I try to get a handful of nuts almost every day (I named nuts as one of the "synergy super foods" in my book, Food Synergy ) and I definitely like/need a tiny chocolate fix on some days (okay, most days). So when I saw the canister of CocoaRoast Almonds by Emerald, I thought they could come in handy as a nice snack.

I did like the roasted almond flavor with a hint of cocoa but I could also definitely taste the added alternative sweeteners, which I've got to admit bothered me a little, perhaps because I wasn't expecting it. They use the now popular combination of Splenda (sucralose) and acesulfame potassium.

Since cocoa powder is used, I asked the company to provide me with the amount of flavonoids per serving. Apparently the amount isn't significant enough to give out amounts or make a claim. To their credit, on the label they aren't boasting about the % of cocoa or the cocoa flavonoids either. "Dark chocolate flavor" is the only near mention on the canister.

Each serving will add a hefty dose of vitamin E to your nutrient totals though - 35% of the Daily Value.

The 7 ingredients are:

Dry roasted almonds, modified food starch (potato), natural and artificial flavors, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), salt, acesulfame potassium, sucralose.

Per ounce they contain:

• 150 calories
• 13 g fat
• 1 g saturated fat
• 3 g polyunsaturated fat
• 8 g monounsaturated fat
• 0 mg cholesterol
• 3 g fiber
• 1 g sugar
• 6 g protein
• 25 mg sodium

Bottom line: a serving of these almonds will contribute some vitamin E, a nice dose of monounsaturated fat, a few grams of fiber, some protein and with very little sodium.

Related Topics:

• Go Nuts on Your Diet!
• The Nut Case

Technorati Tags: Taste Test Tuesday, nuts, chocolate, healthy diet