My Dark and Nutty Secret

Well...in the spirit of letting go from a previous post, I guess I better start with the obvious and have a little fun in the process.

Hello, my name is....and I am a chocoholic.  I've traveled the world over in search of the best tasting chocolate.  I have even ranked the chocolate offered in various countries.   Up until a few years ago, my rankings of chocolate by country went something like this with #1 being the best:

1. Belgium
2. Switzerland
3. Germany
4. Denmark
5. France
6. Canada
7. Mexico
8. Turkey
9. Wales
10. Scotland
11. England
12. Japan 
13. USA*

*I love you, America, with all my heart.  You get first place in all the categories that really matter.  Nothing can touch your ideals, freedoms, generosity, industry, ingenuity, and government as it was originally established by the US Constitution.  Please forgive me, blessed Liberty, for preferring chocolate from other countries.

Those are the only countries that I can remember personally visiting since I began my ranking system, so if you would like to know my ranking for a country not listed, please send me a plane ticket, and I'll get right on it.

A few years ago, however, I discovered a chocolate bar that just may rank up near 1st place.  It's made in Germany and can be purchased locally but only at a grocery store that a large number of Americans feel too dignified to visit.

Yes, this delectable chocolate bar can only be found at Aldi.  For what you might pay for one tiny Godiva truffle, you could buy this seven ounce bar of delicious smooth dark chocolate filled with whole roasted hazelnuts.

Please excuse the moisture stain on the box from my tears of joy.

I'm not the only one who has discovered this treasure at Aldi.  More often than not, this item is sold out when I go on my weekly chocolate runs.  When they do have it, I usually find myself fighting through mobs of European women who are all hoping to buy out the store's inventory.

So, why, you may ask, have I categorized this post under "Fitness"?

• "Hazelnuts have been deemed the most beneficial nut for heart health  (Read more at Suite101: Hazelnuts & Heart Health: Nutrition in a Nutshell: Arginine, Flavonoids, Folatehttp://www.suite101.com/content/hazelnuts-for-health-a52029#ixzz1BQc8zbi6
• Hazelnuts also have anti-inflammatory properties which my doctors say should help reduce some of my physical pain.

• Dark chocolate is high in antioxidants which my injured body needs to repair itself.

• This candy bar provides enormous amounts of energy before, during, and after intense physical workouts.  I have set new personal weight lifting records after consuming this treat.

The only drawback to this amazing chocolate discovery is that I can't stop myself after just one ounce.  It's really hard not to eat the entire bar in one sitting.

For those who do not like dark chocolate (the horror!), this company also makes similar candy using milk, white, or mocha chocolate.  They also sell it with peanuts instead of hazelnuts or with no nuts at all.  It's all tasty, but from a nutritional standpoint, I think my pick is the best.

Disclaimers:  This post was written in jest, and the author does not actually recommend or endorse consuming large amounts of refined sugar.  I have not received any payment whatsoever from Aldi but would gladly accept monthly shipments of this candy bar as payment should Aldi management discover this blog post and deem payment appropriate. :-)