Chocolate

Valentine’s Day celebrates love, which we all need more of (especially these days!). And it also delivers a big dose of sugar, which nobody needs more of. So can we liberate ourselves from the holiday’s consumer script and give meaningful gifts while also making delicious and healthy Valentine’s meals and treats? Yes, we can!

When people hear that I advocate for healthy food, they sometimes give me a look that says, “Oh, so you want to take away all pleasure from my life.” And I admit that beating the drum for fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, as delicious and wonderful as they are, can raise eyebrows among people whose taste buds have grown accustomed to super-processed fare. So it’s with great joy that I present to you today, some of the most delicious — and healthiest — chocolate desserts on the planet.

For many people, chocolate is one of the special pleasures in life. It tastes delicious, it’s connected to many favorite holidays, and it can immediately lift your mood. But what are the health effects (positive and negative) of chocolate? And can you enjoy it without contributing to slave labor and environmental degradation on cacao plantations? In this article, we’ll share the research on chocolate’s surprising health benefits, and how you can partake ethically and healthfully.

By John Robbins The food police may find this hard to take, but chocolate has gotten a bad rap. People...