Hershey's Air Delight Promotes More Mindless Eating

Hershey's Air Delight - I don't know about this, but I'd like to say a few words about it.  I'm sure we've all seen the bubbly commercial about Hershey Kiss's new Air Delight chocolate.  I'll admit, they look divine...but I squealed out loud the first time I saw it!  As if people don't already have enough of a problem just eating one Hershey Kiss to begin with - I think that selling a bag of aerated bites of chocolate will only further encourage mindless, over-eating.  This whole idea is genius for Hershey's because it's a way to get you to eat more of their chocolates by adding some air to each morsel so that there are less calories, and so that you blow through the bag thinking it's a smarter choice than the regular Hershey Kisses.  This is a recipe for disaster...

Unfortunately, when you add sugar, milk and other additives that you can't pronounce to chocolate...it's no longer chocolate, it's candy.  Forget about all of the health benefits of chocolate when eating these types of products, those other ingredients cross it right out!  Let's also not forget, Hershey's is one of the major companies out there that refuses to label their products are non-GMO because they use genetically modified organisms in their ingredients.  I don't care how pretty or yummy those Kisses look in this commercial, that is NOT something I want to sit down and indulge in.

So, just a few words about the chocolate we should be reaching for and how we should eat it, because believe it or not, dark chocolate is a part of a healthy diet!

Go for 70% Dark Chocolate

You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate. Be sure to look for a brand that contains at least 70% cocoa.

Choose Fair Trade

The cacao trees are very delicate; generally they use small children to pick the pods.  When purchasing chocolate you want to make sure to look for the fair trade symbol.  This signifies that this is non-GMO and sustainability for environment as well as child labor laws.

Skip the Milk

It may taste good but some research shows that milk chocolate, or washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body.

Taste the Chocolate

Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it. Professional chocolate tasters have developed a system for tasting chocolate that include assessing the appearance, smell, feel and taste of each piece.  Keep in mind, when you're enjoying a piece of real dark chocolate, you'll want to make this moment special and take the time to savor and enjoy it.  A practice in mindfulness for sure!  

But On The Negative Side...

1. Chocolate may trigger headaches in migraine sufferers. Sorry guys.  Reach for CAROB!  

2. Chocolate is considered dangerous to animals because it contains a stimulant called theobromine, which they can't digest. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are even more dangerous because they contain higher concentrations of the substance. This applies whether chocolate is in candy bar form, or an ingredient in cake, cookies, puddings or ice cream. If a pet becomes ill after eating chocolate, take it to the vet immediately.

3. Even though it may be healthy, dark chocolate can be very caloric. Savor and enjoy a piece a day,

not a bar!