Peanut Allergy Guide: Protecting Your Loved Ones Who Have a Peanut Allergy

Whether you have a peanut allergy or you know someone who is allergic to peanuts or any other type of food, then you are probably aware of the fact that it is very important to avoid these foods in order to prevent a reaction. Some people are highly allergic to peanuts or other ingredients, which means that exposure to these foods might result in serious health problems and it could even cause them to stop breathing.

Planning Peanut-Free Meals and Snacks

With a food allergy, it is extremely important that you check every ingredient that is being used in the meal, to ensure that you won't cause the person to have an allergic reaction. For example, with a peanut allergy, you need to ensure that the product is free of peanuts, and you also need to double check to make sure there isn't a risk of peanut cross contamination.

Sometimes, foods are manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts or other types of nuts. If someone with a peanut allergy eats foods that were cross-contaminated with peanuts, then it could potentially result in a food allergy reaction even if their food didn't have any peanuts added directly during the manufacturing.

Finding Safe Foods to Eat

If you are preparing foods from scratch, then you will be able to monitor the ingredients that are added into the meals and avoid cross-contamination. If you are serving pre-made foods, then you should closely read the label, in order to ensure that the food was prepared in a peanut free environment.

At Premium Chocolatiers, we offer peanut-free chocolate that is safe for people with a food allergy. Visit our website to see the chocolate varieties that we offer.

Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Many people consider chocolate to be a vice, but did you know that dark chocolate is good for your health? Over the years, chocolate has gained a bad reputation, and now doctors are uncovering health benefits that can be gained from chocolate.

How Dark Chocolate Boosts Your Health

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which are packed full of antioxidants in the form of flavonoids. When you are consuming antioxidants in your diet, those antioxidants work to reduce the free radical load in your body.

Increased free radical activity has been linked with a higher risk of heart disease and cancer. So, it is possible to decrease your risk of these serious diseases by decreasing free radical activity with antioxidant consumption.

Dark chocolate is packed full of these antioxidants. In fact, it is estimated that dark chocolate contains about 8 times more antioxidants than strawberries. Another benefit of dark chocolate is that the flavonoids help to balance hormone levels and decrease blood pressure. It has also been found that dark chocolate helps to reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol by as much as 10 percent.

Vegan Milk Chocolate vs. Dark Chocolate

If you are planning to eat chocolate for the health benefits, it is important that you choose a vegan variety. Milk and sugar are two ingredients that are not beneficial for your health, especially if you have a milk allergy. Vegan dark chocolate contains no milk and it has lower sugar content compared with milk or white chocolate.

At Premium Chocolatiers, our goal is to provide you with a variety of healthier chocolate options, and our products are vegan and allergy-free. Visit our website to see the delicious vegan dark chocolate products that are available.

6 Lactose Free Desserts

Just because you are following a lactose free diet, doesn't mean that you need to stay away from delicious desserts. There are many lactose free foods that can be used in dessert recipes, and sometimes it is as simple as making a few ingredient substitutions.

Here are some dairy free dessert recipes that are perfect for anyone following a lactose free diet:

·         Berry or apple pie: Using coconut whipped topping instead of regular whipped cream

·         Cookies: Make sure to use vegan chocolate chips and avoid other dairy ingredients

·         Sorbet or Coconut Bliss ice cream: Which are great substitutes instead of ice cream

·         Dark chocolate: Most brands of dark chocolate are dairy free, although you will need to stay away from milk chocolate varieties

·         Brownie mixes: Which are usually dairy free unless they are "milk chocolate" brownies, so read the packing label to ensure there are no added dairy ingredients

·         Cake: Most cake mixes are lactose free, but you will need to read the ingredient list to double check

The possibilities are endless, and you can find many dairy-free recipes online. With the right recipe and a little bit of creativity, it is easy to prepare a dessert that you can enjoy.

At Premium Chocolatiers, we have a variety of chocolates that are safe to eat if you are following a lactose free diet. You will love our lactose free foods, because they are delicious and dairy free!

Food Allergies? How to Know If You Can Eat Specific Foods

As food allergies are becoming more common, many people find that it is a little easier to locate treats that fit within their eating guidelines. But, you need to be careful to read each label, in order to determine if you can safely eat each type of food without causing problems for your health.

Read the Labels

A quick glance at the label can help you understand whether or not the food contains the ingredients that you need to avoid. If you have food allergies, then it is important that you understand the exact ingredients that need to be avoided, as well as any other disguised ingredients that might aggravate your allergies.

Be cautious about generalized ingredients. For example, if the label says "chocolate chips" and you are allergic to gluten, then you might need to learn more about the chocolate to make sure that the product contains gluten free chocolate chips.

Talk With the Store or Manufacturer                             

If there is ever a question about whether a specific food is safe for you to eat, then you might consider calling the manufacturer to learn more about the ingredients. Many companies are happy to answer your questions and provide additional information as needed.

You can also talk with a store manager or employee. Visiting a local health food store can be a great way to find foods that you can eat, and you will discover that the employees are very knowledgeable about food allergies. Or, if you can't find anything locally, then look online for a vendor who offers specialty items that are safe for people with food allergies.

Premium Chocolatiers offers a variety of sweet treats that are safe for people with many types of allergies. Our vegan, dairy free, peanut free, gluten free chocolate is delicious and a great option for people who have food allergies.

4 Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet

It can be confusing to choose an eating plan, because you will find quite a bit of conflicting information about different lifestyles. If you want to choose a eating style that supports your overall health, then you should consider a vegan diet. A plant-based diet is back by numerous research studies which show that there are many health benefits that can be gained. Here are a few common health benefits from a vegan diet:

·         Reduced Risk of Heart Disease: The antioxidants and fiber in plant foods are associated with improving cardiovascular health. It has been found that people who eat less meat and more vegetables are more likely to have lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.

·         Reduced Risk of Cancer: If you are looking for a way to reduce the risk of cancer, then vegetables and whole grains are the way to go. "The China Study" was a large research study that found a direct correlation between animal protein consumption and cancer.

·         Stronger Bones: Even though milk is commonly associated as a food that is good for bone health, the truth is that increased milk consumption is directly associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. Instead of milk, increase your consumption of leafy greens for a healthier source of calcium.

·         Weight Loss: Many people who follow a healthy, vegan diet can quickly lose weight. If you want to lose weight, make sure you are eating natural ingredients, such as nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

If you are following a vegan diet, you don't need to give up the foods that you love! Here at Premium Chocolatiers, we make vegan chocolate that tastes just as good as regular chocolate. Visit our website to learn more about the vegan desserts that are available for you!

Allergy-Free Side Dishes and Desserts for Your Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and it is a great time to share a meal to celebrate with your family and friends. Some people assume that they will miss out on some of the delicious food options because of their food allergies. But, just because you have a food allergy doesn't mean that you should be left out during a holiday dinner with your family.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes and Dessert Ideas

Whether you are hosting the party or attending another party, you can plan at least 1 or 2 side dishes or desserts so that you can have the peace of mind to know that you will have allergy-free food to eat.

Here are a few allergy-free side dish and dessert options to consider:

·         Sweet potatoes or yams, using olive oil instead of butter and skipping the marshmallows

·         Stuffing, using gluten-free bread instead of regular bread

·         Cranberry sauce, skipping any nuts in the ingredient list

·         Roasted Brussels sprouts, with olive oil and natural spices for flavor

·         Gravy made with brown rice flour for thickening and olive oil instead of butter

·         Pumpkin pie, made with a gluten-free crust and coconut milk instead of dairy products

·         Chocolate covered strawberries (using allergy-free chocolate)

Gourmet Chocolates for Every Holiday

Here at Premium Chocolatiers, we make gourmet chocolates and truffles to satisfy your sweet tooth. These chocolates are so delicious that your holiday guests won't realize that they are eating an allergy-free alternative to traditional chocolate.

Thanksgiving is a day to indulge, so make sure that you order enough of our allergy-free chocolates to enjoy a sweet treat before and after the meal! Check out our allergy-free chocolates for the holiday season, such as  chocolate turkeys and pumpkin truffles.

Heading toward Thanksgiving

As the weather gets cooler and we head into the fall holidays and finally Christmas of course - the pace heats  up at our factory. We are in full swing producing vegan and allergy friendly chocolate turkeys, turkey lollipops, pumpkin truffles and getting ready for black Friday and Christmas. New products are being launched with many other great ones to follow. Lots of excitement is brewing and we hope you follow us here as we share the goings on.