Good Cacao - Mandarin Orange bar - Aug. 7, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Good Superfood
Good Cacao - Mandarin Orange Superfood Chocolate bar
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in total bar
Calories: 78 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $0 - sample from Good Superfood
Purchased from: N/A - sample from Good Superfood

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Health Theme Week.

Yesterday, I featured the Nutriberi Superfruit Blend dark chocolate bar from Good Superfood (Boise, ID); and today I enjoyed another dark chocolate (72% cacao) Superfood Chocolate bar from this same company.

Today's Mandarin Orange Superfood Chocolate bar was also made with single origin, raw Ecuadorian (Rainforest Alliance Certified) cacao. It was infused with a light, natural orange citrus flavor (organic orange oil and bitter orange extract) with a barely detectable hint of Madagascar vanilla. Peruvian lucuma and maca added a slight, mellow sweetness.

This bar was part of a line of Superfood bars with added nutrient-dense ingredients that have shown promise in health-related studies. The company has partnered with nutraceutical companies who are able to supply proprietary blends of nutrients and other additions. For example, the Mandarin Orange bar contained Floraglo Lutein, Sensoril Ashwagandha, Probiotics (part of a CocoaNourish antioxidant blend) and Synetrim CQ.

The bar was also vegan, gluten-free, and made with non-GMO ingredients. 

Good Cacao - Nutriberi Superfruit bar - Aug. 6, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Good Superfood LLC
Good Cacao - Nutriberi Superfruit Blend bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.15 oz. (33.3 g.) in 2/3 bar / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) total bar
Calories: 185 calories in 2/3 bar
Cost: $ N/A - sample from Good Cacao
Purchased from: N/A - sample from Good Cacao

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Health Theme Week.

This week I've written about organic and raw chocolate, probiotics, inclusions of fruits, berries, herbs and fungi (mushrooms) that have shown nutritive promise. But, none of these bars quite approach the precise formulations of the Good Cacao Superfood Chocolate bars developed by Good Superfood (Garden City, ID) founder Paul Frantellizi in partnership with a few large nutraceutical companies and natural medicine proponent, Dr. Michael T. Murray.

"Functional Chocolate"
The Good Cacao line of chocolate bars is described as the first "Functional Chocolate" made from raw cacao and superfoods from South America + patented nutraceutical blends. I've referred to superfoods as nutrient-dense edibles that may be beneficial to one's health. The company has referenced their use of (and perhaps the re-discovery of) superfoods as "ancient foods for a modern culture." Well put.

And, there is a large set of people in the U.S. who love to try new products in the name of health, and/or have tired of overly processed, nutrient-poor foods in the past few decades. In any case, Rather than create a one-size fits all healthy chocolate, the company is offering bars with different formulations of superfood ingredients to match what a consumer might be looking for.

Good Cacao
If you're wondering if you'll have to sacrifice taste for health properties, fear not. If you were to offer this chocolate to someone, in a blind taste test, they'd be unlikely to guess it had been supercharged with superfood items. This bar tasted far better than many other superfood bars with cacao on the market.

Today's Good Cacao Nutriberi Superfruit Blend bar was made with 72% dark chocolate (Organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified, Heirloom Ecuadorian cacao), and had a pleasing fruit note. Blueberry and raspberry crisps added some soft crunch, tasted natural, and harmonized well with the chocolate. This bar was vegan, gluten-free, and was made with Non-GMO ingredients.

Other ingredients in this Nutriberi bar included: pomegranate, maqui, Peruvian lucuma and maca, and four proprietary blends: NutriHeart, CocoaNourish, PalmNourish and NutriPlankton. I don't know if I could list everything in these blends, but they contain antioxidant oils and other nutrient dense items. (See website for more details.)

Attune Milk Chocolate Crisp Probiotic bar - August 5, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Attune Foods, Inc.
attune Probiotic Chocolate Bar
Good+
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 90 calories
Cost: not known (misplaced receipt)
Purchased from not known (misplaced receipt)

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Health Theme Week.

Another trend in the health foods (and chocolate) sections in local stores has to do with a growing awareness about probiotics, fermented foods, and the importance of "good" gut flora/bacteria in our digestive system. (Some research studies have shown that this good bacteria can also help displace less desirable bacteria and yeasts.)

This Attune Probiotic Milk Chocolate Crisp bar was from Attune Foods, Inc. (San Francisco, CA). The convenient, pocket-sized bar provided a dose of milk chocolate and healthy Howaru probiotics (from Danisko). Crispy pieces of rice were embedded in smooth milk chocolate, adding a light, crunchy texture. Another plus: added calcium provided 25 percent of the adult recommended daily allowance.

This one bar included "6.1 billion probiotic CPUs of three of the most clinically tested strains: bifidobacterium lactis HN019, lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and lactobacilus casei LC-11 along with inulin, a prebiotic." 

Windy City Organics - rawmio Superfood Bark - August 4, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Windy City Organics - Rawmio
Rawmio - Organic Gourmet Active Superfood Raw Chocolate Bark
Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar
Calories: 132 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Health Theme Week. "Health" is a relative, and occasionally rather slippery, term that requires weighing one's individual needs and evokes long and wordy posts this week full of disclaimers. However, I believe one's health is worth exploring when it comes to chocolate as a food.

This Rawmio "Organic Gourmet Active Superfood Raw Chocolate Bark" from Windy City Organics (Northbrook, IL) offers two attributes (and several add-in ingredients) that may contribute to one's health.

Organic
First, using "organic" ingredients removes some toxic chemicals. This omission may benefit those who are more sensitive to pesticides, herbicides and GMO ingredients.

Second, the antioxidants and nutrients in this superfood bar: cacao, mulberries, chia seeds, red clover, mushrooms and maca, may be more intact, or "active," with less heat or processing, i.e. when raw.

Raw
Raw food items are processed at much lower temperatures, and some believe raw foods are better and healthier than cooked food. Forgoing longer (or any) roasts (of cacao beans) and processing chocolate and lower temperatures may help preserve antioxidants and other nutrients. However, unroasted cacao also creates a different flavor profile; some like it, and some prefer more complex roasted flavors.

The only risk I see in "raw" (anything) is that by eliminating the higher temperatures you also may be eliminating that step which kills undesirable bacteria that can exist in rare cases. But the only time I've run into this issue was in the middle of a Central American jungle with no refrigeration -- i.e. one chocolate out of 2,800+ different chocolates I've eaten since 2006 made me sick. That's a better record than some salads and meats I've eaten, so I'm willing to take that chance.

Rawmio Superfood bar

This Rawmio organic raw chocolate bar (more bar than bark) was thick with a substantial layer of bits on one side of the bar. Coconut sugar-sweetened cacao nibs, chia seeds, berry and clover bits provided some crunchy and slightly chewy texture, and the other ingredients adhered to the dark bar base made you feel you were getting your money's worth of mulberries and mushrooms* (there was no identifiable mushroom taste). A hint of maca provided some additional, natural malty sweetness.

*Mushrooms can be a source of B vitamins, trace minerals and antioxidants, in case you are wondering what they might be doing on this chocolate. (This bar contained a blend of chaga, reishi, cordyceps and lion's mane mushroom bits.) They also can add nutrients without extra fat, sugar, calories or salt.

Betty Lou's - Cacao + Acai bar - August 3, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Betty Lou's Inc.
Just Great Stuff - Cacao + Acai bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Health Theme Week.

This gluten free, vegan and dairy-free "Just Great Stuff" Cacao + Acai bar from Betty Lou's Inc. (Oakland, CA) had a satisfying roasted cacao nib taste and crunchy texture, and was infused with pleasing acai berry flavor.

Berries and other foods with high antioxidant and Omega 3 profiles have long been recommended by nutritionists are part of a healthy diet. (Omega 3s can help reduce inflammation, a factor that figures into many ailments.)

Dark purple acai berries grow in the Amazon and taste a bit like what a blueberry grown in a palm tree in a tropical forest might taste like -- with a few hints of blackberry, purple grape and pomegranate. People have likened the taste of acai to dark chocolate. (Both contain relatively high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols, and both are found on many "superfood" lists.) Acai berries also contain monosaturated oleic acid (similar to olive oil) and omega fatty acids that have attracted interest.

This acai berry flavor was well integrated and balanced with the dates, raw cashews and goji berries in this bar. I also liked that this Cacao + Acai bar wasn't overly sweet. Some glossy, compressed fruit and seed/nut bars are more attractive, and "all natural," but contain too much fruit sugar for my taste.

Just Add Great Exercise
How do I add more "health" to my chocolates? The phrase "Just Great Stuff" was printed on this label. I would add: Just take your chocolate(s) on a great walk or hike. (Today's walk was at Crissy Field, San Francisco.)

Kuli Kuli Moringa Superfood bar - Aug. 2, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Kuli Kuli, Inc.
Moringa Superfood - Dark Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Health Theme Week, with a focus on superfoods, and nutrient-dense inclusions.

What Are Superfoods?
Superfoods are nutrient-dense edible plants, fruits and vegetables that can contribute to human health. Cacao is often on the superfood list. It's high in antioxidants, and contains magnesium, iron and other nutrients and active substances. Berries (e.g. blueberries, goji berries) also appear on top 5 superfoods lists. Admittedly, "superfood" is also a word or phrase used to sell products -- a short-hand term in a complex world that says, you should eat this. It's good for you.

Most people in the U.S. could benefit from inclusion of more fresh fruit and vegetable items into a balanced diet. But, I'm not an expert in these matters, and individual health conditions need to be considered. (Bananas full of potassium may be great for some athletes, but not for others on restricted diets, or failing kidneys.)

Every few years, a new exotic item will appear on this growing list of superfoods.

What is Moringa?

kulikulifoods.com/moringa

A few years ago, I started hearing about moringa, from the Moringa Oleifera, a tree that grows in hot climates (e.g. Africa, Southern California, or Florida). Often available as a green powder, moringa is relatively high in calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C (see graphic from Kuli Kuli at right). (Note: Cacao contains oxalic acid, which can inhibit calcium absorption so, I'm thinking, the calcium in moringa might be beneficial in a chocolate bar. I don't know if cacao would neutralize this calcium or not.)

I first read about today's Moringa Superfood bar from Kuli Kuli Inc. (Oakland, CA) in this article-post by Courtney Rubin on the "Details" website. Moringa comes from the leaves of a tree that grows in hot climates (e.g. Africa, Southern California, or Florida).

Kuli Kuli and Moringa
Kuli Kuli imports moringa from womens co-ops in West Africa, to make their line of gluten-free, vegan bars. Today's Dark Chocolate Moringa bar was made with a short list of ingredients -- all of which could be illustrated with picture icons: dates, almonds, cherries, dark chocolate, agave and moringa. (No pictures of test tubes or fillers here. So far, so good.)

How did the bar taste? Earthy, moist and chewy, slightly crunchy and sweet, with occasional bursts of chocolate (chips/chunks), and a green powder (the moringa) I could only identify as a plant of some sort, that looked and tasted a bit like a matcha green tea salad. Not bad. (I like matcha, and salads.)

Art Sensation - Girl with a Pearl Earring chocolate - August 1, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Art Sensation - Anat Ratzabi
Girl with a Pearl Earring chocolate
Good +
Weight: .25 oz. (7 g.) / 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (estimate) total package
Calories: 37.5 calories (estimate) for 1/4 package
Cost: N/A - gift from friend
Purchased from: N/A - gift from friend traveling in Netherlands

In the spirit of sharing great works of art, I'm happy to feature today's Art Sensation chocsimile (chocolate facsimile) of an homage to painter J. Vermeer's "The Girl with a Pearl Earring."

Coated with a pearly, edible bronze finish, this smooth, creamy (53.8% cocoa) Belgian chocolate, designed by sculptor Anat Ratzabi, looked suitable for framing. (Pearl earring not included.)

Thank you Toni for bringing this back from The Netherlands!