{"id":5915,"date":"2019-03-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-27T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=5915"},"modified":"2025-10-27T23:21:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T23:21:05","slug":"dessert-can-be-healthy-and-taste-good-chocolate-bark-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/dessert-can-be-healthy-and-taste-good-chocolate-bark-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Dessert can be \u2018healthy\u2019 and still taste good \u2014 try this dark chocolate bark","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Take a minute to reimagine dessert. What if you could make dessert better for you without sacrificing flavor? It would be like having your cake and eating it, too.<\/p>\n

A few years ago, renowned Harvard nutrition scientist Walter Willett challenged chefs to create desserts utilizing the \u201cthree pleasures\u201d \u2014 dark chocolate, fruit and nuts \u2014 which are some of the healthiest foods on the planet.<\/p>\n

Fruit is refreshing and naturally sweet. It brings a burst of color to the plate and vitamins and minerals that help protect against heart disease and diabetes. Dried fruit works well when fresh is out of season.<\/p>\n

Nuts provide a satisfying crunch and richness. They are a great source of healthy fat, protein and fiber. Just a handful of nuts a day has been associated with a decrease in all-cause mortality \u2014 that\u2019s science speak for a handful of nuts a day keeps disease away.<\/p>\n

Dark chocolate offers a wide range of flavors. Remember that the higher the cocoa percentage, the less sweet it will be, so 60-70 percent or higher is a nice complement to the sweetness of fruit.<\/p>\n

Seventy-percent chocolate is 70 percent cocoa butter and cocoa solids (by weight) and about 30 percent sugar. The chocolate is the favorable content, while the sugar is not so favorable; but in dark chocolate, the ratio is good.<\/p>\n

Dark chocolate is a cardiovascular health food, according to David Katz, a physician well-known for his expertise in nutrition. It\u2019s a high-calorie food, so the dose makes the poison. We don\u2019t know what the optimal \u201cdose\u201d is, but 60 percent cocoa or higher is recommended.<\/p>\n

For our health, it does not seem to matter if chocolate has been \u201cDutched\u201d (alkalinized). Some cocoa powder is alkalized to give it a more mellow, smooth flavor, and making it easier to mix with other ingredients.<\/p>\n

Dark chocolate has a high concentration of arginine, an amino acid that is a precursor to nitric oxide, which make blood vessels dilate. Its effects improve blood flow and make platelets less sticky.<\/p>\n

Dark chocolate can also lower blood pressure. It doesn\u2019t have the attribute of stimulating appetite, like milk chocolate does, because of the bitter properties. Sweetness stimulates appetite, while bitterness tends to blunt appetite, so it\u2019s kind of self-regulating. It\u2019s a healthy indulgence. According to Dr. Katz, it is an example of a healthy food that loves us back.<\/p>\n

Aggressively pursue flavor. Create your own favorite \u201cperfecta trifecta.\u201d Think beyond the dessert menu \u2014 hold the white flour, unhealthy fats and added sugar and rehab your taste buds to begin to enjoy these three pleasures.<\/p>\n

Here are some ideas:<\/p>\n