Using dark chocolate in your recipes is less fattening than adding milk varieties.

We love chocolate, yet often feel guilty eating it. But from a nutritional standpoint, there’s no reason to: Cacao is a fruit tree and its seeds (known as cocoa beans) contain more than 800 healthy compounds that fight cancer and heart disease. The trick to enjoying the chocolate made from those beans without gaining weight is to eat the dark stuff because it’s less fatty than milk chocolate (just be sure to stick with fair-trade varieties; for our favorites, click here). Even better, satisfy your fudge fix with cocoa powder, which contains no sugar or fat, but is rich in protein, calcium, potassium and even fiber.

To get you started, here are five chocolate treats to nourish you and your valentine from VIVmag contributor Victoria Abbott Riccardi:

1. Chocolate Cherry Munch: Place 2½ cups Kashi Good Friends Cereal and ¼ cup chopped, dried, pitted cherries in a medium bowl. Drizzle mixture with 3 tablespoons melted bittersweet chocolate and toss to coat. Scatter Chocolate Cherry Munch onto a foil-lined baking sheet to dry. Break up bits and then transfer to a sealed container. Nutrition score per ¼-cup serving: 63 calories, 29% fat, fat 2 g, carbs 13 g, protein 1 g, fiber 3 g, calcium 5 mg, iron .4 mg, sodium 27 mg.

2. Fudgey Cocoa: Whisk together ¼ cup evaporated skim milk and ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder in a small saucepan to create a paste. Whisk in ¾ cup more evaporated skim milk, a tiny pinch each of salt and ground cinnamon, and enough agave nectar to sweeten (1–2 tablespoons). Bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, then pour into two small mugs. Nutrition score per serving: 169 calories, 11% fat, fat 2 g, carbs 33 g, protein 12 g, fiber 3.6 g, calcium 384 mg, iron 1.9 mg, sodium 149 mg.

3. Choco-Apples: Cut a tangy-sweet apple into 8 wedges; divide wedges between two plates. Drizzle 2 tablespoons melted semi-sweet chocolate chips over apple wedges and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped smoked almonds. Nutrition score per serving: 185 calories, 49% fat, fat 10 g, carbs 26 g, protein 3 g, fiber 4.5 g, calcium 40 mg, iron .9 mg, sodium 36 mg.

4. Chocolate-Banana Date Shake: Combine 4 ice cubes, 1 large ripe banana, 1 cup skim milk, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder and 4 pitted dates in a blender. Cover blender, whip until smooth and pour into two glasses. Nutrition score per serving: 247 calories, 4% fat, fat 1 g, carbs 60 g, protein 7 g, fiber 6.8 g, calcium 194 mg, iron 1.4 mg, sodium 54 mg.

5. Raspberry Sorbet With Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce: Whisk together 1 cup evaporated skim milk with ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder in a small saucepan over medium heat. When mixture bubbles, add 1½ ounces grated bittersweet chocolate, a teeny pinch of salt and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk sauce until smooth. Let cool slightly before spooning over raspberry sorbet. Nutrition score per ½-cup serving of sorbet and two tablespoons of sauce: 195 calories, 9% fat, fat 2 g, carbs 45 g, protein 3 g, fiber 3.4 g, calcium 66 mg, iron .6 mg, sodium 35 mg.

What’s your favorite dessert to share?

Photo credit: Anne Clark

Tags: Anne Clark, Calcium, cancer, Cherry Munch, Chocolate, Dietary supplements, Food and drink, health, Health/Medical/Pharmaceuticals, heart disease, Hospitality/Recreation, Hot chocolate, Hot cocoa, Milk, Nutrition, semi-sweet chocolate chips, Tang, Types of chocolate, Victoria Abbott Riccardi, whip