Let's face it. We're all going to eat chocolate. But you don't have to feel \rguilty! Chocolate is actually good for you...it's all the things added to it \rthat are the problem. Here's how you can choose delicious healthy \rchocolates to enjoy anytime.

Health Benefits

The gift of chocolate to a beloved as a token of love is more than just \rtradition. Naturally-occurring compounds in chocolate produce that mild \reuphoria of being in love and contribute to enjoyable interpersonal \rrelations by elevating mood and enhancing sensory perception.

Beyond good feelings, chocolate benefits the body in many ways. In \rmoderation, chocolate can contribute to heart health, help you live \rlonger, suppress a chronic cough, and add needed magnesium to your \rdiet. Chocolate even contains a high level of chromium, which can help \rcontrol blood sugar.

Health Problems

While chocolate itself is fine to eat, there are some substances present \rin chocolate products that you should watch out for.

Most chocolate products contain tremendous amounts of refined white \rsugar, which is harmful to health in many ways.

Chocolate may also contain pesticides. The EPA allows various levels of \rpesticide residue to be present in cocoa powder, and the FDA Total Diet \rStudy found them in many chocolate products.

Many chocolates also contain the toxic metals cadminum and lead. \r"Significant levels" of these metals were found in 68% of the common \rchocolate products tested. There is no safe level for lead, and it is \rparticularly harmful to children.

Healthy Chocolate Choices

Here are some guidelines for choosing the healthiest chocolates.

1. Choose chocolates with the least amount of refined white sugar or \rother sweetener. Dark "bittersweet" chocolates with a high percentage \rof cocoa solids (usually the label will state the exact percentage) have \rless sugar than semisweet or milk chocolate and also have the greatest \rhealth benefits. Keep in mind that flavor additions, such as dried fruits \rand candied ginger may also add sugar to the chocolate.

2. Choose chocolates sweetened with evaporated cane juice or barley \rmalt. If the evaporated cane juice used is the unprocessed whole juice \rof the cane, it acts in the body like a whole food and doesn't give a \rsugar rush. Barley malt is also a slow-release sweetener, noted on the \rlabel as "grain-sweetened."

3. Choose organic chocolates. Certified organic chocolate ensures there \rare no harmful pesticide residues.

4. Make your own chocolates. It's easy to make many chocolate delights \ryourself, with the exact ingredients you want. Start with unsweetened \rcocoa powder or baking chocolate and be creative!

5. Choose quality over quantity. If you are going to eat chocolate, eat \rreally good chocolate. Then, for maximum enjoyment, give the taste of \rthe chocolate your full attention, eat it at a time when you are not \rfamished or overly full, and allow the chocolate to melt in your mouth to \rmake the experience last.

So go ahead and enjoy chocolate, in moderation, as part of an \rotherwise healthy diet,

Learn more about healthy chocolate at \rhttp://www.debraslist.com/food/aboutchocolate.html

Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, \rDebra Lynn Dadd has been a leading consumer advocate for \rproducts and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the \renvironment since 1982. Visit her website at \rhttp://www.dld123.com to sign up for her free email newsletters \rand to browse 100s of links to 1000s of nontoxic, natural and \rearthwise products.