Why I Changed My Mind About Chocolate

"The right kind of chocolate can be a heart-healthy gift for your Valentine.
For most of us, it wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without cards, flowers, and chocolate. Americans buy 58 million pounds of chocolates—of all sorts—for their loved ones on Valentine’s Day alone, making it the second most popular day for indulgences after Halloween.

It all seems to blend so beautifully together, especially on February 14 when love is celebrated and honored in so many ways.

Of all the superfoods on the market today that are loaded with extraordinary super-powered phytonutrients (think chia seeds, maca, goji berries and mangosteen), chocolate alone possesses an alluring mystical power that enchants us all. But, I haven’t always been a chocolate fan as many of you who have read my 30-some odd books know.

Offered at the sacred ceremonies of the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, chocolate has been around for a long time, and for good reason.

Researchers suggest that a bit of chocolate— an ounce or two of the right kind, several times a week—can actually be good for your heart.

Cocoa—from which chocolate is derived—is a rich source of heart-protective compounds called flavonoids. Flavonoids—also found in Fat Flushing foods like cranberries, berries, apples, and onions—are key plant-protecting shields from environmental toxins and aid in repairing damage. When we consume flavonoid-based foods, we derive the same benefits as the plant.

The special type of flavonoids in cocoa are called flavanols. They are superb at preventing fatty substances from turning into plaque in the arteries. Flavanols valiantly protect the arterial wall from buildup created by the undesirable LDLs (low density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol. In addition, by making blood platelets less sticky, you are reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots.

And let’s not forget that cocoa is a decent source of magnesium, one of the key minerals for a healthy heart in the first place. For years I have been telling my clients that chocolate cravings may be a sign of magnesium deficiency!

Perhaps the most important benefit that high quality chocolate bestows upon health is its ability to modulate nitric oxide. Nitric Oxide is essential for balancing blood pressure and blood flow. It may also have the ability to improve insulin sensitivity thus forestalling metabolic syndrome.

But not all chocolate is created equal.

Not all chocolate contains the optimum levels of flavanols that bestow so many health benefits.

If you want to get the real deal, then obtain the very best high cocoa-content dark chocolate on the market—look at the label for a 60 percent or higher cocoa content. We are not talking about milk or white chocolate here or commercial candy bars loaded with fat, waxes, chemicals, or extra sugars.

Now, chocolate may not be for everyone.

Like me, for instance, and anyone else who is a “copperhead” and is rather hyperactive with racing minds, tired bodies, and irregular sleep patterns. Chocolate, like black tea and soybeans, is a high source of copper in the diet which can be stockpiled in the tissues creating a whole slew of symptoms ranging from anxiety to roller-coaster emotions ultimately creating adrenal burnout.

But for the most part, a tiny amount of chocolate a few times a week simply can’t hurt and can heal the heart and satisfy a sweet tooth.

Knowing the importance of flavanol-rich cocoa for optimum heart health, I formulated our Fat Flush Chocolate Whey Protein with a cocoa that contains the highest flavanol content I could find on the market. I then blended it with the finest non-denatured (unheated) hormone-free whey protein high in L-Leucine that turns off the hunger hormone while promoting weight loss, lean muscle tissue, and liver health.

So enjoy two shakes per week for your chocolate fix and get some extra fat burning help in the process!

For Valentine’s Day, I am making my whole staff a Raspberry Truffle Frappe with Fat Flush Chocolate Whey Protein and 1 cup of raspberries. But, just for an extra special treat—I mean it’s only one day a year—I am splurging with some specialty chocolate from my favorite brand, Chocoperfection."

-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman