Let’s deconstruct chocolate cravings for a moment. It’s one thing to enjoy chocolate now and then. It’s another to seriously crave it.

One often overlooked reason for strong chocolate cravings is a magnesium deficiency. Chocolate naturally contains a relatively high amount of this important mineral, so persistent cravings can sometimes be your body’s way of asking for more magnesium overall.

If you consider yourself a chocoholic — or notice cravings popping up more often than not (or at certain times of the month, ladies) — it may be worth looking at how much magnesium-rich food you’re getting in your diet.

Great sources include rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, flax, sesame, and sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, almonds, cashews, molasses, bananas, figs, raisins, kidney and black beans, spinach, leafy greens, and halibut. Oh — and chocolate!

But not the sugar-loaded, GMO-filled candy-bar stuff. I’m talking high-quality dark chocolate, 70% cacao or higher, low in sugar, with minimal, recognizable ingredients.

I also love keeping a bag of raw cacao powder in the cabinet. It’s an easy way to add magnesium-rich chocolate flavor to smoothies, oatmeal, cookies or brownies, and even savory dishes like soups or stews (I love adding a little chocolate to my chili). Or (one of my favorites) these simple truffles…

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup organic peanut butter (or experiment with other nut or seed butters)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon goji berries (optional but add dimension, flavor, and nutrition!)
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 2 teaspoons shredded coconut (for coating, optional)

Directions:
Mix peanut butter, cacao powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and honey until smooth. Stir in goji berries and sunflower seeds. Roll into one–teaspoon-sized balls using your hands. If desired, roll each truffle in shredded coconut. Enjoy right away, or store in the freezer and grab as needed.