Get Your Chocolate, But Don't Go Calorie Crazy

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Okay I will confess, I honestly don't think I ever go a day without chocolate.

I have a special drawer at work. It's my secret stash of chocolate. (I am aware that's not a healthy behavior!)

On the good side of things, I try to eat dark chocolate. Research says it's an antioxident.

But scientists aren't saying we all should all scarf down five packages of dark chocolate Dove candy bits. (Oh, but they are so wonderful!)

So here's my quick tip to handle chocolate cravings and not go into a sugar daze.

I take a glass of skim milk and microwave it for about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Meanwhile, I put Hershey's dark cocoa powder (no sugar) and two packets of Splenda into a mug. Then I pour in the warm (or hot) milk and stir it all up.

No added sugar!

Compare that to, say, a snack-sized bottle of cranberry juice.

Sure, it's packed with vitamin C.

But be careful. Don't gulp down too much.

One 10-ounce bottle of cranberry juice has 45 grams of sugar. (That's about 10-11 teaspoons of sugar.) And the label says, "100% juice..no sugar added."

Hope this is a good idea for you!

Jeannie Blaylock

By the way, if you have a nifty and tasty idea to avoid needless calories, send in your idea to biggestloser@firstcoastnews.com.

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