Recipes:
1. Chocolate-Cinnamon Biscotti
2. Dark Chocolate-Almond Crisps
3. Dark Chocolate Mousse With Raspberry Sauce
4. Raspberry Sauce
5. Dark Chocolate Sauce

This may be the best news you've read all day. Chocolate, especially the dark variety, is good for you. It contains more cacao than milk chocolate and doesn't have added milk solids. And because it's such a boldly flavorful treat, you can savor and enjoy it in small portions. We used eating chocolates, not baking chocolates, in these recipes.

Chocolate's Good Stuff:

• A typical dark chocolate bar contains significantly fewer calories and carbs than milk chocolate.
  
• Although it contains saturated fat that's believed to increase LDL, or "bad," cholesterol, new studies reveal that dark chocolate doesn't raise LDL levels. Its high stearic acid content is actually thought to lower serum cholesterol levels.
  
• Dark chocolate contains magnesium, known to regulate blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease. Magnesium also helps to metabolize the sugar in the chocolate--a good double whammy.
  
• Cacao beans (which chocolate is made from) have the highest levels of antioxidants of any known plant source. Antioxidants suppress free radicals, which can damage healthy cells in your body. Dark chocolate has the highest level of cacao solids of any chocolate, making it the healthiest, disease-fighting chocolate choice.

• Browse our complete list of chocolate recipes.

This article is from the February 2005 issue of Southern Living.