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The skinny on chocolate-covered almonds

AliceNov2011
AliceNov2011 Posts: 471 Member
in Social Groups
Chocolate-covered almonds are soooo delicious and have so many good properties -- the almond, the chocolate -- but measuring and counting their nutrition can be tricky.

I buy 73% cacao dark chocolate almonds from Trader Joe's, and the container says XX calories per cup. Kinda hard to measure that accurately. Too much negative space in the cup, right?

So I Googled chocolate-covered almonds, and discovered that when calculated as PER PIECE instead of by other measure, the consensus is that they are 15-25 calories EACH.

I ration about 3 as a treat every now and then. That makes them special to me, and I'm deliberate about eating (and savoring) them.

But if you're doing a fistful or bagful for a snack, BEWARE! Just a handful of 20 of the little buggers can cost you as much as 500 calories!

http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-compliments-chocolate-covered-almonds-i91371

http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/generic/almonds-chocolate-covered

http://www.fitday.com/fitness/BrowseNutrition.html?_a_Date=1351641600.&_s_Amount=1.&_s_UnitKey=s-v1d4-f5773F12uEB9B&_s_FoodPath=All_Foods/Snacks_and_Sweets/Almonds_chocolate_covered.html

http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-nuts-almonds-chocolate-coated_f-ZmlkPTExMzA0Nw.html

Just thought you'd like to know...

Replies

  • meglet175
    meglet175 Posts: 98
    I love Dove dark chocolate minis - about 40 calories each. I allow myself one after lunch and a second after dinner. Too many calories to just nosh on, but they satisfy my "I need dessert now" urgings.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    The chocolate almonds I found yesterday are Blue Diamond Dark Chocolate Oven roasted almonds. They don't have a chocolate candy coating on them. They somehow dust them with cocoa powder and roast in the flavor. They are 160 calories for 1 ounce, which is around 25 almonds
    I would not get anywhere near chocolate covered almonds right now. I could undo 2 months of work in one setting!
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    http://www.bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navId=467

    Here is the link to the ones I am talking about. Click on the nutritional info link to see what is in them.
  • AliceNov2011
    AliceNov2011 Posts: 471 Member
    http://www.bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navId=467

    Here is the link to the ones I am talking about. Click on the nutritional info link to see what is in them.

    Thanks (for the link AND the inspiration for this post ;c) !
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    We all definitely need to be aware of the calories in chocolate covered nuts. They can be extremely high. Chocolate raisins as well. Def couldn't have those in my house.
  • pedraz
    pedraz Posts: 173
    You have confirmed to me that they are WAYYYYYYYYYYYY to dangerous to keep in MY house. I DO eat plain dark chocolate (70% up to 95% wew!) and I DO eat plain almonds. If I were to put them together I'd be a goner.
    Enjoy though. :drinker:
  • JanLeb
    JanLeb Posts: 297 Member
    http://www.bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navId=467

    Here is the link to the ones I am talking about. Click on the nutritional info link to see what is in them.


    Thank you so much for this! I am like you - I could not have chocolate covered almonds in my house right now - they would not be safe. They are one of those things I just can't leave alone. But I will be looking for these.
  • Dianemustang
    Dianemustang Posts: 77
    thanks on that - nice to know so many of us love chocolate and "ration" it!
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    My son makes dark chocolate covered almonds with sea salt! I think I need to assign this cooking task to him this week.......

    Thanks for the calorie info!
  • ruthmiriam
    ruthmiriam Posts: 28 Member
    Trader Joe's sells dark chocolate covered almonds with sea salt, and about 6 of those (about 115 calories) is my treat for dessert any night I have the calories leftover. I will often put it on my diary early in the day just to make sure I save those calories.
  • nicleed
    nicleed Posts: 247 Member
    Very glad that I like my chocolate and my nuts separately... so to speak...
  • amflautist
    amflautist Posts: 939 Member
    I too eat my almonds and chocolate separately. I am very careful about buying almonds, however, because I like to buy "raw" almonds. Here is a little bit of information about "raw" almonds that might be of interest to somebody. The FDA does not allow "raw" almonds to be produced and sold in the US, because there were outbreaks of salmonella traced to raw almonds in 2001 and 2004. Beginning in 2007, all "raw" almonds are sterilized -- unless they are sold from a farm stand.

    The most common method of sterilizing almonds is by propylene oxide fumigation, which is listed by the International Agency on Cancer Research as a possible carcinogen. It is banned in the European Union, Canada and Mexico, among many others, from being used in the treatment of food for human consumption.

    Organic raw almonds - if produced in the USA - do not use propylene oxide for sterilization. They use a steam method instead.

    When I want to buy raw almonds, I look for "Organic" and "Produce of USA" on the label. That way I know I'm not getting any propylene oxide.
  • hairsprayhon
    hairsprayhon Posts: 334 Member
    I agree, I can not have choc covered almonds or raisonettes in bags in the house. It is too easy to grab a handful too frequently. I still rely on the 100 calorie bags. I have been looking for the little boxes of raisonettes but haven't found them in a long time.
  • katejkelley
    katejkelley Posts: 839 Member
    That's my problem with nuts - I can't just eat 2 or 3. I want the whole bag! This is a lesson I'm really struggling with. Nuts are a health snack, but 2 or 3 hardly make a dent in my appetite, but they contain so many calories. I should just stop buying them.
  • TArnold2012
    TArnold2012 Posts: 929 Member
    I have a few smoked almonds from time to time but haven't tried the chocolate. I have never really be a chocolate person. I do like raisins and have enjoyed the mini boxes of yogurt covered. Think I have ate 3 boxes since June.

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