Safety and Security

Everyone with a peanut allergy is afraid of anaphylaxis, which can happen when the allergic person is exposed to one of their allergens. Anaphylactic shock happens very quickly and it can be deadly. When someone goes into anaphylactic shock, their body reacts by releasing chemicals and it is the natural reaction that causes the potentially deadly anaphylaxis. The scariest part of anaphylaxis is the speed in which it happens. Once the chemicals are released, the airways narrow and breathing becomes difficult, blood pressure drops dramatically, hives develop, and vomiting can happen. The deadliest part of anaphylaxis happens when the air ways narrow and blood pressure drops. If you or your child has a food allergy to peanuts, an EpiPen could someday save your life. A friend of mine went on vacation to Toronto (they were from the States) and her daughter had a reaction in the hotel. They went to their room and within moments, her daughter could not breathe. She suddenly completely stopped breathing and passed out dead cold on the bed. They were so lucky that her husband had the EpiPen with him, because if he had had to run out to the car, their daughter would have died. He stabbed the shot into her leg so hard that he actually bent the needle on her little thigh, but he saved her life as the epinephrine immediately forced her back into consciousness. Since they were from the States, they were unaware of what to do with her at the hotel. Her husband grabbed the four year old and carried her as he ran to the front desk. The employees called 911 which brought a fire truck and ambulance to the hotel. They spent the day at the hospital, while the doctors made sure their daughter would be alright. She ended up being fine, but they left Toronto and drove home, ending their vacation before it even started. Since people with food allergies cannot be home all of the time, it is extremely important for them to be aware of their surroundings and prepared for the worst. My friend reported that the hotel room was immaculate and there was not any food in the room, but since it only takes 1/44,000 of a peanut kernel, literally the DUST of a peanut, it could have easily bee peanut residue from the previous lodger. To this day, their daughter carries a small purse everywhere she goes, even in her public school classroom. The purse contains her EpiPen, Benadryl, and her inhaler of Albuterol. If you are an adult or older teen with food allergies, you should let your friends and those who eat with you know that you have food allergies, especially if they are the type to cause anaphylaxis. In 2011, actor Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spiderman) was eating with friends Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan when he suddenly went into shock. Neither woman knew that he had a severe food allergy to many different kinds of nuts, so they had no idea what to do when the shock began. Had he told his friends that he had a food allergy, they would have been able to help him by injecting an EpiPen or making sure that their food was free of nuts or other allergens. He was rushed to the hospital and had to stay overnight while the physicians made sure he was stable. Knightley and Mulligan were caught completely unaware and did not know what to do. It turned out that there were traces of nuts in the food that Garfield ordered. Experiencing anaphylactic shock is extremely frightening for the person who is in shock, but it is also incredibly frightening for the people who are watching. It is a great idea for those with tendencies towards anaphylactic shock as a reaction to a food allergy like peanuts, milk or eggs, to tell their dining companions about their food allergies, so if something horrible happens and the people who could help you are totally unaware. Knowledge is power and if you are dining away from home, make everyone knowledgeable when you are dining away from home

Food Allergies

Living with food allergies or celiac disease presents several challenges when searching for chocolate; combing the aisles for gourmet chocolate and spending hours reading ingredients is a frustration known all too well to those with special diets. Most chocolate in grocery stores and even specialty stores are not safe for people on special restrictive diets because they contain ingredients that could make them very ill. Studies have found that Celiac disease is much more common now than it was many years ago which you can see from the expanding gluten-free sections in supermarkets. Celiac disease sufferers have to be wary of barley malt and wheat, which are commonly used in gourmet candies. Even beautiful celebrities like Emmy Rossum (lead Actress in “Phantom of the Opera”), Elizabeth Hasselbeck (co-host of “The View”) and former president's daughter, Chelsea Clinton have restrictive diets due to Celiac Disease. The disease also affects Drew Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints! Who knew so many celebrities have to deal with the same thing that 1 in 133 or three million Americans have to deal with. What makes this worse, is only 1 in 4,700 people are actually diagnosed with the disease.

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 6 and 8 percent of children suffer from potentially life-threatening reactions to food. Even famous faces like television star Ray Romano, Joshua Jackson and tennis pro Serena Williams have to watch their diets for deadly peanuts. Actress Zooey Deschanel deals with sensitivities to dairy, eggs and wheat. Allergies to milk and lactose intolerance severely limit the choices of chocolate on the market. Most people with special diets have to completely eliminate chocolate from their diets to avoid uncomfortable or even deadly reactions—but not anymore!  Since Premium Chocolatiers products are free of gluten, nuts, milk and eggs, they are completely safe for those with celiac disease and milk, nut or egg allergies. Rest assured that all products are 100% vegan and Kosher Parve for dairy-free diets!
These allergy-safe, gluten-free chocolates are perfect for a decadent snack and even cooking; you may melt the chocolate and use it in delicious recipes you find online—or even use as dip for strawberries! If you are entertaining guests with restrictive diets or going to a special event, these chocolates make a wonderful hostess gift or after-dinner treat! Send your kids to school with gourmet allergy-safe, kid-tested and gluten-free truffles to be a hit with every teacher on the block!

Since there are so few companies that cater to specialized diets, it is critical to remain aware of the companies that are safe for allergy sufferers and those with celiac disease. What a joy it is to enjoy one of your favorite foods again! Let Premier Chocolatiers be your one-stop convenient shop for all your chocolate needs!

Chocolates for Your Gluten-Free Diet

If you have a sweet tooth, chocolate may have been one of the hardest things to give up. While gluten-free gummy bears may be plentiful, gluten-free chocolate can be a challenge to find. Natural chocolate is gluten-free, but you may be unpleasantly surprised by the taste of pure, unsweetened chocolate. To find the perfect combination of gluten-free and good taste, first you must understand how chocolate is made.

Chocolate comes from cacao, a pod found on the Theobroma cacao tree. Most of the world’s cacao is grown and harvested in Africa, then shipped to the States to be turned into chocolate in factories. Without the high amounts of additional ingredients traditionally added to cacao, gluten allergy sufferers are able to eat it without symptoms, but many have found this type of chocolate unpalatable.

So creating chocolate that gluten-free dieters can enjoy involves making natural chocolate sweet without adding egg, milk, and gluten. The creator may use soy, cocoa butter, and vanilla extract to enrich taste without endangering someone’s health.

The problem with gluten-free chocolate sellers is that if the candy is manufactured in the same place as regular chocolates, you may experience cross-contamination. So it’s important, when shopping for gluten-free foods of any kind, that you look for a company that provides assurance that you will not be exposed to gluten in your chocolate.

While chocolate is delicious, it’s not worth the danger it presents for those allergic to gluten. Thanks to gluten-free chocolate, you can now enjoy all the benefits of chocolate without dealing with annoying and even dangerous side effects.

And there are many benefits to eating chocolate. The cacao bean is considered a “super food,” meaning it is full of nutrients. Additionally, the cacao bean has been found to help depression, thanks to its high concentration of serotonin, dopamine, and phenylethylamine. The latter ingredient is said to trigger responses in the brain that mimic the feelings someone has when falling in love.

While none of us would likely crunch on cacao beans, experts have confirmed that dark chocolate preserves many of the health benefits. When consumed in small amounts, they can be a healthy part of a person’s daily diet. Gluten-free chocolates are actually good for sufferers, contributing to overall mental well-being.

In addition to emotional well-being, gluten-free chocolates also harness the cacao beans’ power of fighting heart disease, lowering bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol. Some experts say dark chocolate is a great substitute for a daily glass of red wine, recommended for those with cholesterol issues. Even though grapes don’t contain gluten, wheat paste is sometimes used to seal the oak barrels where wine is stored while it ages. Some question have also been raised about the presence of yeast proteins in wine.

Even if you’re on a gluten-free diet, you don’t have to give up sweets altogether. While sweets are consumed only in moderation in a healthy diet, occasional gluten-free candies and desserts are a great way to satisfy your craving without sacrificing your health.

We are Gluten Free and Vegan

As many of you know we have been gluten free as well as vegan now for quite a while adding to our list of frees. All products are now free of egg, milk, nuts/peanuts as well as gluten even the pretzels! This may be surprising to some but you may be even more surprised when you try these pretzels- they can't be differentiated from any others.

Mothers Day is Coming Soon

To all our loyal customers please remember that Mothers Day is around the corner and we don't want to disappoint Mom. Whether it is a heart shaped box of delicious milk, nut, gluten and egg free chocolates or milk fudge hearts dipped in creamy white chocolate she will not be disappointed. As you know it gets hectic around holidays seasons so get it in early and post a nice card for her on the checkout page!

Easter Chocolate now up

Check out the Easter bunnies and eggs now on the site. You just can't get such a bunny anywhere. Enjoy.

Chocolate Roses

The roses will be available this week Wednesday Feb 25. Come check them out.