From weddings to baby showers and from corporate events to milestone anniversaries, party favors have become increasingly popular. They are used to express appreciation to the guests as well as promoting brand visibility and loyalty. According to Chocolate Favors World, "Choosing chocolates as return gifts has become the best way to make a lasting impact. This is on account of the universal fondness of chocolate." Did you know that the worldwide consumption of chocolate was as high as 7.2 million tons in 2009? It is expected to skyrocket to 8.2 million tons by 2020, according to the Statistics Portal Statista . Once you have decided on chocolate as a great option, there are several things you may wish to consider to arrive at the final decision.

Making the Right Decision with Chocolate Favors

Shape:  Chocolates are available in a large variety of shapes and sizes. You can make the choice depending on the occasion. For instance, if it's a Christmas party, you could get favors in shapes of Santa, a star or even a reindeer. For weddings, heart shaped chocolates or ones with wedding bells could be ideal. The decision could depend on the gathering. If it's a corporate setting and guests would comprise of employees or clients, you may wish to opt for simpler designs like squares and bars, as this will showcase your logo better. In case you wish to have a theme party, the shape could be chosen accordingly. For instance, if you are having a casino themed partly, you could opt for chocolate poker chips, which are easily available online. In fact, you would be surprised at the array of shapes available, including different fruits, puzzle pieces, champagne bottles and even bandages!

Taste: You would want your guests to savor the chocolates and remember you fondly. Since taste is such a critical part of your favor, opt for Belgian chocolate. If you wish to add an exquisite touch, you could choose dark chocolate, although milk chocolate is more popular, especially among kids.

Customization: The wrapper as well as the chocolate can have some artwork. For instance, if it is a corporate event, you could have the company logo and tagline on the wrapper and the chocolate.

Packaging: Often ignored, packaging can add to the novelty of your return gift. Apart from the chocolate wrapper having some artwork to depict the theme of the party, you could opt for the favors to be placed in colorful organza bags with matching ribbons or a transparent box. If you have chosen a unique shape, ensure that it can be seen through the packaging.

Dark chocolate is probably one food that is not only sinfully delicious but nutritious at the same time. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and contains a good amount of soluble fiber and essential minerals. A 100 gram bar of dark chocolate contains 70-85% of cocoa extract. If you further breakdown the contents, you get fiber, iron, magnesium, copper and manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. Of course, we cant afford to forget that it also contains a considerable amount of calories and sugar, so moderation is the key here. You can enjoy your favorite dark chocolate in tempting shapes and sizes or gift them to your loved ones by ordering them online from sites like MyChocolateShapes.com and PiqChocolates.com that offer customization of chocolates.

Top 4 Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolates

Here are the healthy reasons you can give, when you get tempted to eat dark chocolate.

Provides Youthful Appearance and Fights Certain Cancer

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a measure of the antioxidant impact of food. Raw and
unprocessed cocoa beans are amongst the highest scoring foods on this scale. Dark chocolate is infused with valuable organic compounds that function as antioxidants, including polyphenols, catechins and flavanols. These antioxidants liberate your body from free radicals, the primary cause of oxidative damage of your cells. These free radicals can speed up the aging process and even lead to certain types of cancer. So, including antioxidant rich diet, such as dark chocolate, is a delicious way to look young and stay fit.

Controls Blood Sugar

Dark chocolate keeps your blood vessels healthy and maintains steady blood circulation, which in turn protects you against type 2 diabetes. The flavonoids present in dark chocolate help reduce insulin resistance by assisting the normal functioning of your cell and by helping your body regain the ability to regulate insulin levels efficiently. Dark chocolate does not usually cause a huge spike in blood sugar level, since it has a low glycemic index

Protects Against Heart Disease

In an observational study conducted on 470 adults, cocoa was observed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death by a staggering 50% over the period of 15 years. Another study revealed that if a person consumes dark chocolates two or more times per week, the risk of calcified plaque in the arteries is reduced by 32%. The compounds in dark chocolate are highly protective against the oxidation of LDL (low density lipo-protein, which is the bad cholesterol). This, in the long run causes less cholesterol being lodged in the arteries, which further lowers the risk of heart disease.

Improves Brain Function

Cocoa contains stimulants, such as like caffeine and theobromine, which are believed to improve brain function. Cocoa enhances blood flow to the brain and also improves cognitive function in elderly people with mental disability. It also believed to improve verbal fluency.

All you need to do to enjoy dark chocolate and share your love for the cocoa bean with loved ones is to order customized and personalized chocolate shapes online.