Here’s a list of our top-five favorite chocolate bars – enjoy!

P.S. Half-way through writing this post I stopped to enjoy a chocolate bar. Yum!

#1: Alter Eco Dark Blackout 85% Chocolate Bar

Organic • GMO-Free • Sustainable • Fair trade

Number one on our list is Alter Eco Dark Blackout 85% Chocolate  bar. This chocolate bar is known for its smoothness and deep, rich flavor. Alter Eco prides itself on the quality of its ingredients and their environmental non-impact; making this chocolate bar not only deeply satisfying but a great choice for the conscious eater.

#2: Endangered Species Organic Dark 70% Chocolate Bar 

Organic • GMO-Free • Sustainable • Fair trade

Coming in a very close second is Endangered Species Organic Dark 70% Chocolate  bar. This bar has great “mass appeal” due to its lighter flavor, sweeter taste and commitment to charitable donations: 10 % of Endangered Species profits go to charity. Normally, we’d encourage you to opt for 80% dark chocolate or greater – but this one’s flavor and commitment to charity won us over.

#3: Organic Panama Extra Dark 80% Chocolate Bar

Organic  • Sustainable • Fair trade

Third place goes to Organic Panama Extra Dark 80% Chocolate bar. The perfect balance of bitter and sweet may be attributed to the organic Vanilla Beans used in this bar. Equal Exchange is a big supporter of small farmer co-ops and has visions of a food system that empowers the consumer.

#4: Madecasse Strong and Complex 80% Chocolate Bar

Sustainable • Fair trade

Even though Madecasse Strong and Complex 80% Chocolate bar comes in fourth on the list, don’t count it out! This chocolate bar should come with a warning – “Be advised: you will not be able to eat just one square.” Madecasse is one of the few fine chocolates made from scratch, from bean to bar; and it all takes place within Madagascar. Uniquely, the company was started by Peace Corps volunteers who wanted to do more to help their cause. Very cool!

#5: TAZA  87% Chocolate Bar

Organic  • Sustainable

Rounding out our chocolate obsessions is the Taza 87% Chocolate bar. Taza uses wooden boxes and banana leaves for the fermentation process of the cacao beans. This fermentation is what gives Taza chocolate a bright, bold flavor. The stone-ground chocolate gives this bar its great texture.

Cocoa and chocolate have been studied extensively for their impact on human health and disease; and the results have shown desirable effects in the reduction of blood pressure, antioxidant capacity, inflammation reduction, and even a boost in mood. Chocolate is, in fact, an ancestral food once held in high regard for its healing properties! As part of a nutrient-dense, ancestral-style diet, chocolate definitely has earned its place!

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #36 - A slight delay at the beginning, but we’re there!

News:
Read about workshops here, or find one near you here!

Upcoming Events: The Balanced Bites Workshop (Powered by PaleoKits!)

5/5: Houston, TX – register here!
5/19: Portland, OR area – register here!
6/2: Winston-Salem, NC  - register here!
6/3: Charlotte, NC – register here!

Liz is doing the 21-Day Sugar Detox! Read why here.

Topics: 
Sunscreen
Recovery from Surgery
Ongoing physical problems despite “Paleo” diet
New to “Paleo” – sports-specific goals/reducing inflammation
Cholesterol & Triglycerides – too low? Cholesterol & Cortisol 

Click here to download the episode as an MP3.
The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

#1:

Sunscreen recommendations: Wellness Mama posts: homemade sunscreen bars & eat your sunscreen; “physical” sunscreens (Zinc Oxide); astaxanthin; COVER UP WITH CLOTHING!

#2: 

Hey Diane and Liz, I love the podcast and figured you two might have some useful nutrition-related advice related to recovery from surgery. I am 49 years old and, on March 26th, I am having arthroscopic surgery on my right elbow to remove huuuuuge bone spurs and clean out scar tissue that has built up from 30-some years of playing the drums in bands. I am actually really excited (weird, I know) to get the surgery because I hope to get a big payoff in terms of mobility in that arm that I haven’t had for years.

My question is this: is there some particular tweak to my paleo/primal eating that I should be doing post-surgery to optimize/speed recovery? I am technically a “primal” eater, rather than paleo, since I do incorporate WAPF-style grassfed butter and grassfed raw-milk cheese into my diet, but otherwise i keep things pretty darn close to 100% paleo compliant. But is there either: (1) something I should be particularly focusing on to include in my meals more than usual (e.g., more organ meat, more bone broth, etc), or (2) something that I am eating that is totally paleo or primal but which I should nevertheless knock out for a while because it might inhibit recovery (e.g. dairy, nightshades, whatever).

#3: 

Hello ladies, I love the podcast and I’m seriously considering getting some coaching (you’ll see why shortly…). I have a myriad of issues that I have been continually working on for over 5 years but I’d like to focus in on one or two in this question submittal. I have post nasal drip which requires constant throat clearing and excessive swallowing all day, 24/7 no matter what the weather is like or the time of year or what I eat etc. I’ve been off dairy (with the exception of kerrygold butter) for at least 6 months and I have not had any relief. I eat a very clean paleo diet otherwise. In case you need some background info, here are all my other problems….

1. Chronic fatigue (probably due to poor sleep quality which is due to sinus congestion)
2. Chronic sinus congestion and post nasal drip (dry and stuffy sinus passage but consant nasal drippage of clear mucus, never had a sinus infection)
3. Restless leg syndrome
4. Cold hands and feet
5. Sleep apnea (I’m not overweight so I believe it’s due to my sinus congestion, however, it’s not technically sleep apnea because I hold my breath upon inhaling rather than exhaling and I either hold my breath or let it out very slowly in a groaning fashion)
6. Depression (more apathy than anxiety which is probably due to feeling tired and shitty all day)
7. Itchy bum….no explanation needed

So, I hope that providing my rap sheet will allow you to make some accurate assessments of what the root cause of my problem actually is. I’m looking forward to getting your take on this…

#4:

Hey! I have a few questions regarding food i eat and other things regarding my body. I play tennis at least 2 hours a day and I go to integrated 3 times a week. I also play tournaments on weekends. I have been looking in to the paleo diet, especially because Novak Djokovic last year switched his diet to follow the paleo system. I was wondering if you had any tips on what specific foods are great for recovery daily. Recently I feel tired on the court and lack energy, also I am constantly aching and a lot of my joints/muscles are inflamed (tendinitis in my knee) etc… Is there anything I can eat, drink or natural supplement I can take to help with that?

Daily I just eat what is at home. I eat frozen foods (chicken, french fried, pizzas, veggies, turkey burgers) I eat lunch at home, I am home schooled and have time to make good food. I love potatoes I don’t drink milk but I do use rice milk with my cereal, I eat cheeses and breads.

#5:

I’ve heard that very low cholesterol can be bad, but I haven’t found anything about how to raise it. My total cholesterol used to be in the 80s, back when I was a vegetarian. It raised to 120 after 1 year of eating paleo and 130 after 2 years (60 HDL, 65 LDL, 24 triglycerides). Is that still too low? Are there ways to raise it more other than just eating paleo? What about triglycerides? Can they also get too low?

Also, what is the relationship between low cholesterol and low cortisol? I recently cut way back on exercise due to overtraining and adrenal issues. I did an adrenal salivary test and found out that I have low DHEA and cortisol, both am and pm. I’m currently at about 1/3 of the lower end of the optimal range for all of those. If there is a relationship, is the low cortisol more likely to be a cause or a symptom of the low cholesterol?

Cheers!
Diane & Liz

One lucky reader will win a softcover copy of Sweet Potato Power here! See details to enter to win at the end of this post!

I was excited to get my hands on Sweet Potato Power by Ashley Tudor, a whole book dedicated to just one ingredient – I was curious to see what that would look like.

Well, my curiosity was cured this past weekend when I dove into the book.  I flipped through and found myself in the last section scanning over the recipes. Sweet Potato Linguine, Stuffed Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Poppers and Sweet Potato Cupcakes. There is even a recipe for homemade sport gel and a recovery drink, very cool! The creative recipes are really just the icing on the top, this book is packed full of useful and practical information.  The first three parts of the book read more like what I would imagine a Paleo Carb textbook to look like. Sweet Potato Power does a great job of laying out complex information in a simple and organized format that makes this book accessible to all.

What I discovered in Sweet Potato Power

Carbohydrate Spectrum

Part one takes us through food technology and ends with the history of the sweet potato. I really enjoyed the nutrition comparison of the white potato vs. the sweet potato. I also noticed that each chapter ends with a brief chapter takeaway. This is one of the many little extra treats in this book.

Part two goes way beyond the sweet potato dives into the four pillars of optimal health; Food, hormones, low inflammation and activity. Not only does she lay out the science behind the four pillars, but you can find helpful particle tips all the way through the chapter, like “Tips for managing cravings” and “Quick tips for athletes about their carb intake”.

Part three called “Your Body, Your Rules” is my favorite part of this book. Ashley gives us a practical step by step guide to use the knowledge learned from part two of this book. She outlines different types of testing and tracking tools to discover what works for your body. There are more tips hidden within this chapter, like what to look for when seeking out a doctor. Now we are back at part four of the book, yes it’s full of yummy recipes waiting to be tested (see the one I made below) but we also get practical kitchen tips for cooking and storing our powerful sweet potatoes. There are even notes about eating sweet potatoes out and buying sweet potatoes products at the grocer.

Turkey Burger Cookies

The Finished product "Turkey (Deer) Burger Cookies"

I could not wait to bite into one of these delicious and creative recipes. It was not hard to find a recipe I could make with what I already had in the house. I enjoyed that the recipes are simple in ingredients but complex in flavor. Now back to the Turkey Burger Cookies. I had some ground deer meat already defrosted so I substituted ground deer meat for ground turkey. If I had already had some sweet potato puree set aside in the freezer (another great tip from the book), the prep time would have been just a few minutes. This recipe could not be any simpler; sweet potato puree, herbs, seasoning, ground meat, and chopped onion. I mixed it all together and formed them into small patties/ “cookies”. While the patties were cooking, I quickly sliced up tomato, washed my lettuce, and sliced a few rings of red onions. How easy is that?! The burgers took no time at all to cook because they were small in size, and putting them together was just as simple. Although the book says they are more like a cookie than a main course I had two and felt satisfied. Hmm, wonder if it was the power of the sweet potato hiding in my burger? I am excited to try out all the new uses for sweet potatoes I discovered in Sweet Potato Power.

My Takeaway from Sweet Potato Power

Glucose Testing

The three things I loved most about Sweet Potato Power was how easily the information was to digest, the notion that we all have to use self-discovery to find out how carbs fit into our bodies, and all the useful and practical tips. No longer can we gripe about the sweet potato being the safe starch monarch for the Paleo community. Ashley has put a spotlight on this seemingly simple food and showed us all how sweet potatoes really are our power.

TO ENTER THE Sweet Potato Power  BOOK GIVEAWAY:

Do the following, then come back here and add a comment letting me know which you did!

NOTE: Only one comment per person will count as an entry. Posting more than one comment will disqualify you from the contest, so please just post once! Thanks!!

1. Like the Sweet Potato Power and Balanced Bites Facebook pages.
2. Follow Ashley Tudor and Balanced Bites on Twitter.
3. Subscribe via email to the Balanced Bites newsletter/blog updates.

Then add a comment below about which you completed! That’s it! No purchase necessary.

Note: This contest will be open through Monday May 7^th at 8pm Eastern time on and ONE WINNER will be selected using random.org and announced here on the blog, via Facebook and on Twitter. If you do not email me to claim your prize within 48 hours of the announcement, a new winner will be selected in your place.

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #35 - we’re talking about some more FAQs we get at workshops

News:
Read about workshops here, or find one near you here!

Upcoming Events:

May 5, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Houston, TX – register here!
May 19, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in the Portland, OR area – register here!

Topics: 
Symptoms of mineral deficiency
Liver function and hormonal health
Resolving skin problems 

#1: I frequently wake up with tingling fingers in the middle of the night. My chiropractor says it’s Carpal Tunnel but I feel I’m too young for that – Could a mineral deficiency be the issue? [19:10]

#2: What would you suggest for a person with familial history of bone loss, osteoporosis, and stress fractures? I get concerned about the calcium content of the Paleo Diet. [27:52]

#3: I have had cold sores crop up at random times for as long as I can remember. Is there anything I can do nutritionally to combat this? [37:04]

#4: I have been a vegan for many years, and I simply have no taste for meat. I’m ready to make the change to this way of life, but I just can’t bring myself to eat it. Suggestions? [40:42]

#5: What does the liver have to do with hormonal issues? [48:20]

Click here to download the episode as an MP3.
The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

Cheers!
Diane & Liz

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #34 - we’re talking about some FAQs we get at workshops and clearing up some confusion around fish oil, cod liver oil and more.

News:
Read about workshops here, or find one near you here!

Upcoming Events:

April 21, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Cherry Hill, NJ – register here!
May 5, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Houston, TX – register here!
May 19, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in the Portland, OR area – register here!

Topics: 
#1: Natural Cold Remedies [8:48]
#2: Fish Oil vs Cod Liver Oil [18:42]
#3: Fat Soluble Vitamins (FSVs): A, K2, D [42:10]
#4: Cravings [47:30]

Click here to download the episode as an MP3.
The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

Cheers!
Diane & Liz

Another quick update on seminars: a few folks have told us AFTER our events that they weren’t aware we were coming to their city! As we LOVE to meet our friends and supporters, this definitely makes us sad – and by “us” I mean myself and Liz Wolfe! (Liz is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner AND author of the hilarious blog Cave Girl Eats.) We are  now teaching all of the workshops TOGETHER – so you’re getting double the fun – And for HALF the price!

That’s right! We’ve not only added a dynamic instructor AND more fantastic content, but we’ve also SLASHED the price!

We’re thrilled to be able to make our workshops MORE accessible by slashing our ticket prices IN HALF – thanks in part to Steve’s Original PaleoKits – a brand we’ve proudly supported for a VERY long time. In coming on-board as one of our Workshop Sponsors, we’ve been given the freedom to take our workshops to the next level. It’s literally a dream come true for us! You’ll even get to sample some Paleo-friendly offerings at the events – cool, right?!

More Fall 2012 dates are coming, so stay tuned to the Balanced Bites newsletters, Facebook, and Twitter, and follow the right-hand side of the site/events schedule page for the latest information.

All events are open to the public, you don’t need to be a member of the hosting gym to attend. If you are interested in hosting a seminar (hosting comes with some GREAT benefits), contact us via this form.

Click here to read more details about the workshops.
Click here to read testimonials about Balanced Bites workshops.

Hope to see you soon!

And… Ian has GENEROUSLY offered up a softcover copy of The Million Year Meal to one lucky reader here! See details to enter to win at the end of this post!

1. Who inspired you to follow a Paleo lifestyle?

The Million Year Meal

I first discovered the Paleo concept while deployed to Iraq at the end of 2009.  At the same time, I found Jimmy Moore’s Livin’ La Vida Low Carb program, which really clicked given what I’d been going through. Jimmy and his fantastic line up of guests helped me a ton while I finished out my Iraq tour and my following year in Afghanistan.

In early 2011 I ran across the International Paleo Movement Group and Karen Pendergrass. Thanks to IPMG, the community-like (okay, I’ll say it:  tribal) qualities of being Paleo became quite meaningful, and it was no longer a solo journey. Also, Karen’s mission with her farm certification and food labeling opened my eyes to the importance of food quality, farm sustainability, and the social/economic implications, which are now driving my efforts in the Paleosphere.

2. How has Paleo impacted your personal health and the health of your family?

Ian, Landon and Reese

One of the biggest benefits of Paleo for me personally is that it makes the old yo-yo paradigm a thing of the past. It enabled me to eat to my heart’s content while continuing to lean out.

Thankfully, my children, Landon and Reese, have never really been sick even when they were SAD. However, I recently enrolled them in a new kindergarten and they ate some awful stuff in school that first day. When they came home, they were not my children. It didn’t take me long to realize that they were drugged by sugar and wheat, and I used it as a teachable moment.  I believe being Paleo from such a young age will enhance their lives and help them reach their potential.

My parents have both adopted Paleo and benefitted immensely.  For my dad, he simply effortlessly lost about 20 pounds and was never hungry. My mom saw a dramatic improvement in her sleep, chronic pain, hunger, and other areas.

3. What moved you to write a children’s book?

These are the concepts I have been sharing with my own children. We visit farms, grocery shop, cook and eat nearly every meal together.  I wanted to capture that and distill these big ideas into something fun.

But it’s really about more than my immediate family.  I’ve seen such amazing transformations in others who were profoundly sick, and there is so much good still to be done in the world.  I hope The Million Year Meal can make a difference and reach a larger audience of all ages, while serving these ideas in an easily digestible, inviting format.

4. What has been the most surprising experience with following a Paleo lifestyle?

The most surprising has been my concern with other areas of Paleo beyond the first-hand health effects.  This encompasses all aspects of the modern food chain, from the types of foods produced and how they are grown, to the logistical distribution, marketing, selling, and consumer choice.  Then there are the knock-on effects, environmentally, economically, and our health.  I now see the world altogether differently and the great potential of Paleo.

5. What advice do you have for other parents on keeping the kids Paleo when away from home or at school?

A little planning and a few minutes of preparation go a long way.  Slicing, dicing, wrapping, bagging, simplicity, and keeping it mess-free are key.  Beyond the act of providing snacks and lunches, I consistently explain things to the kids about where their food comes from and why it will make them smart and strong, so they feel good about the wholesome things they pack.  Finally, I realize I can’t control everything, so I don’t sweat the small stuff, like today when Landon got home and told me he ate a little marshmallow.

Click here and here download a FREE PDF preview of  the book pictured within the post above!

TO ENTER The Million Year Meal BOOK GIVEAWAY:

Do the following, then come back here and add a comment letting me know which you did!
NOTE: Only one comment per person will count as an entry. Posting more than one comment will disqualify you from the contest, so please just post once! Thanks!! 

1. Like the  The Million Year Meal and Balanced Bites Facebook pages.
2. Follow Balanced Bites on Twitter.
3. Subscribe via email to the Balanced Bites newsletter/blog updates.

Then add a comment below about which you completed! That’s it! No purchase necessary.

Note: This contest will be open through Monday April 16th 8pm Eastern time on  and ONE WINNER will be selected using random.org and announced here on the blog, via Facebook and on Twitter. If you do not email me to claim your prize within 48 hours of the announcement, a new winner will be selected in your place.

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #33 is all about Olive Oil! Anthony Kasandrinos of Kasandrinos Imports – a pure, delicious, one-grove Greek Olive Oil (the only OO we use) – is with us to discuss some surprising facts about Olive Oil. And there’s an AMAZING discount code at the end – listen for 25% off this great, healthy product!

News:
We’re in Frisco, TX presenting the Balanced Bites Workshop! Read about workshops here, or find one near you here!

Upcoming Events:

April 14, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Frisco, TX – register here!
April 21, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Cherry Hill, NJ – register here!
May 5, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Houston, TX – register here!
May 19, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in the Portland, OR area – register here!

Topics: 
#1: What’s found in some olive oils (hint: it’s not olive oil!) [7:13]
#2: All about Kasandrinos, the process, and the grove [16:47]
#3: What to look for in olive oil [19:31]
#4: Kasandrinos’ organic vs. non-organic (is there really a difference?) [20:25]
#5: DISCOUNT CODE for listeners!

Click here to download the episode as an MP3.
The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

Cheers!
Diane & Liz

Adrenal fatigue.

You hear the expression thrown around a lot if you’re in the health and fitness community or reading books, blogs and listening to podcasts on health-related topics. It’s very common that we, as everyday Americans and athletes/CrossFitters even moreso, experience varying levels of restful sleep, energy, digestive function, immunity and the ability to recover from exercise. With so many stressors in our daily lives, not to mention the things we add on top as pleasure that are actually stressors, it’s no wonder we’re in a bit of a pickle when it comes to achieving a healthy endocrine balance.

I have a close relationship with the condition of adrenal fatigue as I have suffered from it at varying levels over the last four years. While training for my first half-marathon here in San Francisco in July of 2007, I was experiencing what seemed to be very mysterious changes in my energy and moods. I was following a low-fat diet for the duration of my training under the nutrition advice of a Registered Dietitian who specialized in sports nutrition. The program included plenty of whole grains, dairy, nut butter, very lean meats, vegetables and fruit and would add up to as much as around 2,500 calories per day. Without eating much fat, that’s a LOT of food. At the time, I was training anywhere from 60-120 minutes, primarily performing steady-state cardio exercise or sometimes interval training with minimal strength training included. This was a pretty far departure from the training I had done most of my life prior to beginning the half-marathon training. Needless to say, this was not a smart choice for my body.

Read the full article > 

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #32 focuses on questions we commonly receive from female listeners – but that does NOT mean No Boys Allowed! This information is applicable to all listeners!

News:
The Balanced Bites Podcast will now be released on THURSDAYS.
Liz is now a member of the Balanced Bites team! Welcome, Liz!
We’re thrilled to have taken the Balanced Bites Workshops to the next level! Read about them here, or find one near you here!

Remember – utilize the Search Box on the blog! Many questions may be answered already, and the search box means NO WAITING for your question to be picked for the podcast! 

Find Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal? on Amazon.
Diane’s book, Practical Paleo, is ranking high on Amazon’s Hot New Releases! Pre-order now to guarantee the lowest price. Find it HERE.
Check out the Guide To Paleo Foods – FREE download!
Chris Kresser’s The Healthy Baby Code – purchase access here.
Helpful guide: The Gluten Guide 

Upcoming Events:
April 14, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Frisco, TX – register here!
April 21, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Cherry Hill, NJ – register here!
May 5, 2012: Balanced Bites Workshop in Houston, TX – register here!
Topics: 
#1: Paleo approaches to birth control & family planning [11:53]
#2: How sugar intake affects menstrual cycle length and regularity [16:24]]
#3: Fertility & Pregnancy diet [26:06]
#4: Pregnancy, water retention & constipation [31:57]
#5: Pregnancy food aversions [37:04]
#6: PCOS & thyroid problems: should I go “Paleo” or just gluten free? [49:29]

Click here to download the episode as an MP3.
The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

Cheers!
Diane & Liz