CocoaVia® contains 1 gram to 3.5 grams of saturated fat per serving. But it's important to remember that the saturated fat in cocoa butter is made up of approximately equal parts of stearic, oleic and palmitic acids. This combination doesn't act like a saturated fat, and research supports that the cocoa butter in chocolate does not raise blood cholesterol like other saturated fatty acids.

The pre-portioned CocoaVia® Dark and Milk Chocolate bars range from 2 grams to 7 grams of fat per serving — which is less than most larger-sized chocolate bars. The Milk Chocolate Covered Raisins contain 6 grams of fat per serving. The Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds contain 11 grams of fat per package, but the majority of the fat comes from the almonds — which are rich in monounsaturated fat and are considered a "good" fat.

This product, like any food, should be consumed in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet. CocoaVia® Snacks can be enjoyed as a substitute for other foods that may not provide heart health benefits. Per serving, each CocoaVia® Snack contains 1.1–1.5 g sterol esters (0.7–0.9 g free sterols). Research demonstrates that consuming more than 3 grams of plant sterols (~5 g as sterol esters) per day provides little additional cholesterol lowering benefits.

Each serving of CocoaVia® provides 1.1 to 1.5 grams of plant sterols. The FDA has said that 1.3 grams of plant sterols a day are needed to show a significant cholesterol-lowering effect if eaten at two different times a day with other foods and incorporated into a diet that's low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

You may have heard that a higher percentage of cocoa means that the product contains more heart healthy flavanols. When it comes to heart health and cocoa flavanols, the most important factor is whether the naturally occurring flavanols have been preserved or maintained in the final product. Seeing 30%, 50% or 70% cocoa on the label does not guarantee that it has higher levels of cocoa flavanols.

CocoaVia® Brand Heart Healthy Snacks are available at an increasing number of retail stores. Use our handy Store Locator to find a store convenient to you that carries them. Because of their heart health benefits, CocoaVia® Brand Heart Healthy Snacks will most likely be found in the retailer's "Nutrition/Energy Bar" section. Or, if you prefer the convenience of buying online, you can place an order now.

Saturated and trans fats can be found in some of the same foods, such as vegetable shortenings, some margarines (especially margarines that are harder), crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. High amounts of saturated fat are found in animal products, such as beef and pork, chicken skin, butter, whole milk, and cheese.

All of the CocoaVia® Snacks Bars are 80 calories per serving. All of the CocoaVia® Chocolate Bars are 100 or fewer calories per serving. The CocoaVia® Chocolate Covered Almonds contain 140 calories per serving. Since each pre-portioned serving is packed with heart healthy flavanols and plant extracts, you can eat a relatively small portion and still reap the benefits. That means fewer calories compared to a regular, larger-sized chocolate bar.

No, antioxidants are not the same as flavanols. Antioxidants are compounds which can slow or prevent the oxidation of other molecules. While flavanols have been shown to have some antioxidant-like effects, it is a true understatement to refer to them as solely antioxidants.

If you are allergic or sensitive to certain foods or ingredients, you should always read the ingredient statement and any allergen statements to ensure the product does not contain ingredients of concern to you. Some CocoaVia® Snacks contain nuts and other allergens which are clearly indicated in either the ingredient listing on the label or just below it in an Allergy Information statement.

Numerous studies indicate that sterols are safe and effective in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. However, it is recommended that you speak to your pediatrician about making changes to your child's diet.

People with diabetes may have specific nutritional requirements, since they are at increased risk for heart disease, stroke and high cholesterol. It is best to speak with your physician about your cholesterol levels and how CocoaVia® products fit into an appropriate diabetic diet. Consuming plant sterols may be one way to help maintain cholesterol levels within the normal range, but blood sugar levels and body weight must be monitored and maintained.

Unsaturated fats are derived from plants ? safflower and sunflower oils, olive and canola oils, and avocados. Saturated fats are derived from animal products ? butter, cheese, cream, and fatty meats. All fats are high in calories, so they must be limited. In particular, the saturated fats should be limited because of health concerns.

Here are some actions you can take every day to keep your consumption of both saturated and trans fats and cholesterol low while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. Check the Nutrition Facts panel to compare foods because the serving sizes are generally consistent in similar types of foods. Choose foods lower in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. For saturated fat and cholesterol, use the Quick Guide to %DV: 5%DV or less is low and 20%DV or more is high.

Elevated cholesterol levels are a known risk factor for heart disease. Both trans fat and saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels and their intake should be kept as low as possible. Health professionals and the Food and Drug Administration recommend minimizing the amount of trans fats in the diet while maintaining a nutritionally sensible diet.

CocoaVia® is the first snack of its kind to combine real heart health benefits with real chocolate pleasure. The health benefits come from a combination of natural cocoa flavanols and plant extracts called sterols. All CocoaVia® snacks are guaranteed to contain at least 100 mg of cocoa flavanols, natural ingredients which have been shown to enhance vessel and platelet function and may support heart health.

Yes, CocoaVia® Snacks can be consumed as part of a healthy diet. Clinical studies have shown that individuals with normal circulating cholesterol levels can help maintain those healthy cholesterol levels by consuming plant sterols, thus creating a dietary strategy for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. The cocoa flavanols in CocoaVia® may help maintain heart health and healthy blood flow.

Fat is necessary in our diet, however, it's important to consume the right type of fats and maintain proper portions. Healthy fats are the unsaturated type, which are common in lean meat, fish, olive oil, canola oil and oil from seeds such as safflower, and sunflower. Fats to avoid are those that are solid at room temperature, or saturated fats. These tend to clog up your arteries. Saturated fats tend to be hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening often used in baking and frying.

A common misperception is that all of the fat in beef is saturated. In fact, USDA data shows that half of beef's fatty acids are the same as the heart-healthy fatty acids (monounsaturated) found in olive oil. In addition, the saturated fat in beef is unique. Approximately one-third of beef's total saturated fat is stearic acid, which has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol in humans.

The saturated fats in chocolate are stearic and palmitic acids and come from cocoa butter. While eating too much saturated fat is often linked to cardiovascular disease, stearic acid may have a neutral effect on LDL cholesterol (???bad cholesterol???) levels. In one study of subjects with normal cholesterol levels who followed a balanced, healthy diet, eating one chocolate bar a day had no effect on LDL cholesterol levels.

Try using ND's Nutrient Search Tool. First select the category of food that you're interested in (e.g. Beef Products), then select lowest in Saturated Fat. This will display a list of foods that may be better choices than the ones you're currently consuming. You may also want to view a list of the foods highest in Saturated Fat to learn which foods to avoid. This, of course, is an iterative process that will slowly but surely sharpen your nutritional knowledge.

Choose fish, poultry, and lean cuts of meat and remove the fat and skin before eating. Eat no more than about 6 ounces per day. Broil, bake, roast, or poach foods rather than frying them. Cut down on high fat meats, including sausage, bacon, and cold cuts such as salami and bologna. Limit organ meats such as liver, kidney, and brains. Use skim (fat-free) or low-fat (1%) milk and cheeses, and low-fat or nonfat yogurt.

Foods that contain saturated fats are animal based such as lard, bacon, butter, whole milk, cheese, sausages, beef, etc. Plant based fats and oils such as palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and coconut milk also contain saturated fats.

All oils and fats contain some amount of saturated fat, even the healthy ones. For instance, extra virgin olive oil, well known as a heart-healthy oil, contains 2 grams per serving. Like olive oil, the oil content of nuts is primarily heart healthy monounsaturated fat, along with a smaller percentage of saturates and polyunsaturates. The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of saturated fats you eat to less than 7 percent of total daily calories.

No, they are not. Egg consumption contributes only 2.3% of the average total saturated fat intake in the American Diet. Eggs can easily be part of a low saturated fat diet. Prepare them with non-stick cooking spray or small amounts of olive or canola oil, and enjoy them with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy foods.

This fat is usually solid or almost solid at room temperature. Animal fats, poultry and dairy products are saturated. Some vegetable oils can be saturated. Saturated fat is the one of the most important factors for determining blood cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that consuming products high in saturated fat can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol. High levels of LDL are linked to heart disease, arteriosclerosis, cancer and diabetes

All of Revival's bars meet the FDA's heart healthy criteria. The fat comes from coating. Each bar delivers 20 grams of soy protein which is about twice the protein of leading retail products. Our shakes are a great option if you want much lower fat levels.

Saturated fats are unhealthy fats that cause the body to make more cholesterol. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods that are of animal origin. Foods that are commonly high in saturated fat are fatty cuts of meat (beef, lamb, pork), poultry with the skin, whole and 2% milk and milk products, butter, cheese, and lard. Foods from plant sources that are high in saturated fat include palm kernel oil, palm oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter.

One way to cut saturated fat in our diets is to choose liquid oils over solid fats, but cooking oils are not saturated-fat-free.