One minor quibble: the raw ingredient is usually known as cacao. My on-line dictionary defines cocoa as "a chocolate powder made from roasted and ground cacao seeds", and defines chocolate as "a food preparation in the form of a paste or solid block made from roasted and ground cacao seeds, typically sweetened". It gets confusing, because cocoa as in "hot cocoa" is often processed differently from chocolate, certainly from high-quality chocolate bars.
As for the health benefits, while it is true that more sugar isn't all that healthy, it's also true that sugar tastes good, which helps relieve stress - a well-recognized health risk. So just enjoy this gift of the Aztecs and don't fuss about it. My philosophy of life? Everything in moderation - including moderation.
One minor quibble: the raw ingredient is usually known as cacao. My on-line dictionary defines cocoa as "a chocolate powder made from roasted and ground cacao seeds", and defines chocolate as "a food preparation in the form of a paste or solid block made from roasted and ground cacao seeds, typically sweetened". It gets confusing, because cocoa as in "hot cocoa" is often processed differently from chocolate, certainly from high-quality chocolate bars.
As for the health benefits, while it is true that more sugar isn't all that healthy, it's also true that sugar tastes good, which helps relieve stress - a well-recognized health risk. So just enjoy this gift of the Aztecs and don't fuss about it. My philosophy of life? Everything in moderation - including moderation.