Eat chocolate and lose weight, yes I said it! In the same sentence even. Chocolate lovers are going to be delighted to hear that there is now a new product on the market that not only tastes heavenly but you just may lose a few pounds from eating it too!

It is no surprise that dark chocolate is healthy for you. Everybody is talking about it. It is all over the news and I am sure that you have seen the stories and read the articles that dark chocolate is indeed good for you. Dark chocolate has been found to lower blood pressure. In addition, the antioxidant content has been found to help in the fight against heart disease. But don't go grabbing for that Hershey's Bar or even a Godiva Bar just yet. The chocolate that you buy in the stores is laden with fats, fillers and waxes and even though the experts say to eat 70% cacao it is only best when eaten in moderation... right? Not anymore.

Now there is a chocolate that not only is healthy for you but you can eat 3 times a day guilt free. This chocolate is gluten free, vegetarian/vegan and diabetic friendly. It is called Xocai (Sho-sigh) and is pure, unadulterated cacao. You can't get better than this!

Xocai is a division of MXI Corp. and is based in Reno, Nevada. They have brought to market an all-natural, pure form of cacao that maintains its nutritional value through the manufacturing process. Rather than heat the cacao, it is cold pressed. This allows the dark chocolate to maintain its healthful properties. This is a grave comparison to traditional chocolate that typically loses about 80% of the antioxidants during the manufacturing process.

Xocai's products deliver extraordinary levels of antioxidants and other important phytonutrients without adding all the extra fats, fillers, refined sugar, milk or caffeine...all which are added in your typical "chocolates".

The secret to the Xocai chocolate is in the company's approach to making chocolate. They aren't trying to make candy. Their objective is to create the most powerful, antioxidant-rich products available today and to make them in such a way that you actually look forward to being healthy! That's what MXI is all about...delivering the best tasting and healthiest chocolate available anywhere for any price.

One piece of Xocai's antioxidant rich chocolate is equivalent to 10-12 servings of fruits and vegetables in antioxidants. Wow! Not to mention that it is a natural appetite suppressant and an anti-inflammatory. Who knew chocolate could be so good for you?

With new scientific studies showing dark chocolate and raw cacao's ability to help stabilize blood sugar, it only makes sense that the right kind of chocolate can help those looking to lose weight. And that's only the beginning of what research is saying about the health benefits of chocolate.

Inflammation. It is something we have all experienced in one-way or another. Perhaps it was a skin rash, indigestion, a sprained ankle or even a sore throat. Whatever the case may be, the outcome is usually the same- swelling, pain and redness. Inflammation can be a good thing-it's your body's response to injury and illness. The increased circulation, swelling, heat, and even pain it causes actually help your body to heal. But prolonged inflammation can stimulate the disease process. Inflammation can be minor or it can be something that leads to chronic inflammation, which could lead to more serious diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, dementia and more.

Some of the causes of inflammation are viral and bacterial infections, stress, toxins, free-radical damage, repeated trauma and allergens. Not surprisingly, another contributor to inflammation is a high-fat, high-sugar, and high-carbohydrate diet. Meals high in sugar and fats have been found by the University of Buffalo to release free radicals into the bloodstream and ultimately increase the inflammatory state in the body. So what can we do to prevent inflammation?

Since inflammation can occur so frequently it is important to develop smart lifestyle habits. As often as you can choose healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil for cooking and for salad dressings. Eliminate or reduce the use of margarine, shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, which are sources of trans fats, and do the same with butter. Eat more fish, especially those high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help thin the blood, prevent blood clots, and reduce inflammation. Increase the consumption of dark chocolate. Since chocolate has an anti-inflammatory capability, it can effectively lower the risk of certain disease and relieve inflammation. The powerful polyphenol nutrients in cocoa and acai are known to be able to inhibit different inflammatory mechanisms.

Antioxidants are known to fight off free radicals that are caused by stress, environmental factors, pollution, the foods that we eat and of course inflammation. Most people don't know this but cocoa is ranked as one of the highest dietary source of antioxidants. Cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times the amount found in green tea.

So go ahead and indulge in a healthy treat. Your body will thank you for it later!