Mercola Catalog

Chocolate Lovers’ Alert: Chocolate Can be Healthy and Guilt-Free

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Many people find it hard to resist chocolate and consider it their favorite indulgence. This is despite the serious health risks associated with overindulgence, such as diabetes and weight gain.

The Dangers of Eating Chocolate

It’s not the cacao in chocolate that can make it unhealthy, but the added ingredients found in most chocolate bars and desserts. Some of these unhealthy ingredients are:

• Trans Fat – Can clog your arteries.
• Artificial Sweeteners – Have been associated with migraine headaches and weight gain.
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – Can elevate your blood sugar to dangerous levels and lead to weight gain and insulin resistance.
• Milk or milk byproducts – Can decrease absorption of antioxidants found in chocolate.
• Soy Proteins – Weaken your immune system and may cause digestive stress.
• Preservatives and stabilizers – Artificial ingredients increase your risk of diseases.
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – Over-excites cells to the point of destruction.

With the many chocolate brands in the market, it is important to carefully choose a product that does not contain any of these harmful ingredients.

Dark Chocolate for Your Natural Health

Fortunately, finding healthy chocolate is no longer impossible. Dark chocolate contains trans-resveratrol, a potent antioxidant that helps your body neutralize free radicals and protects your nervous system.

Dark chocolate contains cacao, which supports your health by:

• Helping improve blood flow in your arteries
• Helping your cholesterol levels stay in the normal range
• Promoting your brain health
• Decreasing your C-reactive protein levels for enhanced heart protection
• Sustaining your glucose metabolism

In order to take full advantage of these health benefits, Dr. Mercola suggests you only consume organic dark chocolate. USDA-certified organic dark chocolate, in particular, is carefully manufactured from all-natural, wholesome ingredients.

Fair Trade certification also helps ensure your chocolate uses only pure ingredients and is manufactured using environmentally sustainable practices.

Isn’t it great that you can actually give in to those chocolate cravings and still keep your body in optimal health?

Related Links:
Artificial Sweeteners — More Dangerous than You Ever Imagined
Why You MUST Stay Away From Processed Chocolate
 

How to Boost Your Natural Health & Energy with this Cocoa Cassava Bar

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Nutritional bars, ready-to-eat energy foods, have always promised good health for you. Ideally, they are a good alternative to nutrient-dense, processed food that you can get anywhere. But don’t easily be fooled by the way they are packaged and advertised. Laboratory tests have revealed that most of them are not as nutritious as they are purported to be.

Beware of High Carbohydrate Nutritional Bars

In 2001, ConsumerLab.com examined 30 nutritional bars for their caloric, carbohydrate, fat, cholesterol, sugar, proteins, and sodium contents and discovered that 60 percent of the products had misleading claims. The bars contained more sugar, saturated fat and sodium than the amount indicated on their labels.

Other tests have also found that some health bars contain unhealthy ingredients such as soy proteins, which are a low-cost protein source, and high fructose corn syrup, which is an inexpensive sweetener.

Switch to a Nutritious Natural Health Bar

Fortunately, there has been a marked improvement in the quality of nutritional bars in the recent years. Dr. Joseph Mercola particularly strived to create his own natural health bar that is nutritious and delicious for everyone to eat.

Dr. Mercola’s Cocoa Cassava Bar provides you with a good balance of protein, fiber and healthy fats to give you an instant energy boost any time of the day. It is a chocolate bar, healthy protein bar, natural energy bar and meal replacement bar all in one product.

Finally, Here’s a Higher Quality & More Wholesome Cocoa Cassava Bar for You

Still determined to improve this nutritional bar, Dr. Mercola pursued further research to produce the most health-enhancing, energy-giving, and best-tasting natural health bar that is available today. Dr. Mercola’s New and Improved Organic Cocoa Cassava Bar supplies you with the same nutrients that the original product has with the addition of USDA-certified organic ingredients like:

• Organic dark chocolate
• Organic cassava flour
• Organic raw chia seeds
• Organic cacao powder
• Organic unsweetened coconut

 
This natural energy bar contains lower sugar content than other bars in the market. It is truly a healthy way of eating chocolate without the guilt. Grab a bite of this super food, New and Improved Organic Cocoa, when it becomes available on Mercola.com this March 2010.


Related Links:
Nutrition Bar Labels Often Misleading
Energy Bars Not Your Best Option for Weight Loss