A chocolate lover's dream

I am most definitely a self-proclaimed chocolate fanatic. I love everything about chocolate. But as I have grown more health conscious and realized the negative effects of the every day, processed chocolate that we typically consume, I have tried to eliminate a lot of chocolate from my diet. However, I find myself having a hard time breaking my love affair with chocolate.

Well you can imagine my joy when I received a package from my school, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, containing a box of chocolates. But not just any chocolates - raw, unprocessed and heavenly chocolates, supplied from Urban Goddess Chocolates in New York. I am already a fan of dark chocolate but also know that most dark chocolate is still processed and therefore not on the healthy side. But these lovely little bites of deliciousness are completely raw. According to the Urban Goddess website, "All of the ingredients in urban goddess chocolate are “live”-meaning that they have been processed at under 112 degrees Fahrenheit. This protects not just the antioxidants in the cacao but also the enzymes and nutrients of the entire product."

What does all this raw talk mean? It means that these chocolate treats are actually really good for you! Here's why:

• Raw chocolate is not subjected to high heat, chemicals, sugar or dairy.
• Raw cacao has the highest antioxidant value of all known natural foods in the world.The antioxidant levels in raw chocolate are significantly higher than those in plain dark “cooked” chocolate. These antioxidants help maintain healthy blood flow and blood pressure.
• Chocolate is also a good source of the minerals magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese. Raw chocolate holds these minerals unlike other chocolate that is subjected to high heat.

Move over Ghiradelli chocolate squares. I have found a new love that not only makes me smile but makes my body smile as well.