Monday, March 9, 2009

The Upside of Chocolate

Most of us have heard it at one age or another, “chocolate is bad for you Jimmy! It will rot your teeth clean out of your head and make you fat”, or at least something along those lines: mothers everywhere frantically search for ways to keep this sweet treat away from their children’s teeth. Not to mention the insane energy kids are known to get from chocolate. Perhaps though, this is all just nonsense. That’s right moms, chocolate is one type of candy which is actually good for you in moderation, so don’t panic. As long as your little ones brush their teeth and avoid it at bedtime, chocolate is not going to be bad for them.

In fact, chocolate is a great source of calcium, iron, potassium, and various vitamins. What? Did we just say that candy has health benefits? Yes, we did and it actually does. In moderation, chocolate can actually provide your body with the things it needs in a form which actually tastes good for a change. It’s understandable to be shocked by the fact that something so delicious can be so healthy, especially since most health foods don’t taste good at all. But chocolate is a whole other story.

Not good enough yet? If you’re still having trouble being convinced that this type of candy can actually have something good to offer, check this out: chocolate candy not only provides your body with these necessary things, but it also helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Don’t stop yet though, chocolate candy contains a powerful chemical called Nitric Oxide. This chemical is what helps keep your blood pumping rationally, so if your heart is beating like crazy from all of this information, go ahead, grab a bar of chocolate and believe it. After all, we wouldn’t want to deprive our bodies of something so great, would we?

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

The Chocolaty Treasure

It seems that people never get sick of chocolate nowadays. Known for its broken heart healing powers and amazingly delicious variations, chocolate has always been in style. It’s no wonder, with the many variations of chocolate available today. Candy is a favorite among many people because the sweet treats can come in any flavor your heart desires, and chocolate candy definitely makes up about half of these yummy deviations. Whether you’re in the mood for a little fruit or a little peanut taste, everything’s good when accompanied by chocolate. Chocolate candy has been around for ages, and has been tried with almost everything. Some people have even tried chocolate coated bugs! Can you say brave? With chocolate candy making such a splash in the candy world, it’s no wonder that people keep coming up with more ideas. Chocolate drinks, chocolate foods, chocolate cakes and chocolate bars, it goes great with everything.

No matter where you go, you’re sure to find some sort of chocolate candy circulating, and this candy is so universal that there are many people around who don’t know what it is. What is it though? We all know that it’s the tasty stuff which comes in different colors, shapes, flavors, sizes and wrappings, but what is it really? Most types of chocolate candy are made from milk and cocoa, among a few other ingredients. People everywhere are enjoying this delight, and it’s really not even all that bad for you because it contains calcium! That’s right moms: your kids weren’t lying when they pleaded with you that chocolate doesn’t just hurt their teeth. Chocolate candy is one of the healthiest candies available today actually, and when you get it sugar free, or if you choose more organic whole chocolate (or darker chocolate), it’s even better for you and for your kids!

The Best Party Candy

So, are you wondering what kind of candy to keep around the house for your party? Well, there is more to buying candy for a party than just loading up the shopping cart and writing a cheque! You have to consider the age groups of the guests attending, the activities that you have organized, what you are celebrating, and even the general mood of the get together. Is it a themed holiday, or just a get together? Does your candy need to follow any specific general rules? For example, displaying Christmas-style candy on the 4th of July might not look so great!

Remember not to buy hard candy if there are going to be little kids. Also, if it is a party for adults, you might rather have chocolate covered cherries than pixie sticks! Keep jars of assorted candy at the ready and filled up for your guests. If you do this though, try to keep the sweets individually wrapped, so that the flavor won’t affect the taste of the other sweets, otherwise you will end up with a whole jar of awful tasting candy.

Also, if you get jelly beans, try not to get flavors which are too weird. Try to get flavors everyone loves, for example blueberry, lemon and strawberry. Most importantly, don’t forget to consider your guest’s preferred tastes and plan accordingly. And don’t worry: most types of candy are kind of universal, in the way that everyone loves them! Remember that if you like to eat it, odds are everyone else will and if it is your favorite, odds are good that it is also the favorite of 90% of your guests as well. Everyone likes candy, so if you secure some great types for your party, everyone will find a snack to enjoy. So have fun, good luck, and enjoy the party!