Savor the Chocolate, It Really Is Healthy!

Oh, no! It’s almost Valentines’ Day. That means more temptation. It wouldn’t be Valentine’s without Chocolates, so even though you are determined to eat healthy, you will probably give in to “tradition” trying not to feel guilty as you eat one, or two or…

Again I am going to say, a little chocolate, specifically a little dark chocolate is healthy. Please note the words I am using here, a little chocolate, specifically dark chocolate is healthy.

According to researchers chocolate has numerous health benefits, from heart healthy antioxidants, to mood lifting polyphenols. However there is a catch. The chocolate must be dark and limited to about an ounce per day.

Not worth it? Not enough! It could be if we were all used to slowly, tasting and savoring what we eat.

That’s the good news about food, it is meant to be enjoyed.

The pleasure of eating is something to cultivate and share with your family. Why not experiment with this idea? Chocolate is a great place to start. You can have some family fun and teach the kids this important lesson at the same time. Later you can use the same methods to highlight the pleasure of other foods.

The Great Taste / Pleasure Experiment

1. Explain the idea of enjoyment and how it relates to food.
2. Start with easy to find, extra dark kisses…
3. Have the kids unwrap just one at a time.
4. Let them smell the chocolate.
5. Encourage them to let the chocolate slowly melt in their mouth.
6. Let them describe the taste, and the way the chocolate felt as it melted.

Obviously you will have to set some limits, but 1 ounce of dark chocolate can be quite a bit when eaten s l o w l y for pleasure. Finally, consider the timing, bedtime is not the best time to practice savoring chocolate… That’s a good lesson too.

This Good News About Food Is brought to you by​
​Healthy StartsToday​
Sheila Cartelli MS, CHHC
​sheila@healthystartstoday.com
860-995-1407​
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