Gerbs Allergy Friendly Dark Chocolate Chips – Jumbo Size (Semi Sweet Cacao) were sourced by the Buyers at Gerbs who partner with the world’s top dedicated natural, non-GMO, and organic farms which harvest in dedicated facilities on dedicated equipment, so there is no risk of top food allergies and/or cross contamination. Gerbs Dark Chocolate Chips – Miniatures (Semi Sweet Cacao) contain only Organic Cane Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate and Non-Dairy Cocoa Butter. Our Allergy Friendly Dutch Cocoa Powder only contains cocoa powder! Cocoa powder is what you get when you press most of the cocoa butter out of cocoa nibs and grind the rest to a powder. All of the flavonol-related health benefits come from the cocoa.

What is Cocoa Butter?

Cocoa butter is the fat that is in the cacao bean. It melts at human body temperature, and chocolate generally contains some amount of cocoa butter since it gives the finished chocolate product the “mouthfeel” that most people expect chocolate to have.

What is Dark Chocolate?

Dark chocolate is a type of chocolate that is made from cocoa solids, sugar, and cocoa butter without the milk. They are also sometimes called plain chocolate, brown chocolate or sour chocolate. The cocoa present in the dark chocolate made it rich in flavor and deep in color with a bitter taste. They have a dark texture than the milk chocolate.

It is considered very high in flavanols with relatively high proportion than the milk chocolate that makes is very nutritious and delicious. When we say that dark chocolate has a high percentage of cacao or cocoa it means that it has a higher amount of flavanols. So due to the high amount of flavanols dark chocolate has a range of health-related benefits such as lower blood pressure and cognitive function etc. It contains a cocoa percentage of 75% to 80 or 90% for a much darker texture. Various studies show that chocolate with above 70% cocoa is considered the best.

It is considered a great alternative to the other types of chocolates such as milk chocolate, raw chocolate, organic chocolate and many more like that.

NUTRITIONAL/ HEALTH BENEFITS OF DARK CHOCOLATE 

Dark chocolate is loaded with many nutrients and is considered the rich source of antioxidants that positively affect your health.

Did you know that the cocoa in dark chocolate contains high concentrations of flavonoids that may provide health benefits such as decreasing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease? Compared to green tea, red wine, and many fruits and vegetable ounce for ounce, the cocoa in dark chocolate has greater flavonoid content. Gluten Free (including Wheat Free), Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Legume Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free, Mustard Free, Sesame Free.

It offers many health-related benefits some of which are as under.

1. Improved Heart Health:

One of the most important health benefits of eating dark chocolate is that it reduces the chances of heart-related diseases. Studies show that eating dark chocolate multiple times a week can cut out more than 50% chances of your heart diseases.  Some studies have found that the cocoa present in it has lowered the oxidized LDL cholesterol levels but also increased the HDL cholesterol levels. So the higher levels of oxidized LDL create heart-related problems. But the high amount of antioxidants present in the cocoa prevents the LDL level from getting oxidized.

2. Improve Brain Function:

Eating dark chocolate regularly has a tremendous effect on brain function. According to one study, the flavanols present in it enhances neuroplasticity which is the ability of the brain to recognize itself in a grave situation like disease or injury.

Another study found a very close association between the regular consumption of dark chocolate and cognitive performance. So eating a couple of squares daily will keep your mood and brain function in good condition.

3. Helps Protects Your Skin:

The flavanols present in the dark chocolate enhances blood circulation in your body that can protect your skin against the sun damage.

4. Fights against Cancer:

According to a study conducted by an America cancer society, the flavanols present in the cocoa beans helps protect the body cells that help in fighting against cancer. One report suggests the high amount of flavanols present in the cocoa helps in fighting against cancer. The report recommends cocoa powder over dark chocolate due to the unsaturated fat content present in the dark chocolate.

5. Rich in Antioxidants:

Dark chocolate and cocoa are considered the rich source of antioxidants than the other foods. They are loaded with flavanols, polyphenols and catechins that are biologically active and function as antioxidants.

6. Highly Nutritious:

Quality dark chocolate is considered very notorious due to the highest amount of fiber, copper, magnesium and other minerals present in it. A bar of quality chocolate is one that has a higher cocoa content present in them. The recommended amount of cocoa in any dark chocolate is 70% to 85%.

ALLERGY FREE! THIS IS WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY OUR DARK CHOCOLATE IS ALLERGY FREE: Gluten Free (including Wheat Free), Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Legume Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free, Mustard Free, Sesame Free, Lupine Free and Casein Free.