolate  that is 75% or more cacao. Dark chocolate that is 75% cacao or more will likely have less sugar and more flavonins (the good for your body stuff in chocolate). 

10 Reasons you should eat chocolate daily

1. People that eat dark chocolate consume 15% less calories and have fewer salty/sweet/fatty cravings in comparison to those who eat milk chocolate

2. Dark chocolate naturally helps you feel more satisfied and happy

3. Dark chocolate contains magnesium, which helps with PMS symptoms

4. Dark chocolate has the same type of antioxidants found in red wine and tea, which can help boost brain activity

5. Dark chocolate can help balance your body with their are stress-related imbalances. It can also reduce the levels of stress hormones

6. Dark chocolate has caffeine -  One ounce of 70 percent dark chocolate contains about 40 mg of caffeine, compared to 200 mg in 8 ounces of brewed coffee and 120 mg in strong black tea.

7. The antioxidants in cocoa trigger the walls of your blood vessels to relax, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. This means better delivery of oxygen and nutrients to every cell.

8. Chocolate’s protective natural substances also help prevent cholesterol from sticking to your artery walls, reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

9. Heart attack survivors who ate chocolate just twice a week over a two-year period cut their risk of dying from heart disease threefold.

10. The type of saturated fat in dark chocolate isn’t the same as the artery-clogging saturated fat in a hamburger or whole milk. It’s a unique variety called stearic acid, much of which gets converted in the body to oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acid. (information from Self.com)


So, now you know that you should eat chocolate. You can totally go reach for that stash of Hershey milk chocolate minis, right? Nope, wrong. You have to reach for the right type of chocolate, and not one that is laden with chemicals, sugars, and milk. If you're dazed and confused about which brands to choose, here is a list of the best and worst brands of chocolate for your body. Obviously, this isn't all-inclusive. But, it should be a handy guide for your next Whole Foods trip!

The best and worst dark chocolate

Healthy Dark Chocolate

Pascha - Organic, fair trade, non-GMO dark chocolate. No soy lecithin. Range of 55%-85%

Sweetriot - Organic, fair trade, all natural dark chocolate. 60% with nibs, 70%, or 80%. Around 20 calories/square.

Alter Eco - USDA Organic and Fair Trade. Range of dark chocolate. 85% Dark Blackout is best.

Ghirardelli Intense Dark - 72% Cacao and 86% Cacao Chocolate Bars. They have bars as well as small squares.

Godiva - 72% Cacao Chocolate Bars. Not processed with alkali. There used to be an 85% – but we can’t find it anymore. There is also some controversy over whether they use GMO Soy Lecithin.

Lindt - 70%, 85%, and 90% Cacao bars. They also make a 99% cacao (this is hard to find).

Green & Blacks - 70% Cacao and 85% Cacao bars. Organic and sometimes fair trade (e.g. Maya Gold).

Valrhona - 70% Cacao bars.

Moser Roth - 70% Cacao and 85% Cacao Chocolate Bars.

Endangered Species - 72% Cacao and 88% Cacao bars. Also a 70% organic bar. Ethically traded cacao. Social enterprise.

Chocolove - 70% Cacao and a 73% Fair trade bar.

Taza - 70%, 80%, and 87% cacao bars. All 100% USDA organic.

Vivani -Vivani is a German chocolatier that sources ingredients from Ceres (100% organic). 72% and 85% bars available in USA and Canada.

Giddy Yoyo - Based in Canada. Raw, USDA organic. A large range of dark chocolate bars up to 89%.

Theo - Based in Seattle. 100% Organic, Fair Trade, and non-GMO certified. 85% and a large range of different flavored 70% bars.

Scharffen Berger - Atrisan US chocolate company (owned by Hershey). Selection of chocolate squares and bars (from 62% up to 82% cacao),

Unhealthy Dark Chocolates

Dove Dark Chocolate - Low cacao content. All processed with alkali.
 
CocoaVia Supplement Packs - These are similar to Crystal Light, except they have flavanols (the main chocolate antioxidant) added in. You will get some health benefits from this, but it is more important to eat the whole food that contains the fiber.
 
Hershey’s Special Dark - Processed with alkali. High in sugar.
 
Dark Chocolate M&M’s - The ingredients list is ambiguous (they list “chocolate” as an ingredient). However these are high in sugar (more like candy than healthy dark chocolate).

Milky Way Midnight - Like all the candy brands, this is not really a dark chocolate. It has more sugar than cacao and is processed with alkali.

Nestle Dark Hot Chocolate - Ouch! This beverage mix is the worst of the lot. Sugar, trans-fat, and processed with alkali.
 
Cadbury Bournville - 60g of sugar per small bar.
 
Cadbury Old Gold - It says dark chocolate on the label, but it is a dairy milk – with a high sugar content.
 
Brookside Dark Chocolate with Pomegranate or Blueberries - Even though this appears to have some fruit – a closer look at the ingredients says something different. (Information from Healthyeater.com)


















 

Back at it... umm sorta

Today I started back on the T25 program and clean eating. The holidays certainly derailed me - think wine, gluten free pizza, goodies that I can't get in bush Alaska, wine, gluten free cookie dough cookies, and so on and so on. While I tried my best to maintain my healthy eating when I went home for the holidays, I couldn't help but indulge in the holiday goodies AND in foods that I am not able to get where I live. I've been slowly getting back on track, but there is just SOMETHING about setting a date. Once you have a definitive date in mind, it seems to go in to our routine.

My boyfriend mentioned that he had got off track, so he was wanting to start the 21 Day Fix on January 19th. I thought, "what better time than for us to start back on track TOGETHER!" I have a passion for health and nutrition, and he is a Beach Body Coach; so we work hard to keep each other on track and motivated.

On Sunday night, we both shared our Monday meal plans. I ussually plan my day in advance, but I told myself I wouldn't leave room for any fudging (no pun intended) on my meal plan.  I knew I had teacher inservice today, so I would just pack my snacks and come home for lunch - as usual.

This morning came and I rocked out my first workout with T25. The first workout is a hard core, fast-paced cardio work out. I was drenched. I really had to push myself, but I finished. Finishing = feeling like a rock star, right?! After my workout, it was time for breakfast. I LOVE breakfast. Seriously, I really stinkin' love breakfast. I can eat it for any and every meal. Well, today was cottage cheese with crushed pineapple. It was wonderful, honestly. It's the easiest, tastiest, and most protein packed meal. I LOVE IT. Anyhow, I got a phone call mid meal. Another teacher was calling to let me know that our inservice was earlier than expected AND at a school across town. UH OH. This resulted in a mad dash to the shower, then of course hair, makeup, and getting dressed. I had just enough time to grab and apple, a back of raw almonds, and some left over steel cut oats from the fridge. Were any of these items on my thoughtfully planned menu for the day? Nope. Not one thing.

I'm glad I grabbed those items, because my table at the inservice had a plate filled with fun-size candies. Ugh. I wasn't able to grab a lunch at home, so another teacher and I went for lunch. I got a salad. It wasn't the cleanest salad, but it was cleaner than the other options available. I did end up grabbing a fun-size M&M pack. Beyond that, I did the best I could. I'm not going to fret about the candy. It wasn't ideal, of course, but I am just moving forward.

If you are interested in the 21-Day Fix or other Beach Body programs to help you get on track. Just click Here and you can get started with your own personal coach! You can even sign up for free.

Take away: I rocked out to my T25 cardio work out today.
Lesson learned: Life can and WILL throw you curves. Do your best and don't be hard on yourself.

A KIND Review

Several years ago I fell in love with Kind bars. Since then, the company has launched new flavors and products. The company recently sent me some of their newer products to review. I have to admit, I was BLOWN AWAY! I also had to ration myself on how much I could eat in a day. Yes, they are THAT good.

I am used to thinking of Kind bars (and other snack bars) as being sweet and dessert-like. Kind decided to put a new twist on things and make a more savory line of bars. Their Kind Strong bars are flavor and nutritionally packed powerhouses. Between the Honey Smoked Barbecue, Honey Mustard, Roasted Jalapeno, Hickory Smoked, and Thai Sweet Chili bars, there are plenty of options for the savory lover out there. The flavors are honestly so intense, it's hard to even describe them. There was a perfect twist of slightly sweet, salty, and spice in each of the options. They are purely amazing. As far as nutrition goes, Kind put these in their Strong line. Strong bars from Kind are packed with 10g of protein and are made without whey, soy, gluten, or GMO's. They are "kind" to your body and your taste buds!

In true Kind fashion, they also sent some of their sweet options. My favorites include the Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds granola, and the Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar. The Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar made me completely melt. It felt like a guilty pleasure, especially paired with a large cup of black coffee.

How do you like to do Kind?

Here are some amazing options for changing up your routine with a little bit of Kind foods.

Maple-y Cluster Yogurt

Ingredients
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
1/4 cup Kind Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds
1/4 cup berries (optional)

Directions
Scoop yogurt into a bowl. Top with Kind Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds, and other toppings as desired.

Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha Oats

Ingredients
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup of water
1 Kind Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar

Directions
Cook oats in almond milk and water, per package instructions. When the oats have cooked, allow them to cool for a few minutes (this will keep the chocolate from melting too much into the oats). Crunch up a Kind Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha bar, and sprinkle over top of the oats. Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or espresso of your choosing.