Dark chocolate has been a key part in my transition away from ultra processed foods, and the changes I have made in my body composition. I eat some dark chocolate every day. It’s played a crucial part in keeping me sane, and not giving into some sweet dessert fueled binge eating fiasco that derails my entire eating plan for weeks.
I know there are very strict “diet” people and plans out there that do not allow for any added sugars at all, and that means no dark chocolate. There are also diets out there that say you should only eat raw organ meats, and any plant based food will kill you, and diets that say only eat plants and one chicken breast means doom and death.
I tell you this to say be wary of any diet plan, exercise strategy, or just anyone in general that says they have the only way to do something and they have all the answers. Blind faith in anything or anyone only leads to getting a group discount on the same sneakers, a pitcher full of cyanide juice, and a permanent nap waiting for the spaceship to arrive.
Experiment for yourself, find what works for you. If some diet fad or Instagram fitness influencer tells you what you are doing isn’t right and eating some “banned” food will sabotage all your efforts, but you feel good and you are hitting your goals, then maybe just keep doing your own thing. I have two very strict personal trainers in my life. One demands I give maximum effort on my workouts every day:
And the other checks my body fat percentage every time she sees me eating some dark chocolate:
It’s not about elimination, it’s about moderation. Too much of anything will lead to weight gain and body mass creep, rather it’s pasture raised meats, avocados, or chocolate. I limit myself to about 13 grams of dark chocolate, or about 4 squares of the brand I use, which is Green & Blacks. One serving size is 30 grams, or about 10 pieces. I make sure to eat it slowly, savoring every bite.
Being present in the moment and not swallowing it like a pelican throwing back a skipjack, I increase both my satiety and my enjoyment.
By downsizing my serving size, I take calories from 180 to 72, carbs from 11 grams to 4.4, and fat from 15 grams to 6. It also makes the bar last longer, so I’m saving some money. I’m keeping added sugars down and increasing the benefits of dark chocolate by choosing 85%, and picking a brand that has a very short ingredient list. Make sure you are picking a high quality dark chocolate that’s at least 70%, and sugar should be one of the last ingredients listed for the bar.
The Green & Blacks bar I use has sugar listed as the second to last ingredient, meaning it’s one of the least used ingredients in the bar. Hershey’s Special Dark, by contract, lists sugar as the first ingredient, meaning there is more sugar than chocolate. It also lists PGPR, a chemical that brings all kinds of bad news with it, and the vague and mysterious “artificial flavor” which means “just trust us.” Spoiler alert…don’t.
Hershey’s also lists “Vanillin” instead of Vanilla extract, which a quality bar will use. You might read Vanillin and your brain will auto-correct like a stupid phone and make you think “oh, good, there’s real vanilla in it” but again…trust no one.
Vanillin was at one time derived from natural sources such as cloves and other spices. Of course, corporations look for cheap alternatives to boost profit, so vanillin is made from eugenol or guaiacol. Does that sound like something your flex fuel vehicle could run on in a pinch? Yep, pass go and collect your $200.
Those are petrochemicals produced from crude oil. The FDA says it’s safe for consumption, but I wouldn’t be making a habit out of it. When they say “special” dark, I guess they mean it.
That Halloween hand out is way more trick than treat. Look, can you eat those bars and not get sick? Sure. Maybe. No one really knows, but common sense tells me making foods that started as crude oil isn’t great for long term health.
Treating yourself to a dessert like a Bark requires you to take matters into your own hands in order to avoid unnecessary ingredients and preservatives. I mean…there’s never been a chocolate dessert I made that would ever stick around long enough to need a preservative at all. You can also build your Bark any way you would like, adding any nuts, seeds, or fruits you like, and avoiding ones you don’t enjoy.
The same rule applies to additions, make them yourself or read the ingredient list very carefully. Dried fruits, in particular. If you have a dehydrator at home, it’s best to make your own. If you buy them at a store, make sure the only ingredients are the fruit and the least amount of added sugar you can find.
Tart fruits work best here, dried cherries, cranberries, or blueberries, but the sky is the limit. Any nuts or seeds will work as well. I used what I had on hand with this one and it was delicious.
Just remember to limit yourself to a few pieces a day and practice moderation. If you have a cat you can train to jump off the fridge and attack you after more than two trips, that helps as well.
Dark Chocolate Bark
Ingredients:
3 high quality 3.17 ounce size dark chocolate bars at least 70% (Green & Blacks, or Endangered Species)
1 cup roasted salted almonds
1/2 cup roasted salted pistachios
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1/2 cup raw pecans, rough chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions:
Measure out all the nuts and berries you are using and combine in a bowl, mix well.
Break up the chocolate bars in a bowl safe for heating, place over a saucepan with water. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Place over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is smooth:
Carefully remove the bowl to avoid any steam coming off the water. Add two cups of the nut mixture in the melted chocolate and stir to combine:
Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper and transfer the chocolate nut mix with spatula, smoothing it out to cover the parchment:
Take the remaining nut and fruit mix and sprinkle on top, pressing it down lightly with the spatula:
Let it sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes, then chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. After set, break into small pieces and store in the fridge until it’s devoured…try to not eat it all in one day:
See the list of all the Shirtless Chef recipes at www.mysaline.com/shirtless.