Ingredient: Dark chocolate

Who else adores dark chocolate? It’s a wonderful irresistible food with lots of health benefits so there should be no guilt from enjoying a few squares.

The good news is that dark chocolate is packed with polyphenols which are helpful at feeding the gut microbiome and repairing cells. It also contains flavanols which are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. The higher flavanol content gives more significant health benefits to dark chocolate than milk chocolate.

Many people enjoy dark chocolate for cheering up their mood and some report that it gives them more mental clarity and cognitive stamina. I personally find it can help me be more productive. Dark chocolate is a good source of dietary fibre and minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, selenium and zinc. Raw chocolate or cacao nibs/powder also contain vitamin C.

Use dark chocolate in a range of foods and drinks from chocolate mousse or cake to hot chocolate. You might well love my supercharged chocolate bark. You can even add a few squares to a chilli, like they do in Mexico.