Ways to add chocolate to your diet

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All chocolate is not created equal, said Nikki Ford, registered dietitian at LifePointe in Lincoln.

Cocoa is best, followed by dark chocolate, she said. Milk chocolate contains the fewest flavonoids and health benefits. (And white chocolate has none, say researchers.)

To get good chocolate in your diet, substitute dark chocolate for milk chocolate whenever possible, Ford said.

Better yet substitute cocoa powder in chocolate-containing recipes.

To substitute 1 ounce of dark unsweetened chocolate use:

3 tablespoons of dry cocoa

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

And when buying chocolate for munching, read the label, Ford said.

Look for the chocolate with the highest percentages of cocoa — or when available on labels look for the highest count of flavonoids.