All sweet foods and desserts are not calorie ridden. Some desserts are very high in calories (New York cheesecake, Italian-style donuts) and some are low or decent (fruit and yogurt) in calories. Scroll below to learn where a favorite party dessert like chocolate dipped strawberries ranks on the calorie scale.
There are some unlikely food combinations that are irresistible and divine on the taste buds. Milk and cookies. Cheese and nachos. Mayonnaise and bread. Such winning culinary duets can be present in all spheres of cooking, from simple homemade dishes to fancy gourmet food. A sinfully delicious idea, which makes an excellent and convenient dessert, is chocolate covered strawberries. This dessert is easy and quick to make, especially when compared to other desserts like tiramisu or pie. It has simple and basic ingredients, which are chocolate and strawberries. It’s small in size, handy enough for a finger dessert, yet 3-4 of these will satisfy your sweet tooth cravings. And the taste … the tart, sweet taste of a strawberry, with its soft texture and flesh, combined with the sweet, melty chocolate topping. One can go blind from the sensational taste.
Chocolate-covered strawberries have become very popular mini-dessert items, especially at weddings and anniversaries. Indeed, little chocolate dipped berries are now a familiar and mandatory item at most wedding dessert tables. Due to the ease involved in making them, they can be found at both the simplest and the fanciest of weddings. Chocolate-covered strawberries wrapped in a box, also make great gifts, not only are they yummy, they are also very visually appealing. The idea of dipping strawberries into chocolate, has spun off a whole fruit and chocolate trend, where fruits like cherries and oranges are also dipped in chocolate.
The ingredients list for making chocolate-covered strawberries is not very long, all you need are ripe, large strawberries and chocolate. The dipping chocolate can be white, dark or milk. To understand the benefits of eating this dessert, first the benefits of eating strawberries and chocolate must be listed.
Why Eat Strawberries?
- Strawberries have a remarkable effect on blood sugar levels in the human body. Eating a bowl of strawberries can reduce sugar levels in the body, even if you have indulged in a lot of sugar.
- This red berry is one of the best sources of antioxidants, especially amongst other fruits and nuts.
- Strawberries are packed with members of the vitamin family like vitamin C and vitamin K, as well as minerals like manganese, potassium and magnesium.
Why Eat Chocolate?
- Dark chocolate is a low calorie type of chocolate, but it still provides that euphoric and satisfied feeling and aftertaste that chocolate gives, like no other food.
- Dark chocolate is said to lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure levels in the body.
- Chocolate is a great source of antioxidants and helps in lowering levels of stress and regulating the flow of blood.
So separately, both key ingredients have nutritional points in their favor. But there’s a hidden factor that can decide whether this dessert is good or bad for you and that is the number of calories. So, what is a chocolate-covered strawberry’s calorie count?
Chocolate-covered Strawberry Calories
| Type of Dipped Strawberry | Serving | Calories | Fat | Sugar |
| Strawberries dipped in semi-sweet baking chocolate | 1 strawberry | 100 | 6 g | 10 g |
| Strawberries dipped in dark chocolate | 1 strawberry | 60 | 4 g | 4 g |
| Strawberries dipped in white chocolate | 1 strawberry | 75 | 4 g | 9 g |
So the combination of chocolate and strawberries results in an average calorie count of 80. If one considers the fat content, it’s not so bad. Sugar wise, each dipped strawberry has at least 5 grams of sugar. Also note that dark chocolate dipped strawberries have the least amount of calories. On the other hand, a milk-chocolate-covered strawberry has 100 calories, making it a definite no-no for those watching their weight. The strawberry is a good fruity source of vitamin C, so this dessert is good vitamin-wise. When only chocolate and strawberries are used, the calorie count is limited to the calories of the ingredients. But if shortening or hydrogenated oils and added sweeteners are used, the calories can increase.
In conclusion, one or two chocolate-covered strawberries isn’t going to destroy your weight loss regime. If you are not watching your weight, eating such dipped strawberries is an acceptable dessert and is actually better than eating something processed and commercial. But restrict yourself to 1 or 2. The problem with such bite-sized treats is you can easily devour 4 in one go, before you stop and count how much you have actually had. This sort of hogging generally occurs at gatherings and parties. And if you are making these treats at home, try using dark chocolate and dip the strawberries halfway, instead of coating them completely.
