This time last year was a particularly worrying time for me. There I was, having breakfast and watching CNN when I nearly choked on my cornflakes. Apparently, a drought in West Africa, political unrest along the Ivory Coast and a rising consumer demand for darker chocolate were all contributing to an international chocolate shortage.

The three billion tonnes of cocoa normally produced annually by cocoa farmers worldwide were under threat. Not only was there a shortage of cocoa, but now the cost was rising dramatically <\!m> in fact the price had risen by 44 percent in just over 12 months.

A potential rise in the cost of chocolate didn't bother me so much <\!m> after all, there were a lot of things I could do without (even shoes) if budgeting for rocketing chocolate prices became necessary. What worried me most, was the possibility of chocolate supplies actually running out.

However, fortunately, after only one or two sleepless nights, I realised that this was all just a big mistake. There had obviously been a misunderstanding between CNN and Reuters, thank God! Because the shortage in chocolate supplies wasn't due to drought, political unrest or consumer preference… it was actually because over half the world's chocolate stocks had been bought up by the Phoenix. In fact, during my very important onsite inspection, I noticed that packed in from floor to ceiling, balanced on top of shampoo bottles and tucked behind the cotton buds, were a mesmerising number of Cadbury's Cream Eggs, Kinder Surprises and Lindt chocolate bunnies.

So with a huge sigh of relief, I came to the realisation that the chances of a chocolate shortage in Bermuda ranged from slim to none. And fortunately this year, we continue to be on safe ground. Even better, the health benefits of chocolate keep pouring in. Good news for me, as being a chocolate-loving nutritionist isn't exactly ideal. So if you are looking for an excuse to indulge this Easter, let me refresh the details for you <\!m> and yet give you a few parameters too. Here goes:

The feel-good factor of chocolate, especially cocoa-rich dark chocolate, has long been documented. It occurs because chocolate melts at 97 degrees, just below body temperature, exciting the taste buds. As this happens, endorphins are released from the brain, making us feel good. In addition, chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a substance that triggers a feeling similar to "falling in love" and further, chocolate also contains anadamide, which excites receptors in the brain, in a similar fashion to other addictive substances. So if you wanted confirmation that chocolate can actually be addictive, there you have it… but I have wandered off the point.

Clearly, if you are so addicted to chocolate that you eat Dairy Milk for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it's not going to be good for you. I am not handing you a licence to indulge limitlessly. However, aside from the feel-good factor (which is arguably healthy in itself) there is increasing evidence that a moderate chocolate intake can actually be healthy.

For example, it's true that chocolate is high in saturated fat, however one-third of that fat comes from something called stearic acid. Although stearic acid is technically saturated fat, unlike other saturated fats, it does not raise bad LDL cholesterol. Stearic acid is instead converted in the liver to heart-healthy oleic acid. In addition, another third of chocolate's total fat comes from oleic acid itself.

In fact, in a recent study quoted by the Yale New Haven Hospital, volunteers followed a diet where the majority of their fat calories came either from chocolate or from butter. The results? Volunteers who consumed the chocolate fat did not show an increase in their cholesterol levels, whilst those who ate the butterfat developed elevated, bad, LDL cholesterol.

[JUMP]To top it all off, my new-found hero Norman Hollenberg (Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School), identified the powerful antioxidant capability of a flavanol in cocoa called epicatechin. This is not a new concept <\!m> it's been known for some time that cocoa contains phenols, the same type of antioxidants found in red wine. However, when studying the Kuna people in Panama (who drink up to 40 cups of cocoa a week), he found that their risk of four of the five most common killer diseases (stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes) was reduced to less than ten percent. Further research led Hollenberg to identify the protective compound as epicatechin.

But does all this give you a licence to sprinkle M&Ms on your cereal? Not quite. Although dark chocolate has become increasingly popular, most chocolate <\!m> especially at Easter <\!m> is milk chocolate. The problem with this is two-fold: milk chocolate has both a high sugar content and a fairly low cocoa content. It's crucial to remember here that excess sugar in the bloodstream can be stored in the body as fat. Also, peaks in blood sugar put a heavy demand on the pancreas, which releases insulin. If blood sugar consistently and repeatedly "peaks", insulin response can become exhausted, contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes.

In contrast, dark chocolate has less sugar and a higher cocoa content <\!m> this means you will have less to feel guilty about, but you do still need to watch your intake! Fortunately, the higher cocoa content means that it takes less dark chocolate to satisfy a craving, so most people eat smaller portion sizes. Smaller portion sizes are important in order to modify calorie and caffeine intake. Note that the caffeine levels of dark chocolate are fairly low <\!m> approximately 10mg for an average chocolate compared to 100mg in a cup of coffee <\!m> but it's probably still enough to disrupt blood sugar levels.

In my experience, there are two tricks to maintaining a healthy relationship with chocolate. The first is to try and choose smaller portions of dark chocolate over larger portions of milk chocolate, and the second is never, ever to eat chocolate when you are hungry. If you are hungry when you reach for a chocolate bar, you will eat the whole thing and probably still want more. However, if you are already full, then just a little tends to go a long way. If you're new to dark chocolate then try out some of the following brands, all of which are delicious: Lindt 75 percent and 85 percent (Miles), Godiva/Valrhona dark chocolate (Miles), Endangered Species Animal Bars (Lindos, Down to Earth) and Green & Black's dark chocolate (Supermart, Phoenix, L'Oriental Express).

So it's clear that in moderation, dark chocolate can form part of a healthy diet. However, Easter is hardly a time of moderation <\!m> especially for kids. It's also quite tricky to get kids eating dark chocolate as it tends to be more bitter and more of an acquired taste. The answer here probably lies in compromise.

If you can't persuade your child to eat dark chocolate, then one of the best things you can do is try and cut back on total milk chocolate intake, whilst not cutting back on the fun. One of the best ways to do this is to dilute the quantity of chocolate you give them with toys or books instead. Even better, make sure that they get some exercise as the collect their eggs by organising an Easter Egg hunt. Easter Egg hunts have the advantage of getting your child outdoors and exercising without it being a chore. It's amazing how fast kids will run when they are looking for treats!

Phoenix Toys and People's Pharmacy both have bags of colourful plastic eggs that you can fill yourself. The great thing about these is that you can stuff half (or less) with small chocolate Easter eggs, and the other half with toys. It's easy to find tiny eggs and toys to stuff the eggs with, but if you get stuck try all the normal toy shops and Brown & Co. For toys, bouncy balls, stickers, wind up bunnies and chicks, temporary tattoos, kids jewellery, lip balms, cars, action figures and plastic animals all make good gifts.

Once you've stuffed the eggs, organising your hunt couldn't be easier. Just hide the eggs far apart from each other so everyone gets lots of exercise. If you don't have a garden, use any of Bermuda's parks or beaches <\!m> Botanical Gardens, the Arboretum, Hog Bay, Whale Bay, Clearwater, Church Bay and the dunes along South Shore all make good venues. Just make sure that if you have kids running in different directions, that you have adequate adult supervision. Finally, just keep your fingers crossed for good weather <\!m> otherwise you will have to get creative in the house!

Children's Easter Egg Hunt (just in case you are new to this!):

You will need (per child):

[bul] 6 plastic filler eggs

[bul] 1 tube small chocolate eggs e.g. Mini Crème Eggs, Cadbury's Mini Eggs, Small Lindor Eggs

[bul] 3 small toys

All you need to do:

[bul] Stuff the eggs: 3 with toys and 3 with a few small chocolate eggs

[bul] Hide the eggs outdoors

[bul] Unleash your kids!

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the U.K. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda[AT]gmail.com