Did you know that it’s World Chocolate Day on July 7th? And to celebrate, we’ve teamed up with Ombar to offer three Bristol Bites readers the chance to win an Ombar gift box each, worth £8.99.
Ombar is a range of delicious chocolate made from raw Ecuadorian cacao that’s also dairy free, gluten free and free from refined sugar. It’s available in both bars and buttons, and is packed full of flavanols and antioxidants, so it’s chocolate that you can feel good about!
Sounds like a pretty good excuse to eat more chocolate, if you ask me. And there are plenty more reasons to indulge on World Chocolate Day – here are five from leading nutritionist Cassandra Barns:
It’s a mineral-rich superfood
One of the features that makes cacao so special is its amazing mineral content. But why is this so important?
Cassandra comments: “Despite our best efforts, it can be difficult for many of us to make sure we’re getting enough of the minerals we need from our normal daily diet. Even if we focus on eating whole foods and plenty of veggies, depletion of minerals from our soils can lead to deficiencies, especially in magnesium. Cacao is rich in magnesium, which supports energy, muscle relaxation and bone strength. It’s also a good source of other minerals such as iron and potassium.”
It’s a natural energy booster
“Cacao contains a small amount of caffeine, as well as a compound called theobromine, which has a mild stimulating and energising effect. So having a few pieces of raw chocolate can be a great afternoon pick-me-up without the over-stimulation and jittery feeling you can get from coffee. But what makes cacao the real energy superstar is its high magnesium content: magnesium is essential for your body to make energy, and many of us don’t get enough of it in our daily diet.”
It’s a mood enhancer
“Chocolate stimulates endorphin production within the body as well as containing the natural anti-depressant serotonin and phenylethylamine – the same chemical your brain produces when falling in love!”
It lowers blood pressure
According to the Journal of Nutrition, studies found that chocolate containing high levels of antioxidant-rich flavanols were effective in reducing insulin levels and improving blood pressure. Cassandra says: “Cacao is high in magnesium, which helps to calm the nervous system, and contains a natural chemical called phenylethlamine (PEA) that’s associated with good mood. So, for the best stress-busting effects, go for a high-cacao, lower-sugar dark chocolate.”
It protects against sun damage:
“Eating flavanol-rich chocolate has been found to help protect our skin against sun damage, as well as improve circulation to the skin, increase skin hydration and reduce roughness and scaling.” So load up on any of Ombar’s vegan chocolates before you head out into the summer sun!
Win an Ombar chocolate gift box!
Want the chance to test these theories for yourself? We have three Ombar chocolate gift boxes to give away, each worth £8.99. For the chance to win, simply leave a comment below to let me know which product on the Ombar website (you can see the full range here) appeals to you the most!
The competition will close at midday on Friday, June 14th. Three entrants will be picked at random and contacted for their addresses, so Ombar’s PR company can send out the gift boxes directly. UK entrants only, please! Good luck!
I love the look of the gift box for friends/family, or the Ombar Mandarin to selfishly devour… Thanks for the competition Emily!:)
Coconut👌
60% coconut looks like a bit of me!!
Oh I love the look of the Ombar buttons, with the vegan and non vegan ones – yummy
Pistachio
Pistachio 🍫
The bag of broken bars, looks a great idea.
I love the look of the ombar buttons.
Perfect for Sharing
Coco Almond
Like the idea of the bag of broken bars, you can get lots of different flavours for surprise and shares. X
OMBAR Coconut 60%
I like the sound of the MBAR BUTTONS 72% Cacao bags :o)
Lemon and green tea. Delicious.
I like the sound of the pastacio centres! 😊
I’m holding a raspberry and coconut ‘centres’ bar in my hand now.
They are my essential ‘pick me up’ – better than any coffee!
I get mine from The Better Food Company.
I have never tried raw chocolate so I would love to start with the 60% coconut bar, it’s great to know that something so apparently decadent is actually good for you in so many ways.
The buttons 72% sound lovely as the size and shape are really satisfying on the tongue.
pistachio
The buttons as they would be perfect to share with my little dude as he never lets me eat anything without wanting to try
Ombar Buttons
Coco Almond sounds divine
Pistachio as I like nutty flavours 🙂
almmond!
The coco almond
OMBAR Blueberry & Acai
The one that appeals to me most is the coconut one x
A bag of 72% cacao buttons looks like the perfect way to get through those long afternoons at work!
72% Ecuadorian for me!
The almond for me
The bag of broken bars look yummy
My 16 years old twins love the coconut – and with one of them having major eating problems it’s great that she’ll eat these.
pastachio centres
I would love the coconut x.
Coconut 🥥
The OMBAR CENTRES Pistachio bar sounds delicious as they contain my favourite type of nut!
OMBAR Coconut 60%
The bag of broken bars in Coco Almond sound really good to me
Pistachio
The gift box. Other half doesn’t eat dairy, and is very into healthy eating… Always looking for more gifting options, he’s bloody hard to buy for!
Raspberry and coconut – two of my most favourite flavours
Like the look of the Coco Almond.
Mandarin or raspberry, they both sound amazeballs so couldn’t pick between the two!
Would love to try the OMBAR Manderin
Ombar buttons
Yum, coconut for me please!!
The Ombar giftbox. You can try a bit of everything then, yum!
Cacao 72% Cacao appeal to me the most as it has Taste Mark and high contents of cacao
I would like to give the Coconut one a go.
all look lovely grandaughter will enjoy these
72% cacao 🤪
Ombar Coconut 35g
Coconut, I love coconut 🥥
coconut
the broken bars
I think the mandarin sounds lovely.
I would like the OMBAR Coco Almond
Pistachio centres sound delicious
Ooh the broken bars I think – I like a surprise!
I love the sound of the 72% Cacao – high enough to be very chocolatey, but not too high that it could be bitter!
Buttons!!!
Pistachio
The OMBAR coconut would be the one for me!
The Bag of Broken Bars – COCO ALMOND appeals to me the most because everyone knows the calories fall our the sides of broken chocolate bars 😀
Definitely the broken bars!
Love the sound of the “OMBAR Centres Raspberry & Coconut” – sounds divine
I love the sound of the OMBAR Coco Almond
I’d have to pick the 72% cacao buttons
Coconut sound delicious
Love the pistachio
The Ombar centres pistachio sounds delicious
Rapsberry and coconut
Ombar buttons look yummy.
coconut for me yum
I like the sound of the Raspberry and Coconut and the Blueberry and Acai
The OMBAR BUTTONS Coco Mylk Vegan Chocolate sound lovely
OMBAR Coconut 60%
The Coconut 60% would be my first choice
Mandarin
The Raspberry and coconut sounds delicious
I like anything with blueberry in, so Blueberry & Acai for me 🙂
Pistachio gets my vote!
I think I’d love the OMBAR 100% Cacao but the broken bars sound intriguing!
Combar Coconut 60% 💖
The Ombar Gift Box looks great to start with…..
Buttons, Buttons, Buttons
OMBAR CENTRES Pistachio
OMBAR CENTRES Raspberry & Coconut Looks delicious
I’ve easily demolished a bag of the buttons in the past. Also LOVE the Raspberry & Coconut bars 🙂
I would like to try the coconut
I love the sound of the Bag of Broken bars! Reminds me of when I was a kid and my Mum and dad would buy a Box of broken biscuits, you never knew what flavour you would get. Thank you for the giveaway! x
these look super scruffy and stylish too!
I can’t wait to try the coconut bar.
Coco Almond sounds excellent
Ombar Buttons – yummy!
Pistachio looks amazing 🙂
Loving the bag of broken bars, what a great idea, perfect for sending through the mail for birthdays and not having to worry.
The mandarin bar sounds lovely
Has to be the Raspberry & coconut
Love to try 90% (and the other 10% :))
Lemon and green tea flavour – I would say my two favourites 🙂
anything that I can share with the family. so maybe the buttons, one ot the friends and family please
Pistachio got to be the best
Coconut please!
The coco almond sounds delicious!
I like the CocoMylk buttons
The coconut bar – especially in the summer!
The bag of broken bars looks nice.
The Mylk Choc buttons
mmm Pistachio my fave flavour!
Broken bars berry sounds yummy
The Ombar Mandarin sounds divine, I’d love to try this
The Ombar gift box looks immense
all of them but definitely Coco Mylk
Coco almond
The ombar buttons sound lovely!
Would love to try the Mandarin
Coconut sounds lush!
Pistachio
I would say that the 72% Ombar Buttons appeals to me the most because I love chocolate buttons.
Mandarin one sounds lovely
Mmm healthy chocolate 🍫
I fancy the strawberry or mandarin
Liked & Shared 🤞🏼
Any of †he bags of buttons (in my mind they might last longer lol)
Coconut
Love the sound of the coco almond.
I love the look of the OMBAR BUTTONS Coco Mylk Vegan Chocolate as I find buttons tend to last longer as I savour them rather than eating them quickly
I have never tried this brand before but I think that I would like to try the Coco Buttons. Neat packaging and I reckon that the kids would like them too.
I’ve tried the original flavours but have never seen the OMBAR CENTRES before! The raspberry and coconut one sounds amazing
Coconut is one of my favourite flavours so I’d say that would suit me best 🙂
I like the look of the Ombar buttons – ideal as an energy boost when out and about.
The Ombar buttons sound absolutely amazing! 🙂
Raspberry and coconut is calling my name!
The 90% cacao for me
I’d love to try the Pistachio Ombar Centres bar.
Coconut sounds yummy. Love coconut and chocolate. Yummy!
Raspberry and coconut
Coconut ….lovely
I’d try the coconut first