Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bars

October is a month full of tasty treats and spooky goodies, but these things could leave us feeling a bit inflamed and fatigued by the time November rolls around. Lucky for you, we've created a healthy way to get our sweet fix without the guilt or icky feels...and we're sharing it with you!

Now, we know what you're thinking. Can chocolate bars actually healthy? Yes, but it's all about the ingredients. Extra virgin olive oil, when combined with dark chocolate, does absolute wonders for our heart health. Both are full of powerful antioxidants that help to significantly increase high-density lipoprotein ("good") cholesterol and decrease blood pressure. Did we also mention that both are just plain delicious?

With that information in mind, we knew something had to be done. We called up our good friends at Cerreta Candy Company in Glendale, Arizona and put our expertise together to create 3 uber delicious olive oil dark chocolate bars that provide some pretty sweet benefits for our bodies.

We are proud to unveil our 3 heart-healthy flavors: Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar with Sea Salt, Spicy Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar with Cayenne Pepper, and Nutty Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar with Almonds. Now it is important to remember that it is still a chocolate bar, designed for you to love and enjoy, so there is some sugar in there, but there are also a few ingredients that our bodies to benefit from. 

Our key ingredients and why we chose them:

1. Extra virgin olive oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or EVOO, the star of the show here at Queen Creek Olive Mill - you may have read up previously on how amazing this ingredient is for you, but if you are unfamiliar... Extra virgin olive oil is a wonderful source of monounsaturated fats which supports our metabolism and blood sugar levels. Its antioxidant content is incomparable to other oils on the market. Oleocanthal is one of the most potent polyphenols occurring in EVOO, provides numerous health benefits such as reduced risk of cancers, reduced risk of heart disease, increased cognitive function, and reduces overall inflammation.

For more in-depth information on EVOO CLICK HERE

2. Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder is a super food - it is chock-full of vitamins, minerals and is one of the most potent antioxidant-rich plants on the planet. The antioxidants found in cocoa are flavonoids and polyphenols. These antioxidants prevent inflammation and other oxidative-stress related issues such as heart disease, skin problems, cancers, etc. The darker the chocolate bar, the healthier it gets!

3. Almonds

Almonds are one of the healthiest nuts out there! They are densely full of nutrition - healthy fats, a bit of protein and lots of fiber and vitamins. Almonds have been studied to help reduce heart disease and improve cognitive function. They are also known to reduce overall inflammation in the body which in turn supports overall health. Almonds are also fantastic at supporting the regulation of blood sugar (which will slow the uptake of the sugar in the bar of chocolate!!) and keeping us feeling satisfied longer.

4. Cayenne

Cayenne pepper helps to increase blood circulation, which in turn can help with headaches, migraines, blood clots, stagnant circulation and lymph. It also tends to boost digestive capacity by increasing the metabolism and by moving bacteria, fungus and toxins through the body and eventually out of it. Now, some of these benefits will only occur when quite a bit is taken, but hey, having a chocolate bar infused with it can't hurt to get things moving, right?!

So basically, it is safe to conclude that these chocolate bars are far more guilt-free than your average Halloween candy.

Get your Olive Oil Dark Chocolate bars today!