Although chocolate can sometimes be associated with unhealthy habits, like eating too much sugar, dark chocolate has many redeeming qualities.
“Dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, regulate blood sugar, and neutralize free radicals in the body,” Brittany Brown, RD, IBCLC, CDE, founder of Feeding Babies Nourishing Souls in Nova Scotia, Canada, told Health.
The antioxidants in dark chocolate can also boost your mood and support heart health. “Cocoa flavanols have been shown to enhance cognition and mental clarity, too,” Jessica Strawn, MA, RDN, a registered dietitian in Houston, Texas, told Health.
Keep reading for nine tasty and creative ways to add dark chocolate to your everyday eating routine without overdoing it.
When it comes to baking, there’s typically plenty of added sugar already in the mix, so there’s no need to add more with milk or semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Instead, substitute these ingredients with dark chocolate chips or a chopped-up dark chocolate bar.
This swap will not only increase the healthfulness of your recipe, but dark chocolate’s bitterness is the perfect contrast to the sweetness of most baked goods.
Mole is a rich Mexican purée made from chilis, nuts, spices, and unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder that’s poured over meats, vegetables, or enchilada-style casseroles.
This sauce is also the perfect way to add just a small amount of unsweetened dark chocolate into your day.
While many store-bought trail mix options are sugar-laden due to the addition of milk chocolate, candy-coated chocolate, or sweetened fruit, making it at home gives you greater control of the final product.
Combine a variety of nutrient-dense nuts, such as pecans, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, and hazelnuts, with unsweetened dried fruit and dark chocolate chips for a perfectly balanced blend.
Cocoa nibs are unprocessed cacao (the plant from which chocolate is made) with a rich chocolate flavor and no added sugar. They also boast all the same health benefits as dark chocolate.
Cocoa nibs also have a super satisfying crunch, which makes them excellent in a variety of recipes, from smoothies and oatmeal to chia pudding and baked goods.
Though often viewed as a nostalgic sweet treat, warm chocolate-infused drinks are actually fantastic for integrating a little bit of dark chocolate into your routine without too much pro-inflammatory added sugar.
“Add unsweetened cocoa powder heated in milk, soy milk, or oat milk and mixed with coffee for a morning boost,” Strawn recommended.
You can also forgo the coffee and add a little bit of sweetener for a healthier take on hot cocoa.
When a sweet tooth strikes you, dip fruit in dark chocolate.
Fruit naturally provides all the sweetness needed to balance the bitter flavor of minimally sweetened dark chocolate. Bananas, strawberries, apples, mangoes, pears, and kiwis are great candidates for this.
Mixing a little dark chocolate into your breakfast can be a sweet way to start the day. You can add dark chocolate to a smoothie, oatmeal bake, loaded toast, or muesli.
“For a tasty muesli, mix oatmeal, chia seeds, pecans, pumpkin, flax, and sesame seeds, then top with a thin layer of dark chocolate chips and milk for a nutrient-packed meal,” Strawn said.
A whole grain slice of toast topped with your favorite nut butter and a drizzle of melted dark chocolate is also delightful.
Yogurt is a protein-packed way to start, bridge, or end your day—and it’s made all the better with dark chocolate.
Whether it’s dark chocolate chips, cocoa nibs, cocoa powder, or melted dark chocolate, all of these are ideal additions to yogurt, fruit, and granola bowls. You could even freeze this blend for a healthier frozen yogurt.
For the perfect bite of dark chocolate, try rimming your drink glasses with cocoa powder.
Whether it’s your morning latte, afternoon smoothie, or evening mocktail (or cocktail), all of these popular beverages can be made even more delicious with the addition of a little dark chocolate.
