Facebook Pixel

Indulge in Chocolate, Guilt-Free and Under 150 Calories

By HERWriter
 
Rate This
chocolate under 150 calories: indulge, without guilt Lev Dolgachov/PhotoSpin

There is no question, many of us ladies have a love affair with chocolate. However, there is no need to worry about cheating on your diet if you are straying in a healthy way.

According to the Cleveland Clinic your heart won’t get broken if you're indulging in this rich, dark treat. “Chocolate has gotten a lot of media coverage in recent years because it's believed that it may help protect your cardiovascular system. The reasoning being that the cocoa bean is rich in a class of plant nutrients called flavonoids.”

The problem that spoils the good-for-you flavanols is when chocolate is over-processed said the clinic.

“The good news is that most major chocolate manufacturers are looking for ways to keep the flavanols in their processed chocolates. But for now, your best choices are likely dark chocolate over milk chocolate (especially milk chocolate that is loaded with other fats and sugars) and cocoa powder that has not undergone Dutch processing (cocoa that is treated with an alkali to neutralize its natural acidity).”

WomensHealthMag.com agrees, saying, “Stick to healthy chocolate with at least 70 percent cacao (or cocoa, which is cacao in its roasted, ground form). As long as the content is that high, says Mary Engler, Ph.D., a professor of physiological nursing at the University of California at San Francisco, you can reap the benefits from eating only small amounts.”

Here are some delectable choices in various dessert forms. All of these are portion controlled and under 150 calories.

Enjoy an entire tin of sweetriot’s real cacao nibs covered in 65 percent dark chocolate. These cacao nibs are all natural, GMO-free, dairy-free, kosher and gluten-free. The entire tin is only 140 calories, 14 grams of carbs, 7 grams of sugar, 12 grams of fat and 2 grams of protein.

It is not a sin to indulge in Hail Merry’s Choco Macaroons which are gluten- and dairy-free. They also come in a Perfect Portion Control Shift Snack Pack.

The Choco Macaroons are made with organic maple syrup, organic shredded coconut, Fair trade dark cocoa, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic Madagascar bourbon vanilla and sea salt.

Each Shift Snack Pack is only 130 calories, 11 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs, 5 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

You’ll do more than wink at your chocolate lover with Wink Frozen Desserts. An entire pint of their Cocoa-dough is only 100 calories. The frozen treat is made from a vegetable pea protein and is minus the major food allergens as it is vegan, fat-free, sugar-free, soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and egg-free. A pint has 16 grams of carbs, zero sugar and 8 grams of protein.

Everyone knows that the best part of your chocolate love muffin is on top! Vitalicious Vita Tops wraps up the best part of the muffin in a perfect package. The All Natural 2 oz. Deep Chocolate Kosher Vita Tops are made with real cocoa, chocolate chips, whole wheat and organic sugar.

Each muffin top contains 100 calories, 1.5g fat, 9g fiber and 4g protein. They are a little higher in carbs at 26 grams and 11 grams of sugar.

Sources:

“Heart Prevention – ClevelandClinic.org.” The Cleveland Clinic. Web 24 Sept. 2013.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/nutrition/chocolate.aspx

“Health Benefits of Chocolate – WomensHealthMag.com.” Women’s Health Mag. Web 24 Sept. 2013.
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/benefits-of-chocolate

SweetRiot.com. Web 24 Sept. 2013.
http://shop.sweetriot.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=182

HailMerry.com. Web 24 Sept. 2013.
http://www.hailmerry.com/macaroons/channel7.html

Wink FrozenDesserts.com. Web 24 Sept. 2013.
http://www.winkfrozendesserts.com

Vitalicious.com. Web 24 Sept. 2013.
http://www.vitalicious.com/allnachvi1.html

Joanne Sgro-Killworth is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist and Publicist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training.
Joanne's fitness plans, recipes and lifestyle advice are available globally on her website www.happiwoman.com/ She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her husband and son, where she runs her fitness and publicity business, Fitness Answer, LLC.

Reviewed September 25, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Add a Comment5 Comments

Nice article very informative.

October 28, 2013 - 1:17pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

My favorite healthy chocolate is Wei of Chocolate. The pieces are only 30 calories each and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Organic, vegan, fair trade - they have it covered. And interesting flavors, too, like Himalayan pink salt, peppermint, chili, chai. Does a body & mind good!

September 28, 2013 - 6:28am

Joanne, love these tips! Great article...I even included it in today's newsletter as our feature story :)
See it here:
https://empowhermedia.infusionsoft.com/app/hostedEmail/7851979/21b41559e...

September 26, 2013 - 1:18pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

There actually is a manufacturer that uses a proprietary cold-press process of their cocoa beans. Furthermore, they have had the amount of antioxidants, as well as the amount of flavanols certified by an independent testing lab. It is vegan, caffeine free, diabetic friendly and gluten free. The US Trademark and Patent Office has given them the trademark on the words "healthy chocolate". You can check out all of their products at cocoa101.com.

September 25, 2013 - 3:50pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Thanks for this! I'm going to check out the link right now. I love my chocolate and like the idea of it being vegan and caffeine free! MKR

September 26, 2013 - 11:30am
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy
Add a Comment

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

Diet & Nutrition

Get Email Updates

Diet & Nutrition Guide

Have a question? We're here to help. Ask the Community.

ASK

Health Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER - for free!