It’s from the same company that makes Dove chocolates so it’s bound to taste good. But is CocoaVia also good for you?
Mars, Incorporated says its line of CocoaVia Brand Heart Healthy Snacks contain natural plant extracts clinically proven to reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol levels up to eight-percent.
The chocolates are also rich in flavanols – antioxidants naturally found in cocoa beans. Mars uses a patented process that guarantees 100 milligrams of flavanols in each serving.
FatFighterTV contacted Andrea Giancoli, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, to get an expert scoop on CocoaVia.
“The product contains plant sterols which block absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine thereby helping to decrease blood cholesterol,” explains Giancoli. “The flavanols naturally occurring in the cocoa plant seem to promote healthy blood flow and circulation and thereby may have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health.”
The chocolates have 80-140 calories and 3.5 grams of saturated fat or less per serving. They include dark chocolate and milk chocolate bars – some plain; others with ingredients like blueberries, almonds, and raisins.
I tried the milk chocolate. It has the same rich, creamy flavor as Dove chocolates, but with a bit of an aftertaste. It may be worth it for the health benefits – if you don’t mind the price. CocoaVia costs $4.99 for a package of five chocolate bars – basically a dollar a bar.
“The product certainly contains some potentially heart healthy components, but it is by no means cheap,” says Giancoli. “The question is can you derive these benefits from other foods and save some dollars?”
If you want to try CocoaVia, Giancoli says think of it as a treat that’s part of a well balanced diet.
Ok now those might taste good, but as with anything that Mars or Hersheys puts out, it’s got very little chocolate and tons of additives and preservatives in it. So while it may be less fat, it’s also not likely to be good for you all around.
What most people don’t know – though it’s been getting alot more press lately is that natural dark chocolate tastes great – AND is actually very good for you. Chocolates with a high cacao content actually help fight heart disease. Good dark chocolate has a high cacao content AND very little sugar in it – making it an ideal sweet for dieters and those with diabetes.
While very high quality dark chocolate used to be hard to find, it’s becoming quite mainstream. The best selection I’ve seen is at Chatham’s Fine Chocolates, where theres a selection of some 100 plus dark chocolate bars.
Generally speaking, look for bars that have an 85% or higher cacao content (Hershey’s, Mars, etc. usually have less than 10%). Contrary to popular belief a high cacao content does not necessarily make the chocolate bitter – I’m eating a Theo bar right now that’s actually quite sweet but has very little calories or carbs compared to what you might expect.