You probably have read how chocolate has been touted as an aphrodisiac, and certainly its wonderful taste is hard to resist, but recent studies done at the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing have shown that dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa content or more) can actually lower your blood pressure, improve cell integrity and provide valuable antioxidants your body needs. Check out the article on WebMD titled "A Dark Chocolate a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" for a full explanation of how the flavonoids in dark chocolate actually help to protect your arteries and body cells, perhaps even better than similar antioxidants found in fruits and veggies (though we all know chocolate is no substitute for these nutritional powerhouses on most bases). But it's important to keep in mind that though a little dark chocolate is great, a lot is not better. All you need is about 1.5 ounces a day to get the full antioxidant benefits. After that point, the calorie content outweighs the health benefits.

Though chocolate may no longer need to be reserved for special occasions, many foods should be. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that all those food items you tend to think are off-limits if you are trying to get healthy can actually have a place in your diet if you choose to indulge for a good cause.

With any celebration — whether it be a holiday, a birthday or another event — you should enjoy the full experience. If you've struggled to reach your ideal weight, depriving yourself of enjoying a treat is not, in my opinion, the best way to get food to relinquish its hold over your life. If anything, that deprivation ensures that whatever food you are avoiding becomes taboo, which makes it more alluring and throws the power relationship between eater and eaten out of balance. If you want your transition to a healthy lifestyle to be permanent, you need to be flexible and forgiving with yourself and realize that sometimes you need a treat!

You should be in total control at all times, which means you can allow yourself to indulge. As long as you keep your indulgence moderate, you can enjoy these foods whenever you want. Of course, finding a more healthful, wholesome junk food is great if it satisfies your particular craving — which is why I'm a huge fan of Laura's Wholesome Junk Food's Anna Banana Split Bite-lettes, because they taste just like gooey cookie dough but aren't flooding my system with toxic, refined products. Whether you're a sweet snacker or a savory snacker, setting aside in an individual serving bowl the portion you are comfortable eating is another great way to ensure that you relish every bite without overdoing it. And of course, counting to your age before you dig in to any less-than-healthy dish is a great way to give yourself the pause you need to consider why you are eating it and whether it will satisfy your craving. Then you can actually get to enjoy every mouthful rather than try to shovel it all in before your conscience can kick in.

And this is what I mean by indulging for a good cause: When you eat foods that you know aren't really health-promoting, you should enjoy and savor them without any guilt. Knowing that you have the freedom to eat what you'd like and that indulging (on occasion) will fuel your resolve to eat healthily for the rest of the day, week or month will allow you to go on to create a permanent healthy lifestyle — bringing mind and body into balance and happiness — that serves you best. So get out there and enjoy all life has to offer!

Daphne Oz is a co-host of ABC's "The Chew." To find out more about Daphne Oz and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.