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INTEGRIS Health On Your Health Blog

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Eating Candy in Moderation

13 February 2014

Posted in

by Karen Massey, INTEGRIS dietitian

Karen Massey, a registered licensed dietitian at INTEGRIS Health, discusses the importance of consuming chocolate and wine in moderation on Valentine's Day. While there are beneficial antioxidants in them, the best sources are found elsewhere.

Hi. My name is Karen Massey. I'm a registered licensed dietitian at INTEGRIS Health. Today we're thinking about valentines and the treats we might want to enjoy on Valentine's Day.

There's a lot of hoopla about the benefits and the antioxidants in dark chocolate and in red wine. And that is a little bit true. But before you jump on the bandwagon, know that the most common source, the most potent source, of antioxidants is fruits, vegetables, whole grains – foods from the basic food groups. But it is true, we can throw in a little bit more with these pleasurable foods, but we want to keep them in moderation, if at all, in the case of alcohol.

With chocolate, this little bitty chocolate has 73 calories. So while it's delicious, we want to be mindful that two or three of them would add up quickly. Alcohol also is high in calories and might raise triglyceride levels.

Another thing about alcohol is it tends to stimulate appetite, and that can be counterproductive if you're trying to keep your weight in control. And for some people, alcohol is not recommended at all because of health reasons or medications.