Weekly Tips for Your Peak Fitness and Wellness

This Week's Tip: For Love or Chocolate

We thought the heart health benefits of red wine and peanut butter were already exciting. But chocolate? Really? Researchers, citing some pretty miraculous yet so far undisputed science, say the antioxidant flavonoids in dark chocolate can actually help prevent plaque buildup and increase blood flow, which in turn may protect against strokes and high blood pressure. The catch?

It has to be dark chocolate, not milk or white chocolate—that part you probably know. And…you should limit your fix to an ounce (the amount in about 4 Dove Dark Chocolate Promises), otherwise the fat and calories nullify the benefits. In fact, at 11 grams of fat per one-ounce serving, that likely means you have to forgo your usual butter topping or ranch dressing at some other point in your day to make up for it. Or, enjoy a cup of hot cocoa (made with real cocoa powder, not the instant hot chocolate variety) as a lower-fat chocolate alternative.

But let’s be real: If indulging your sweet tooth with a box from your sweetie makes you happy as a lark, then by all means don’t let us get in the way of your Valentine’s Day bliss. Just get back to your usual fruit plate (also high in antioxidants with far fewer calories) for dessert tomorrow.