Which food can make you happier: an apple or some chocolate?

If you immediately said "Chocolate!" you're right, but (there's always a but) only if you really enjoy it. If a wave of fat-and-calorie guilt washes over you after the last bite, it negates the mood boost that chocolate provides. Sweet solution: Buy chocolate that has at least 70 percent cocoa. It's high in cholesterol-fighting antioxidants, and the flavor is so intense that a little goes a long way.

Cocoa is derived from the seed of the cocoa tree and is an essential component in real chocolate. It's rich in flavonoids, antioxidant compounds that boost cardiovascular health by relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow. Cocoa also has been found to fight LDL -- the bad cholesterol that encourages plaque to build up and clog your arteries. So when you need a chocolate fix, nibble on dark chocolate that has a cocoa content of 70 percent or higher. And use it when you're making chocolate recipes, such as this one.

Chocolate-Dipped Apricots from EatingWell.com

1/3 cup sugar
2 strips lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
24 dried apricots (about ¼ pound)
2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped peeled pistachios

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and place a wire rack on top.

2. Combine sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes. Add apricots and gently simmer just until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the apricots with a slotted spoon to a rack. Let cool completely.

3. Melt chocolate in a small metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Dip a poached apricot halfway into the chocolate, letting excess drip off. Sprinkle some chopped pistachios over the chocolate half and return the apricot to the rack. Repeat with the remaining apricots. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set, about 20 minutes.

Per piece: 43 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 1 g fiber; 0 mg sodium; 107 mg potassium.

Recipe source: EatingWell.com. Reprinted with permission.

Everyday mood and emotions after eating a chocolate bar or an apple. Macht, M., Dettmer, D., Appetite 2006 May;46(3):332-336.