Are Dark Chocolate Almonds Healthy? Tasty Trail Mix Recipes to Enjoy the Health Benefits

If you follow the latest health news, you already know that almonds are a healthful choice for a snack. Dark chocolate has also been found to have health-boosting qualities due to its high levels of antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients. Is it possible that chocolate covered almonds could be good for you, too?

Why Are Dark Chocolate Almonds Considered a Healthy Snack?

Almonds are a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with fiber, protein, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals like Vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. But the health benefits don’t end there--they are also a rich source of antioxidants that help to protect your body against oxidative stress which can have negative impacts on inflammation and aging. Almonds have even been shown to help lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels.

By pairing almonds and dark chocolate, you have a luscious treat that tastes so good it might be hard to believe that it’s good for you, too.

What Are the Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate?

“We’ve always known that chocolate is good for the soul, but as it turns out, it’s good for your heart as well,” explains Ralph Jerome, chocolatier for Vine to Bar chocolates. “Not only is dark chocolate rich in antioxidants, it also contains the same heart-healthy fats as olive oil. Dark chocolate tastes indulgent, but it’s a better-for-you indulgence you can feel good about.”

It’s true: dark chocolate can be healthy for your heart as it contains oleic acid, a fatty acid that can also be found in olive oil and may help reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

Like almonds, dark chocolate is also packed with antioxidants as well as polyphenols and flavanols. This means that eating dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease in the long term.

Dark chocolate is good for your health also because chocolates with a high percentage of cocoa are rich in fiber and in minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc.

So, are dark chocolate covered almonds healthy? The answer is yes! Indulging in dark chocolate almonds is a convenient and especially delicious way to enjoy these two healthy snacks together.

Pump up the health benefits even more by choosing Vine to Bar dark chocolate covered almonds, which feature WellVine™ Coastal Chardonnay Marc, an ingredient made from the spent grapes of the winemaking process that can contribute to a healthier gut and cardiovascular system.

Healthy Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Recipes

Incorporating dark chocolate almonds into homemade trail mix offers a unique twist on the typical combination of almonds and chocolate in a healthy trail mix recipe. Just add some additional nuts, dried fruit, and other mix-ins, and it’s easy to create your own nutritious snack with these recipes - simply combine the ingredients in roughly equal amounts, or according to your own taste and enjoy!

Gourmet Sonoma Blend Trail Mix

Going wine tasting? This trail mix is the perfect snack to have on hand and it will pair nicely with many different types of wines.

Combine Vine to Bar dark chocolate almonds with Himalayan pink salt, hazelnuts, pistachios, dried cherries, and chopped dried figs.

Create an irresistible salty-sweet combination by mixing in a few generous pinches of a flaky sea salt like Maldon.

Tangy Tropical Blend Trail Mix

Send your tastebuds to paradise with this tropics-inspired trail mix blend--it’s colorful, delicious, and good for you, too.

Mix Vine to Bar dark chocolate almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, goji berries, dried pineapple, and unsweetened coconut flakes.

Indulgent Peanut Butter Lover's Blend Trail Mix

Packed with protein and fiber, this decadent mix of chocolate and peanut butter delivers plenty of nutrition.

Stir together Vine to Bar dark chocolate almonds with Himalayan pink salt, peanut butter-flavored granola, mini peanut butter cups, peanut butter filled pretzels, and banana chips.

Where to Bring Your Homemade Trail Mix

Bringing trail mix on a hike is, naturally, the perfect place to enjoy your healthy snack, but shelf-stable homemade trail mix is a tasty treat that can accompany you to all sorts of different places:

• Wine Tasting - Vine to Bar dark chocolate covered almonds pair beautifully with many wines because they feature the unique taste of WellVine™ Coastal Chardonnay Marc, which tempers the bitter notes in rich dark chocolate with fruitiness and a light acidity.
• Road Trips - these nutrient-dense trail mix recipes are a great way to get the energy you need to make it to your destination. Homemade trail mix is a great snack to share in the car, too.
• Plane Travel - trail mix is easy to pack, doesn’t require refrigeration, and it’s much healthier for you than most other airport snacks.

The ideas above should give you all the inspiration you need to make your own healthy dark chocolate trail mix. It’s a wonderful, good-for-you treat to have on hand, and it’s one of the easiest homemade snacks to prepare.

Try it today! Shop Vine to Bar Chocolate.