Chocolate: 100-Calorie Treats!
By Christine Senft, M.S.
eDiets Contributor
Raise your hand if you're a chocolate-lover. I can't see you, but I'm guessing your hand is reaching for the heavens right about now. It's no wonder, considering chocolate is the most commonly craved food in the U.S.
Since research tells us chocolate is consumed by more people in winter than in any other season, you'll probably encounter plenty of that decadent delight in candy dishes and on dessert tables.
When nothing but chocolate in its purest form will do (sometimes fat-free hot cocoa just doesn't cut it), getting your fix without getting a big fat and calorie punch along with it can be next to impossible.
For example, just one measly Godiva Open Oyster has 115 calories and 6 grams of fat. A regular-size Hershey's milk chocolate bar also brings a not-so-sweet 230 calories and 13 grams of fat.
The damage from just 1/4 of a 6-ounce Dove dark chocolate bar? Brace yourself... that'll be 230 calories and 14 grams of fat. Even a "fun size" bag of M&M's manages to cram in 100 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. And when you're trying to lose weight, that's a hefty price to pay for such a small amount of satisfaction.
Now, if you're trying to justify your indulgence based on those antioxidants you've heard so much about, be careful. While chocolate like wine does contain phenols which may help reduce the risk of heart disease, you can get those antioxidants from plenty of less-fattening sources, like fruits and vegetables.
So, what's a chocoholic to do? Instead of seeking support from the vending machine, try one of our 10 best secrets for quelling a chocolate craving in less than 100 calories, or whip up our recipe for luxurious-tasting homemade truffles (see below). You'll get an intense shot of chocolate flavor and only 60 calories and 1 gram of fat per piece. (Wrap some up in a holiday tin for a perfect hostess gift.)
Top 10 Chocolate Treats (for 100 calories or less)
1. 4 Hershey's Kisses (100 calories)
2. 1 cup diet hot cocoa and 1 chocolate graham cracker (80 calories)
3. 1 JELL-O fat-free chocolate pudding snack (100 calories)
4. 1 Quaker Chocolate Crunch popcorn cake (60 calories)
5. 1 cup strawberries drizzled with 1 tablespoon fat-free hot fudge (100 calories)
6. 1/2 cup fat-free chocolate frozen yogurt (100 calories)
7. 20 chocolate-covered raisins (80 calories)
8. 1/2 cup General Mills Cocoa Puffs cereal (60 calories)
9. 2 Snackwell's Devil's Food Cookie Cakes (100 calories)
10. 2 bite-size York Peppermint Patties (100 calories)
Chocolate Truffles
Makes 40 truffles
1 (8-oz.) package fat-free cream cheese, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
Cocoa powder (optional)
Combine cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder and extract in a bowl; freeze mixture 30-60minutes. Remove from freezer and form into 1" balls; roll in cocoa powder, if desired. Freeze 30 minutes or until firm.
(Per serving: 60 calories, 1 gram fat)
Courtesy: eDiets' "Worst Foods" Newsletter
eDiets Contributor
Raise your hand if you're a chocolate-lover. I can't see you, but I'm guessing your hand is reaching for the heavens right about now. It's no wonder, considering chocolate is the most commonly craved food in the U.S.
Since research tells us chocolate is consumed by more people in winter than in any other season, you'll probably encounter plenty of that decadent delight in candy dishes and on dessert tables.
When nothing but chocolate in its purest form will do (sometimes fat-free hot cocoa just doesn't cut it), getting your fix without getting a big fat and calorie punch along with it can be next to impossible.
For example, just one measly Godiva Open Oyster has 115 calories and 6 grams of fat. A regular-size Hershey's milk chocolate bar also brings a not-so-sweet 230 calories and 13 grams of fat.
The damage from just 1/4 of a 6-ounce Dove dark chocolate bar? Brace yourself... that'll be 230 calories and 14 grams of fat. Even a "fun size" bag of M&M's manages to cram in 100 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. And when you're trying to lose weight, that's a hefty price to pay for such a small amount of satisfaction.
Now, if you're trying to justify your indulgence based on those antioxidants you've heard so much about, be careful. While chocolate like wine does contain phenols which may help reduce the risk of heart disease, you can get those antioxidants from plenty of less-fattening sources, like fruits and vegetables.
So, what's a chocoholic to do? Instead of seeking support from the vending machine, try one of our 10 best secrets for quelling a chocolate craving in less than 100 calories, or whip up our recipe for luxurious-tasting homemade truffles (see below). You'll get an intense shot of chocolate flavor and only 60 calories and 1 gram of fat per piece. (Wrap some up in a holiday tin for a perfect hostess gift.)
Top 10 Chocolate Treats (for 100 calories or less)
1. 4 Hershey's Kisses (100 calories)
2. 1 cup diet hot cocoa and 1 chocolate graham cracker (80 calories)
3. 1 JELL-O fat-free chocolate pudding snack (100 calories)
4. 1 Quaker Chocolate Crunch popcorn cake (60 calories)
5. 1 cup strawberries drizzled with 1 tablespoon fat-free hot fudge (100 calories)
6. 1/2 cup fat-free chocolate frozen yogurt (100 calories)
7. 20 chocolate-covered raisins (80 calories)
8. 1/2 cup General Mills Cocoa Puffs cereal (60 calories)
9. 2 Snackwell's Devil's Food Cookie Cakes (100 calories)
10. 2 bite-size York Peppermint Patties (100 calories)
Chocolate Truffles
Makes 40 truffles
1 (8-oz.) package fat-free cream cheese, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
Cocoa powder (optional)
Combine cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder and extract in a bowl; freeze mixture 30-60minutes. Remove from freezer and form into 1" balls; roll in cocoa powder, if desired. Freeze 30 minutes or until firm.
(Per serving: 60 calories, 1 gram fat)
Courtesy: eDiets' "Worst Foods" Newsletter
posted by Jacques Girard, Ph.D. at 2:35 AM
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