We’ve rounded up some of our favorite beauty and wellness finds that are helping women feel confident, refreshed, and ready to make the most of summer. From skincare and beauty essentials to wellness must-haves and self-care favorites, each brand featured below brings something unique to the table. Whether you’re treating yourself or searching for your next favorite discovery, these products deserve a spot on your radar.

Intimate Wellness. Powered by Oxygen.

Experience CO2Lift® V, the patented carboxy treatment designed to deeply hydrate, support tissue health, and restore comfort where it matters most. Because confidence starts with feeling your best.

Get that Head-to-Toe Summer Glow from Within*

Support a more youthful glow and reverse the signs of aging—naturally—with SeroVital.* SeroVital activates HGH, your body’s own anti-aging peptide hormone.* HGH is associated with increased energy, decreased body fat, reduced fine lines and wrinkles, and deeper, more restorative sleep.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Fade Dark Spots & Refresh Your Skin with Musely

Ready for a summer skin glow-up? Musely offers dermatologist-prescribed treatments delivered to your door to help reduce dark spots, melasma, fine lines, and uneven skin tone. Personalized formulas make it easy to achieve brighter, healthier-looking skin—all from the comfort of home.

Fuel Your Summer Glow with Kroma Wellness

Looking and feeling your best starts from within. Kroma Wellness offers clean, nutrient-dense superfood lattes, smoothies, broths, and wellness essentials made with premium ingredients to support energy, digestion, and overall well-being. It’s an easy way to nourish your body while embracing your summer glow-up routine.

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Whether you’re looking to refresh your skincare routine, discover a new beauty favorite, or add simple wellness upgrades to your everyday life, these featured brands prove that a few thoughtful choices can make a big difference. Each one was selected for offering something that helps women look, feel, or live a little better this summer.

Here’s to feeling confident, embracing a little extra self-care, and making this your most radiant season yet. Happy shopping!

The post Glow Into Summer: 2026 Beauty and Wellness Guide appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Here’s a little inspiration for potato dishes sure to become favorites in 2016:

DIY potato chips: This is a super easy and delicious recipe. Boil a russet potato and a few purple potatoes for 5 minutes, drain, dry and cut into thin slices. Toss the freshly cut slices in one beaten egg white. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and evenly space the chips throughout the pan. Bake slices at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes, turning halfway through. Top chips with sea salt or a sprinkle of bleu cheese.

Season with new flavor favorites:  Spice up your baked or roasted potatoes with healthy toppings that really raise the bar on nutrition and flavor. Start with a plain, thick and creamy yogurt and a good source of protein. If you’re serious about spice, try adding a tablespoon of Sriracha and orange juice to a half-cup of your yogurt, mix, and add a dollop to your potatoes. Love a Mediterranean flair? Top your taters with Greek yogurt mixed with lemon, garlic, roasted red peppers and oregano.

Wholesome mashed potatoes: Mash your potatoes with a low-fat spread, Greek yogurt or skim milk for that creamy, delicious texture you love, without all the extra calories.

Slim-belly baked potato bar: Families will love a baked potato bar. Top a baked potato with ground turkey, salsa and light sour cream for taco night, or top your potatoes with tomato sauce, turkey pepperoni, Italian blend shredded cheese and other veggies for a pizza-style delight.

Grilled potatoes: Potatoes are the perfect addition to your backyard barbecue menu. Grilling potatoes adds a unique flavor you can’t get from the stove or oven. Create your own spud rub with onion powder, lemon pepper, paprika, sea salt and ground cumin and coat potatoes with a little extra virgin olive oil. Place the potatoes on a grill rack or basket, and within 15 minutes, you’ll have yourself the most spectacular side dish.

Customize a nutritious breakfast hash:  Drizzle a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet and add diced potatoes (fresh, frozen or refrigerated) with bell pepper and onion, cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. To serve with soft-cooked eggs, use a spoon and make 4 shallow depressions in the hash and carefully crack an egg into each hollowed-out spot. Cover the pan and cook eggs for 5 minutes, or until the whites are set and yolks are still runny, then serve immediately. Alternatively, scramble four eggs and top your hash. For a final touch, top with hot sauce or a sprinkle of tarragon, salsa or chimichurri sauce.

One medium-sized skin-on potato has just 110 calories and contains 45 percent of your daily value of vitamin C. On its own, a potato contains no fat, no sodium, no cholesterol and has more potassium than a banana. Healthy eating is so much better with foods you love and new ways to enjoy them. For more potato recipes, visit PotatoGoodness.com.

*BPT

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The goal of detoxing is to eliminate toxins in the body. Toxins are unusable products resulting from the metabolism of nutrients, pollutants, pesticides, food additives, medical drugs and alcohol. A true detox doesn’t require fasting or flushing your colon clean, instead it’s finding ways to boost your body’s own natural detoxification system to rid itself of harmful toxins.

Just follow these five easy detox fixes from Registered Dietitian Ashley Koff to clean-up your diet and your health:

Eat organic. Reduce the toxins you take in by choosing organic foods that contain no artificial ingredients or synthetic preservatives and are GMO-free. Jumpstart your day with delicious Nature’s Path Flax Plus(R) Pumpkin Flax Granola that is rich in flax seeds and high in fiber.

Power up with plants. Phyto (plant) nutrients such as antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, spices, whole grains, nuts and seeds create your bodies clean up team. Eat more and let them naturally help clean up your digestive system.

Follow the rainbow. Variety is essential to a healthy diet, and it is important to add a rainbow of colorful, spices and blends of grains, seeds and nuts to your diet.

Find fiber. In order to eliminate toxins through our body’s digestive tract, we need to eat foods rich in fiber and nourish good bacteria it is also important to choose foods that contain nutrients like magnesium that support healthy motility of the digestive tract and bitter herbs which help stimulate the digestive tract.

Nourish with nutrients. Our internal detoxification system needs the right nutrients to nourish our bodies. Add healthy and good-for-you foods such as, broccoli, garlic, leeks, sesame seeds, greens and beans to your diet to boost your energy level and cleanse your body at the same time.

Finally, detox foods can be delicious as they are nutritious. Check out this fiber-rich recipe that is sure to have your friends and family asking for seconds.

Roasted Squash with Crunchy Pumpkin Topping

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 1 hour

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup Nature’s Path Flax Plus(R) Pumpkin Flax Granola
• 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 lb.), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Mix together Pumpkin Flax Granola, bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, ¼ teaspoon each pumpkin pie spice, salt and pepper.

Spread evenly on baking sheet; bake for 6 or 7 minutes or until mixture is crisp and golden brown.

Toss together squash, brown sugar, thyme, and remaining pumpkin pie spice, salt and pepper; arrange on prepared baking sheet.

Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until fork-tender and lightly browned.

Arrange squash on platter and top with granola mixture.

Tip: To make fresh bread crumbs, pulse day-old bread in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs; store in airtight container in the freezer for up to one month.

Nutrition Facts, per 1/6 recipe

Calories 240; Fat 11 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 240 mg; Carbohydrate 33 g; Fiber 5 g; Sugars 9 g; Protein 3 g

The post Debunking Detox with 5 Easy Fixes appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

If you’re seeking inspiration, these ideas will put you on track to better yourself inside and out during the coming year.

Eat well with ease. Eating better tops many New Year’s resolution lists, but the demands of a busy schedule can quickly derail your plans. Take the guesswork out of portion control and calorie counting with complete, freshly prepared meals you can pick up or have delivered to your home. Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating offers a range of calorie plans, as well as vegetarian meal options. Based in Illinois, the freshly prepared meal company conveniently serves up weekly plans consisting of three meals per day or 21 meals per week. Learn more by calling 1-800-442-3438 or visiting seattlesutton.com.

Banish stress. Find ways to ease your mind and reduce tension and anxiety like a pro. Although an ultra-connected life can be the source of your stress, it can also give you some handy tools to help keep pressure and worries from mounting. Whether you tend to journal away your aggression, need some quiet time with soothing music or want a mindless distraction while you take a break, you can find dozens of apps to help keep stress in check.

Learn a language. Keep your mind active by challenging yourself to learn a new language. With courses designed by a professional team of linguists, authors and teachers, Babbel tailors lessons to help you become conversational in as little as 10 hours. The interactive lessons are available in 14 different languages and use real vocabulary for real situations. With cloud-based content, you can seamlessly learn at your desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet, whether you’re at home, taking a break or on the go. Learn more at Babbel.com.

Energize your exercise. When weight loss or a more sculpted shape is the goal you’re pursuing, it can be tough to stay motivated. Keep the long-term prize in sight by celebrating short-term victories. Wearable devices help track your movement and activity, as well as numerous health indicators, so you can watch your progress on a daily and weekly basis as you work toward the finish line.

Fuel yourself. Smoothies are a popular source of vital nutrients and energy – and, luckily, you can make them part of your daily diet with just one machine. The Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Compact System, which is available at retailers nationwide, provides nutrient and vitamin extraction with high-performance blending to take drink customization to a whole new level. But it doesn’t stop at drinks – the system also helps prepare appetizers, meals and desserts. Accessories include multiple cups, blending and prepping tools and a 30-recipe guide. Additionally, the system offers the first-ever coffee and spice grinder blender attachment (sold separately). For more information, visit ninjakitchen.com.

Putting the right tools and resources in place helps ensure your New Year’s resolutions are within reach, so you can focus on working toward a better version of yourself all year long.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

*FF

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Families that are healthy together, stay together! Encourage your family to harness healthy eating and exercise habits this summer and throughout the year with our favorite well-being products on the market. From dietary supplements to fitness trackers, it’s never been easier to get (and keep!) your family’s health on track!

Losing weight and staying in shape this summer has never been easier (or tastier!) thanks to renowned in-home gym company, BowFlex. With their new line of fitness shakes, smoothies and other assorted healthful products, BowFlex Body’s new slurp-worthy supplements are rich in proteins, antioxidants and vitamins that every active person needs to help burn fat, boost energy and build muscle. We’re currently drooling over the Peanut Butter Shake Boost that’s packed with protein, making it a perfect post-workout routine.  If you’re looking to enhance your results after busting your butt at the gym, look no further than BowFlex Body.  For sample packs at a seriously low cost, visit BowFlexBody.com.

Having trouble getting your kids to eat their veggies? Join the club – the Happy Tot Love My Veggies club, that is! These portable pouches by organic food brand Happy Family, are packed with nutritious goodness that all kids need in their daily diet. With products for growing babies, tots and kids, Happy Family promises the very best for your child’s palate with recipes that are developed in cooperation with pediatricians and nutritionists. Introducing your little one to Happy Family’s wholesome habits is made simple with playful packaging and yummy helpings of fruits, veggies and crispy munchies. Taste buds, rejoice!

Foster fond food memories in your family’s kitchen with this easy-to-follow cookbook by registered dietician and television personality, Michelle Dudash. Clean Eating for Busy Families helps parents provide children with wholesome food recipes that are quick and simple, making nightly tableside dinners a cinch! With a streamlined grocery shopping list paired with delicious, organic recipes for successful dinners, you’ll be instantly inspired to spend more time behind the stove and less time calling for takeout.  Got a fussy eater or food allergies in your family? Dudash’s calorie-conscious cookbook offers substation options, with most recipes taking less than 30 minutes to prepare!

Balancing an active lifestyle with the proper amount of rest is often a struggle for most families, but thanks to KidFit, it’s easy for kids ages 5-13 to develop, track and maintain their healthy habits.  This wireless wristband that syncs to any smartphone is customizable, giving your child a daily target to reach their activity and sleep goals with easy-to-understand technology.  Your child will feel encouraged yet challenged as they strive to reach their points goal after every sync.  Parents can help create custom goals for their kids, helping them build confidence with each level completed. And with its slap-on wristband in four fun colors, what’s not to love!?  Play hard and rest up, that’s the name of the game with KidFit.

The post Healthy Habits for the Whole Family appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

When your morning routine involves not only preparing yourself for the day but your family as well it can make the mornings hectic and rushed. Sometimes it might even be hard to get your kids to eat breakfast and the easy way out is to just hand them a piece of toast or a glass of juice and rush out the door. However breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and making sure your children eat breakfast is not only vital for their health but it also affects their learning ability.

The Good: There are many options out there for breakfast that are nutritious and delicious! From healthy cereals to yogurt and fruit there are an endless number of options to present your children with in the morning. One of the many good things about children eating their breakfast is that they will be getting the nutrients they need to jumpstart their brain. The nutrients kids get from eating breakfast will give them the energy they need and it will improve their cognitive functioning. In other words it will help them to process thoughts better, it will help their listening skills and improve their memory.

The Bad: If breakfast is skipped children will need a longer time to wake up their brains and bodies, which means they will not be ready to learn by the time they get to school. This will then lead to a lower performance in school and less energy throughout the day.

The Breakfast: There are six main nutrients that are consumed during breakfast: Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Zinc and Iron. These nutrients are apart of the recommended intake that should be consumed during the day and those who eat breakfast will most likely have a higher percent of these in their bodies than those who do not eat breakfast.

So take the time to make sure your children eat breakfast. It will not only help their growing bodies get the nutrients they need but they will also be performing better in school. If your morning is slammed and making breakfast will not work for you then do it the night before or on Sunday make breakfast for the whole week, whatever works best for your schedule. If you are not sure where to start here is a quick healthy breakfast you can try!

Baked Banana and Strawberry Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ Tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup fat free milk
• ½ Tsp. baking soda
• ½ Tsp. of cinnamon
• 6 strawberries

1.  Combine all of the dry ingredients together, rolled oats, baking soda and cinnamon, in a bowl.

2.  Mash the banana in a separate bowl and then add the rest of the wet ingredients together.

3.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and slowly mix them together. Be careful not to over stir.

4.  Get a small, 8 inch, square baking dish, put some wax paper at the bottom so its easy clean up, and spread the mixture into the pan.

5.  Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. Add the strawberry slices on the top once it is done baking.

*The best thing about this recipe is that you can use any fruit you like, it is very interchangeable and you can add nuts or different fruits on the top once it is done baking.  

The post The Good, The Bad and The Breakfast appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Myth or Fact: It takes a lot of time and effort to make a healthy dinner? Myth! In fact it’s neither time consuming nor hard.

There are many ways to make a healthy dinner and if you stick to the basics your options are endless. There are four basic food groups needed to make a healthy dinner: protein (chicken, turkey, beef or beans), vegetables, fruits and grains (rice, quinoa, bulgur and barley). Each food group provides essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy; vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin A and C), fiber, iron and potassium.

Now let’s talk about how to get all these nutrients into a quick healthy meal.

One of the best and easiest ways to accomplish this is a DIY Burrito Bowl. Similar to Chipotle’s extremely delicious meal option, only this one will be healthier.

There are just a few simple steps and the amounts of toppings/ingredients are unlimited. The best thing about making your own is that you will be able to control the portion size and where the ingredients come from.

Start with a grain; either white or brown rice. Since most of us do not have a rice cooker and cooking rice on the stove can get messy and take time, there is a great solution, Trader Joes Organic Brown Rice (which can be microwaved in 3 minutes).  *Grains are important source of nutrients filled with vitamins, fiber and minerals.

Grains ✓

Protein: Beans. Typically black beans are used but feel free to customize it to your preference. If not black beans try pinto beans, red beans or kidney beans. *Beans provide one of the best sources of protein especially you follow a meat-free diet.

Beans ✓

Protein: Meat. You can basically add any meat to your bowl however if you are trying to stay healthy go with chicken or ground turkey. *Meat is a good source of iron, which helps support a healthy immune system.

Meat ✓

Toppings: You have many options here. You can add basically anything you want. Corn, tomatoes, lettuce, bell peppers, cheese (in moderation), avocado, salsa, Greek yogurt (a healthier substitute for sour cream) or sauté up some of your favorite vegetables and throw them in there!

Toppings ✓

You now have a healthy meal that includes all of the basic food groups. Quick and easy right? Now take what you’ve learned here and apply that to every other meal you make. Just remember to work in the basic food groups and each meal you make will be healthy.

Happy Eating!

The post The Facts on Healthy Eating! appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Warning, if you are looking for a simple explanation about nutrition you are in the right place!

There are so many definitions, explanations and terms to define nutrition and the real meaning can get lost in all of the translations and information that is out there. People tend to complicate what they do not know which can be more frustrating and time consuming than need be. Nutrition is simple, and if you know the basics you are well on your way to starting a healthy lifestyle.

Now let’s get back to those basics.

Variety, variety, variety. It cannot be expressed enough how variety plays a crucial role in nutrition. Mix it up, have fun, try new foods and ways of cooking. The best part about nutrition and food is that there are so many ways to switch it up. The more colorful your plate is, the more balanced meal you are having. Hint: If you are trying to lose weight it is important to have a protein (turkey, chicken or fish), a grain (quinoa, wild rice or brown rice) and vegetables (corn, tomatoes, carrots, celery or any fresh produce).

Portions, portions, portions. There are two common mistakes people make; One is that if you are eating healthy it is okay to have a bigger portion and two is that the smaller the portion the less carbohydrates and fat are being consumed. Both are incorrect. As long as you have a variety of foods that range from fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins you will have a balanced, correctly portioned meal.

Finally, slow down! Take your time and be in the moment. The slower you eat the quicker you will fill up and the better you will feel. Simple, right? Taking your time is not only good for your body but also allows you to enjoy the food you are consuming as well as the company of others around you.

These are the basics that will get you on track to a healthier lifestyle.

If you are unsure of how to put these basics together, here is a simple and delicious quinoa burger recipe to try!

Lettuce Wrapped Quinoa Burgers

Yields: 4

• 2 cups quinoa
• 1-cup breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• ¼ Tsp. paprika
• ¼ Tsp. pepper
• ½ Tsp. garlic salt
• 4 big ice burg lettuce leaves
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Ketchup (optional)
• Mustard (optional)
• Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

1.   Cook quinoa according to package directions.

2.   Beat the eggs in a bowl.

3.   Once the quinoa is cooked, add the quinoa and all of the other ingredients besides the cheddar cheese and lettuce together.

4.   Mix these ingredients well so that everything is very well moistened.

5.   Once everything is blended create 4 patties from the mixture.

6.   Use a sauté pan coated with non-stick cooking spray and cook each burger for about 5 minutes on each side until crispy and golden brown.

7.   Sprinkle a little cheese on top of each burger and let melt.

8.   Wrap the burgers in the iceberg or green leaf lettuce leaves and enjoy!

Note: Wrapping the burgers in lettuce is a much healthier way to eat this, eliminating a lot of carbohydrates you would consume using a bun.

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If you or a loved one is lactose intolerant, you might find yourself confused about the condition and what it means for your eating habits. One common misperception is that you must eliminate dairy from your diet. Actually, by following simple tips for management, you can return to confidently eating the dairy foods you love.

Lactose intolerance occurs when a person has difficulty digesting lactose, the sugar naturally found in milk, which may cause them to experience physical symptoms when consuming foods that contain lactose.

What many people don’t realize is that you can have lactose intolerance and still enjoy the taste and nutritional benefits of dairy foods. Many health professionals, as well as the as the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, encourage individuals with lactose intolerance to continue to choose dairy foods first as a key source of essential nutrients.

Milk is affordable and naturally nutrient rich like no other beverage. It provides nutrients your body needs, such as calcium for strong bones and protein for healthy muscles, without the added fat and calories you don’t need. What’s more, an 8-ounce glass of dairy milk provides 8 times more naturally occurring protein than a glass of almond milk for just 25 cents.

Because tolerance for lactose varies from person to person, lactose intolerance is a highly individualized condition. You should talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about a management approach that best suits you, including these ideas for comfortably incorporating dairy:

• Sip it: Start with a small amount of milk and slowly work your way up to an amount that doesn’t upset your stomach. Chocolate milk may be easier on your stomach than regular milk.
• Try it: Treat yourself to the many great-tasting lactose-free dairy foods available in the dairy case. These are real dairy foods made from cow’s milk, just without the lactose (for example, lactose-free milk or lactose-free cottage cheese).
• Stir it: Try eating dairy foods with other solid foods or meals; this helps give your body more time to digest the lactose. Mix milk into soup, have it with cereal or blend it with fruit.
• Slice it: Top sandwiches or crackers with natural cheeses such as cheddar, colby, Monterey Jack, mozzarella and Swiss. These cheeses are low in lactose.
• Spoon it: Enjoy yogurt. The friendly bacteria help your body break down lactose. 

With just a little planning, individuals with lactose intolerance can eat their favorite dairy foods confidently, such as this fruity yogurt smoothie. For more dairy recipes and nutrition information, visit www.DairyMakesSense.com.

Raspberry Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie

Servings: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

• 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup frozen raspberries, unsweetened
• 1 cup frozen strawberries, unsweetened
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk or lactose-free milk
• 1 cup ice (about 12 cubes)

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Serve immediately.

*FF

*Source: Midwest Dairy Association

The post Learn to Live with Lactose Intolerance appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

As it turns out, chocolate is no longer our frenemy, in fact it comes off as more of a disguised hero. Now being referred to by many as a “superfood”, numerous studies have indicated chocolate having…almost superhuman health benefits. Although it’s not chocolate itself that causes such positive results, but rather cocao – a bean-like seed that cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate is derived from.

Cocao holds many components that help the body perform properly, while decreasing the risk of developing certain diseases. The big one we are probably most familiar with is antioxidants. Antioxidants help the body fend off damage caused by free radicals that can be brought on by daily functions, such as breathing, or exposure to environmental chemicals, like smoking. The prime antioxidant compound found in cocao is flavonoids. Flavonoids aide in the flexibility of veins and arteries, and subsequently increase blood flow. Flavanols are the main type of flavonoid found in cocao and has been linked to many antioxidant properties, such as, potential vascular health, increase of blood flow to the brain and heart, and decreasing chances of forming blood clots. A subcategory of the flavanols is epicatechin. Epicatechin helps increase the number of mitochondria the body produces, which is essentially the body’s “power house” for energy production and usage.

So, tying that all together, what does chocolate potentially do for us? Many things! The largest accumulation of evidence has been found in cardiovascular health. Scores of studies have collected favorable findings related to chocolate intake and heart health. One study found eating 1 to 2 servings of chocolate per week could potentially cut your risk of heart failure by one third. Another study showed consuming a square of dark chocolate per day helped lower blood pressure, which can decrease your chances of developing a heart attack or stroke by thirty nine percent. Lastly, a randomized trial study of 42 older men and women that were at high risk of developing heart disease, found consuming cocoa powder with skim milk everyday decreased levels of adhesion molecules in the circulation of the body. Why is this significant? Adhesion molecules cause white blood cells and other substances to stick to the walls of arteries, which is a marker for inflammation that could potentially trigger a heart attack or stroke. This particular study also found that cocoa powder helped increase levels of HDL, or as we know it, good cholesterol.

Chocolate, particularly kinds with a higher percentage of cocao, has been found to help with weight management, and surprisingly, even weight loss! Dark chocolate appears to be more filling, so you feel fuller faster and are less likely to crave sweet, salty, or fatty foods. Many scientists even believe chocolate is metabolized differently than most other foods. The calories in chocolate advance our metabolism functioning, essentially making the body work harder and causing chocolate to become a calorie neutral food. Meaning, you burn calories, speed up your metabolism, and possibly manage your blood sugars all simply by eating chocolate. Bringing back the flavanol epicatechin, which helps you produce more mitochondria, with more energy you burn more calories and prospectively lose weight without even changing your exercise routine or minimizing calorie intake.

What are other benefits of eating chocolate? It helps decrease the presence of stress hormones in the body. In one Finnish study done on pregnant women, those whom ate chocolate regularly during their pregnancy were able to handle stress better and gave birth to happier, more smiley babies. The flavonoids can also improve skin health, research found individuals consuming chocolate regularly took twice as long to develop reddening, the beginning stage of a sunburn, than those who do not. It is also suggested chocolate can boosts your brain power by amping up blood flow to key parts of the brain leading to short term improvements in performance and alertness for up to 2 to 3 hours. You bet there are long term benefits to periodic indulgences as well. Frequent chocolate-eaters have been found to score higher on cognitive tests.

So, what’s the smartest way to eat chocolate? You want to eat the type of chocolate that contains the most flavonoids, this way you reap the most out of the benefits of cocao. Any type of chocolate containing at least70% cocao will help accomplish this. Another way to look at it is, the higher amount of nonfat cocoa solid content in the chocolate bar will contain the most flavonoids. So, dark chocolate has the highest percentage of nonfat cocoa solid content, while white chocolate essentially holds zero percent nonfat cocoa solid content. Another thing, you can relax a little bit about all the fat in that candy bar. The fat in chocolate comes from cocoa butter, which is made up of oleic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid. Oleic acid is a heart-healthy monosaturated fat that is also a main component in olive oil. And although palmitic acid has a slight affect on blood sugars, stearic acid is neutral in that department. So essentially, you don’t have to feel so guilty about having a bit of chocolate every day.

Now, fear not chocolate-lovers! There are so many good things about chocolate in addition to the way it tastes, it makes it that much more irresistible. From cardiovascular benefits, aiding in weight loss, and helping make happier babies, this is one sweet indulgence that is also smart to eat!

Resources:

www.clevelandclinic.org               www.bodyandsoul.com.au

www.health.harvard.edu             www.keepingweightoff.co.uk

The post Chocolate: The Sweetest Thing appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.