Many of my clients make a point of telling me in our first session together that they cannot give up chocolate. In fact, they are so certain that I will advise them to give it up, that they believe that they will be unable to lose weight. They couldn’t be more wrong.

“A woman’s love for chocolate can range from a casual affair to the declaration that chocolate is better than sex” according to Dr. Susan Mitchell, in her book I’d Kill for a Cookie. If you are like most women, you may think of chocolate as your “go to “ food, whether you are anxious, feeling low, craving a sweet, or just plain tired. And in fact, you will feel better as you eat it. This is because cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate, contains the amino acid Tryptophan, which makes serotonin, the neurotransmitter that promotes happy feelings and helps keep us from feeling depressed. It also contains theobromine, a stimulant that perks you up, and phenethylamine, a chemical that releases endorphins, causing you to feel good, and even in love! But we rarely eat plain raw cacao. It is made palatable with sugar, salt and fat, that addictive combination of chemicals that kicks up your dopamine level, at least temporarily. Once your body gets the hit, it acts quickly to limit the damage caused by the rush of sugar into your bloodstream, and you soon lose that euphoric feeling. Not to mention that nagging desire for more than one candy bar. And then there are those guilt feelings about “splurging” on fattening food when your weight seems to be climbing and your clothes don’t fit anymore. So maybe we just need to bite the bullet and give it up?

Uh–uh! Now way! Absolutely not! And there is no reason to! Cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate, appears to be an extremely nutritional food. It has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea. In fact, raw cacao has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world! It is also a good source of minerals, such as magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese; plus some of the B Vitamins (especially good for vegetarians and vegans who tend to run low on B Vitamins). It contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, which is believed to raise the level of the “good cholesterol” known as HDL cholesterol, in your blood stream. Fresh cacao beans are rich in flavanols, which helps maintain healthy blood flow, reduce high blood pressure and have been shown to help fight cancer, heart disease and strokes. So what’s the problem?

The “problem” is the added ingredients. There are many types of chocolate and most have loads of sugar, salt and saturated fats. Become a sleuth. Look for dark chocolate, the darker the chocolate, the more cacao, the more cacao, the greater the health benefits. And, the darker the chocolate, the less your taste buds need to feel satisfied! Still, dark chocolate can be loaded with unhealthy and fattening ingredients, so you must read the label. Look for the lowest amount of saturated fat, zero trans fat and less than 8 grams of sugar per serving. Cacao percentage should above 75%, organic, raw or processed at low temperatures, organic and non-genetically modified (non-GMO). Dark chocolate is not light on calories so think of chocolate as a luxurious food that you eat in small amounts. Plan when you will enjoy your chocolate and instead of feeling guilty, bask in the knowledge that you are supporting your body with every bite!