Chocolate for Your Valentine a Healthy Idea

The health benefits of chocolate take the guilt out of the pleasure of eating chocolate.

There is a brand that I found at Whole Foods in the DC area that is taking "fair-trade" one step further. Fair Trade Chocolates pay a fair price to the farmers of cacao, but then export that raw material (and jobs) to Europe to make into chocolate, which then is imported to the US.

The developing world where chocolate is grown has a level of poverty not found in Europe or the US, and by keeping the production of chocolate in Peru (in this case), additional job opportunities are created for local women. La Orquidea brand chocolates are made in Peru where the cacao is farmed, providing fair paying wages, in addition to the fair price the factory pays its small local farmers. These Peruvian chocolates are made by women in a factory run by women, what better way to treat our loved ones than by supporting a small business that is trying to do some good.

On Valentine's day, we can share a healthy treat with our loved ones and help a community that is working hard to reduce poverty.

Peruvian Chocolate has a website if anyone is interested: www.peruvianchocolate.com

John of MD 11:17AM February 13, 2009