In today’s Longevity Kitchen episode, we are highlighting one of my very favorite foods in the whole world: dark chocolate. Chocolate is universally adored and appreciated by people everywhere as the world’s favorite sweet treat. Beyond the fact that it’s delicious and versatile, dark chocolate has specific and proven health benefits. Don’t feel guilty; grab a piece of dark chocolate and savor the flavor. Chocolate comes from cacao, which is found in the seeds of football-shaped pods that grow on the cacao tree. So yes, there IS such a thing as a chocolate forest! I’ve never been in one, but I’m SO ready to go! Today I’m telling you why dark chocolate is good for us, along with a brief history of chocolate, the differences in types of chocolate, and I’m sharing some delicious recipes. I created a new recipe for Dark Chocolate, Pecan, and Dried Cherry Clusters; they are crunchy and yummy and very easy to make. I’ll also highlight a few favorites from my Recipe Roundup, which includes 40 recipes from some fellow dietitians who also love dark chocolate. Join me for this delicious adventure!   Show Highlights: The basics to know about dark chocolate: Cacao is high in magnesium and antioxidants. Dark chocolate has higher amounts of cacao and less sugar than milk chocolate. The health benefits are greater with dark chocolate than other varieties because of the phytonutrients, which may play a role in cancer prevention and heart health. Other health benefits of dark chocolate include reduced inflammation, lower blood pressure, better cholesterol levels, improved cognition, better mood, better gut health, and improved blood sugar levels. There is some evidence of dark chocolate preventing memory loss and lowering the risk of Type-2 diabetes.  The facts: dark chocolate has more antioxidants than green tea or red wine (The darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants.) How dark and how much? Choose a cacao content of 70% or higher, and eat about an ounce each day for maximum health benefits. We go WAY back for a brief history of chocolate, spanning the Olmec tribes of present-day Mexico in 1500 BC, the Mayans, Aztecs, and Spaniards. (It was in the early 1800s when chocolate became available to the masses, and aren’t we thankful?!) Important nutrients in dark chocolate include iron, fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium. Chocolate isn’t just for desserts; there are great savory recipes for Triple Chocolate Beef and Bean Chili and Eggplant Caponata. (I will be trying these!) My new recipe for Dark Chocolate, Pecan, and Dried Cherry Crunchy Clusters–they are made with dark chocolate chips, flaked cereal, chopped pecans, and dried unsweetened tart cherries. From the Dark Chocolate Recipe Roundup: From Laura @lauramali.com: Dark Chocolate Orange Mousse is made with dark chocolate, silken tofu, orange zest, agave syrup, kosher salt, orange-flavored liquor, and sliced strawberries. From Jackie @jackienewgent.com: Double Chocolate Banana Dessert Bread is made with whole wheat pastry flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, ripe bananas, chopped pistachios, vanilla and almond extracts, bittersweet chocolate chips, sugar, butter, and eggs.  From Kelly @kellyjonesnutrition.com: Vegan Turtles are made with dates, salt, walnuts or pecans, dark chocolate chips, and cayenne pepper. The differences in types of chocolate, like cocoa powder, dark chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate (which isn’t really chocolate at all!)   Resources History of Chocolate:  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/archaeology-chocolate-180954243/ Video of Cacao Bean Processing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_JuQCiKWUc   Savory recipes with dark chocolate: Triple Chocolate Beef and Bean Chili:  https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Triple-Chocolate-Beef-Bean-Chili/  Eggplant Caponata: https://www.saveur.com/gallery/Savory-Chocolate