It has been widely established for many years that the flavonoids in chocolate provide healthy benefits, such as preventing heart disease. Of course this has been good news for candy lovers, allowing us to indulge in our favorite treats without guilt. As time goes on, we will likely find more health reasons to indulge in chocolate, as candy makers are finding more ways to include healthy ingredients in our favorite dessert. These developments are still very new, but here are some of the things you can expect to find in your local candy store in just a few years.
Protein- A few candy makers are sneaking protein into chocolate without the confection having the thick, powdery taste we expect from a protein bar. These bars taste purely decadent, but contain whey protein. Eating one candy bar has the protein equivalent of eating a chicken breast. The bars use “protein isolate” which is the purest form of protein. This form is what ensures that the chocolate keeps its silky texture and has no additional taste or texture from the protein.
Fiber – Chocolatiers are also adding fiber to candy bars and confections. Some of these new bars contain about 9 grams of fiber, which is about 1/3 of your daily-recommended amount. Added fiber in candy could be helpful to many people, since it is estimated that nearly half of us fail to get our recommended daily allowance of fiber.
All natural – The confectioners who are working to give our chocolate healthy ingredients are also working to ensure it has fewer ingredients overall. The final trend in we’re seeing in development is a commitment to all natural candy with only a few natural ingredients. This means removing preservatives and fillers, leaving the chocolate with a better taste and only ingredients you recognize.
The next few years in the candy industry will definitely prove to be interesting. These advances are limited to one or two companies right now. However, as the techniques are perfected, you can expect to see other companies add healthy ingredients to their products, as well. Of course, candy will continue to be a high calorie, treat, so it still must be consumed in moderation.
In the mean time, we can all continue to dream about the day when chocolate will be the food the doctor is telling us we need to eat more frequently!