This is a podcast episode of Ask the Health Expert hosted by JJ Virgin (four-time New York Times bestselling author) with guest Max Lugaver (New York Times bestselling author). The episode mixes sponsor ad reads for Wayfair, Earth Breeze, Chrysler Pacifica, Monarch, and Corona with an interview focused on justifying a chocolate habit. Max Lugaver endorses dark chocolate (85%+ cacao), highlights cocoa flavanols’ cardiovascular and cognitive benefits, and notes chocolate’s magnesium and copper content; he advises avoiding Dutch-processed cocoa. The episode also includes holiday and environmental toxin tips and a plug to subscribe.
Questions this episode answers
85% cacao or higher.
Dutch processed (processed with alkali).
February 12, 2021.
Chapters
Hey, J.J. here. Can you believe how fast the holidays are knocking at the door this year? One minute it's pumpkin spice season, the next you're getting your guest room ready and wondering where their wrapping paper went. And that's when I turned to Wayfair. From bedding and towels to holiday decor and last minute stocking stuffers, Wayfair has everything you need to get your home and holidays together fast. And for way less. With Wayfair, I know I can refresh my guest room in no time. Maybe I'll add a soft new comforter or a few holiday throw pillows. With Wayfair, it's so easy and everything arrives super fast. Plus, there's free shipping for any order over $35 easy and total peace of mind. So whether you're hosting, gifting, or just adding those final festive touches, Wayfair has your back. And when the holidays wind down, Wayfair has everything you need to tuck it all neatly away. Smart storage solutions for every room from the kitchen to the closet. Get organized, refreshed and ready for the holidays. For way less head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Wayfair Every style, every home. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I R.com hey, it's JJ here. You know, I've been talking about environmental toxins forever, and laundry detergent is a sneaky one. A lot of them contain harsh chemicals like dyes, preservatives, and even UV brighteners. Those brighteners don't actually clean anything. They just coat fabric so your eyes think things look whiter or brighter. That's more chemicals I don't want on my family's sheets or skin. And if you've got sensitive skin or allergies around the house, this can be a big problem. That's what got my attention about Earth Breeze. It looks like a dryer sheet, but it's actually laundry detergent. You toss one in the washer and that's it. No pouring, no mess, and no heavy plastic jug. Their packaging is lightweight cardboard, which helps reduce plastic waste. And if you choose the fragrance free option, it's gentle, hypoallergenic, non irritating and non sensitizing. I really like how simple it is and how fresh and clean everything comes out without those unnecessary chemicals. Right now you can try Earth Breeze for up to 40% off with free gifts@earthbreeze.com virgin that's earthbreeze.com virgin for up to 40% off plus free gifts on your first order.
The holidays are all about family, but at the Chrysler Wrap up of the Year sales event, it's all about you. Enjoy every mile in the most awarded minivan in America, the Chrysler Pacifica with the most standard safety features in its class, available Stow N Go seating and the available Stow N Back built in vacuum. Make the most of the holidays with a great deal at the Chrysler Pacifica Wrap up the Year sales event based on Ward's small van segment. Based upon the latest available competitor information, Chrysler is a registered trademark of FCA US llc.
Can you give me some reasons to justify my chocolate habit? This is JJ Virgin, four time New York Times bestselling author, celebrity nutrition expert, and Fitness hall of Famer. I've been on a lifelong quest for answers to the toughest health questions and now I'm sharing what I found with you. Welcome to Ask the Health Expert. Sarah from Twitter asks, can you give me some reasons to justify my chocolate habit? Oh my gosh, come on, we definitely can get that for you. I've got the perfect person. It's JJ and today I've got Max Lugaver. He's the New York Times best selling author of Genius Foods and now the Genius Life Life here with me to answer this. And besides being an author, he's also a filmmaker and a health and science journalist. He went to college pre med and then he took a film course and fell so in love with it that he decided to go that route and now found a way to merge all of those interests together. He also sings and plays the guitar and even released an album in 2012. He'll be right back with me, so stay with us.
Hey JJ Virgin here. Okay, Real talk. So often the holidays sneak up on me, travel, gifts, hosting, you know, all the things and suddenly it's like, wait, who spent what and where? And I know I'm not the only one who's looked at a bill in January and thought, wow, that escalated quickly. If you want to keep your finances under control this holiday season, you need to be using Monarch. If you it's rated the Wall Street Journal's best budgeting app of 2025. Monarch is the all in one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean interface on your laptop or on your phone. Monarch lets you link everything and gives you real time visibility so you're not shocked later. Right now, I've been checking the holiday spending category so I don't accidentally start the new year with that dreaded debt hangover. And honestly, just seeing everything laid out is already helping me stay more aware. This season. Monarch does the heavy lifting. It links your accounts in minutes, gives you smart categorization and super clear visuals. Yes, that end of your reset could be a real goal this time. Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use the code virgin@monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year@monarch.com with the code Virgin.
This episode is brought to you by Corona when you're on a beach with an ice cold Corona in hand, how can you not feel centered? But did you know you can get that vibe anywhere? That's because weather after work, at barbecues or at a bar with just a squeeze of lime, Corona brings you La Playa mentality. Because while we all want the beach life, paradise doesn't always have palm trees. Corona La Playa awaits. Get yours@orderkorona.com responsibly Corona extra beer imported by Crown Import, Chicago, IL.
I'm a huge fan of dark chocolate, and in my work I call dark chocolate a genius food. It's just an incredible food, and even though it is a relatively processed food, it is one of the few processed foods that I actually will wholeheartedly endorse and consume myself regularly. In fact, I make a point to eating a bar of dark chocolate every single week, broken out over the course of the week. And some of the benefits of dark chocolate include that cocoa is packed with what are called flavanols, which have been shown to boost cardiovascular health, to boost brain health, to boost memory function in animal models. And the regular habitual consumption of dark chocolate has been related in people to better memory function, better mood. Although I've never met an upset person eating chocolate, chocolate definitely acutely can brighten up the mood. It's also a wonderful source of important micronutrients like magnesium. 50% of the population doesn't consume adequate magnesium, and magnesium is important for the creation of energy in your cells. It's also important for DNA repair so that you can stay youthful in mind and in body as you age. So magnesium is very important and chocolate is a great source. It's also a great source of copper. So copper is another mineral that few people are talking about, but it's very important in the body. One of the things that copper actually is useful for is pigmentation. So hair pigmentation. So if you are maybe experiencing a bit of premature grayness, make sure that your copper levels are intact. Don't go overboard. You definitely don't want to do that with a metal such as copper. But copper is an essential micronutrient so you need to make sure that you're getting some every day and people seldom consume the foods that are replete in copper. So overall it's a great food. It I think will make you happier and smarter and chocolate gets my endorsement. You just want to make sure that it's dark chocolate, so 85% cacao or higher. And you also want to look on the back and make sure that the cocoa has not been Dutch processed, otherwise known as processed with alkali. It'll usually say that right there on the ingredients list if it has been and if it doesn't mention anything about being Dutch processed, then you're in the clear. Dutch processing, which again you don't want your chocolate to have been, actually degrades some of the health benefits of the cocoa. It it basically removes some of those important flavanols that I talked about earlier. The chocolate will still be a good source of magnesium and copper and things like that. But yeah, you really want to make sure that your chocolate is not Dutch processed, so those are the things to look out for when buying chocolate.
This is JJ with Ask the Health Expert. I do this five times a week, so make sure you never miss a show by going to subscribetoj.com.
Hello listeners. This is Ann Boeckle, author, blogger, and creator of the podcast what Should I Read next? Since 2016, I've been helping readers bring more joy and delight into their reading lives. Every week I take all things books and reading with a guest and guide them in discovering their next reading. They share three books they love, one book they don't, and what they've been reading lately. And I recommend three titles they may enjoy reading next. Guests have said our conversations are like therapy, troubleshooting issues that have plagued their reading lives for years, and possibly the rest of their lives as well. And of course, recommending books that meet the moment. Whether they are looking for deep introspection to spur or encourage a life change, or a frothy page turner to help them escape the stresses of work, school, everything, you'll learn something about yourself as a reader and you'll definitely walk away confident to choose your next read, with a whole list of new books and authors to try. So join us each Tuesday for what Should I Read Next? Subscribe now wherever you're listening to this podcast and Visit our website whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com to find out more.
