Savor Health

Savor Health registered trademark logo
Menu
Menu

Eat More Plants: Indulgent Bliss Bites: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites

By Samantha Cohen, Dietetic Intern

There is nothing better than a dark chocolate and peanut butter combination! Try these easy dark chocolate peanut butter energy bites. These delicious treats are packed with wholesome and nutritious ingredients, and vegetarian and gluten free! To make this recipe vegan-friendly, swap out dark chocolate chips for dairy-free chocolate. Whether you need a quick mid-day snack during a busy day, a satisfying post-workout snack, or a healthier dessert option these dark chocolate peanut butter energy bites are the perfect on the go snack.

Ingredient Highlights:

Dates: Dates are high fiber.  The recommended daily serving of fiber is 25-30 grams.  One serving of dates contains 7 grams of fiber!  Fiber has numerous health benefits like improving cardiovascular health, lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and controlling blood sugar [i].  Consuming an adequate amount of fiber can also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes [i].  Dates also contain a compound known as antioxidants.  Antioxidants can be found in other fruits, like blueberries.  Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by free radicals [i].

Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols and flavonoids.  The polyphenols and flavonoids found in cocoa have protective effects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders [ii].  One of the main flavonoids found in cocoa is anthocyanin [ii].  Anthocyanin can reduce oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzyme synthesis [ii].  Studies have also indicated that dark chocolate improves blood flow to the heart and brain, and reduces blood pressure [ii].

Chia Seeds and Peanut Butter: Chia seeds and peanut butter are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.  There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid [iii].  The type of omega-3 fatty acid found in chia seeds and peanut butter is alpha-linolenic acid.  Alpha-linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid, which means the body cannot make it, so it must be consumed.  Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can lower triglyceride levels, and lower risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer [iii].

Oats: Oats are a good source of fiber and magnesium.  Magnesium is a mineral, which is an important cofactor involved in over 300 different enzymatic reactions [iv].  A diet containing 500 mg to 1000 mg per day may reduce systolic blood pressure by 5.6 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 2.8 mmHg [iv].

Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients

  • 9 oz dates (approximately 2 ¼ cups, but may vary based on size of dates)
  • 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 3 tablespoon unsalted peanut butter
  • 1 ½  tablespoon honey
  • ¾ cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. Soak dates in warm water for 15 minutes
  2. Drain water from dates and blend them in a blender until they are in small pieces.
  3. Add cocoa powder, chia seeds, unsalted peanut butter, and raw honey to blender and blend until mixture comes together smoothly.
  4. Remove mixture from blender & place in a separate bowl.
  5. Add oats & chocolate chips to the bowl and mix by hand.
  6. Form the mixture into small bite-sized balls.
  7. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Notes

  • Feel free to swap other nut butters (e.g., almond butter or cashew butter) for the peanut butter
  • Flaxseed or Hemp seed can be used instead of chia seeds
  • Coconut is highly nutritious! Shredded coconut can be added for extra nutrients and texture.
  • These energy bites can be stored at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer.  Storing the energy bites in the freezer will decrease chewiness of the energy bites.

References:

[i] Cleveland Clinic. Benefits of Dates. Accessed March 20, 2024. Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-dates

[ii] Samanta S, Sarkar T, Chakraborty R, et al. Dark chocolate: An overview of its biological activity, processing, and fortification approaches. Curr Res Food Sci. 2022;5:1916-1943. Published 2022 Oct 15. doi:10.1016/j.crfs.2022.10.017

[iii] National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Health Professional Fact Sheet. Accessed March 20, 2024. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/

[iv] Houston M. (2011). The role of magnesium in hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.), 13(11), 843–847. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-7176.2011.00538.x

[v] Challa HJ, Ameer MA, Uppaluri KR. DASH Diet To Stop Hypertension. [Updated 2023 Jan 23]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482514/

Tagged

91 Responses

  1. Hi Neat post There is a problem along with your website in internet explorer would test this IE still is the market chief and a good section of other folks will pass over your magnificent writing due to this problem

  2. What an outstanding work! Anyone interested in the topic will find it a must-read due to your interesting writing style and excellent research. Your inclusion of examples and practical ideas is really appreciated. I appreciate you taking the time to share your wise words.

  6. I found this post to be very informative and well-organized. Your detailed analysis and clear explanations make it a pleasure to read. The practical examples you included were particularly helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

  7. I share your level of enthusiasm for the work you’ve produced. The sketch you’ve displayed is refined, and the material you’ve authored is impressive. Nevertheless, you seem anxious about the prospect of heading in a direction that could cause unease. I agree that you’ll be able to address this concern in a timely manner.

  8. Magnificent beat I would like to apprentice while you amend your site how can i subscribe for a blog web site The account helped me a acceptable deal I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear idea

  9. Excellent piece! Your analysis is insightful, and the material is well-organized and simple to grasp. Your study and writing of this are greatly appreciated. Anyone curious about this subject will benefit much from reading it.

  10. Vitazen Keto Gummies naturally like your web site however you need to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very bothersome to tell the truth on the other hand I will surely come again again.

  11. What i do not understood is in truth how you are not actually a lot more smartlyliked than you may be now You are very intelligent You realize therefore significantly in the case of this topic produced me individually imagine it from numerous numerous angles Its like men and women dont seem to be fascinated until it is one thing to do with Woman gaga Your own stuffs nice All the time care for it up

  12. The degree of my admiration for your work is as substantial as your own sentiment. Your visual display is tasteful, and the authored content is stylish. However, you appear apprehensive about the possibility of delivering something that may be viewed as questionable. I believe you’ll be able to rectify this matter efficiently.

  13. Great work on the article! Anyone interested in the topic will find it a must-read due to your interesting writing style and excellent research. Your inclusion of examples and practical ideas is really appreciated. I appreciate you taking the time to share your wise words.

  14. Reading your essay was a true pleasure for me. You were quite successful in elucidating the subject, and your writing is both interesting and easy to understand. The principles were much easier to grasp after reading the examples you provided. Your expertise is much appreciated.

  15. Its like you read my mind You appear to know so much about this like you wrote the book in it or something I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit but other than that this is fantastic blog A great read Ill certainly be back

  16. Somebody essentially lend a hand to make significantly articles Id state That is the very first time I frequented your website page and up to now I surprised with the research you made to make this actual submit amazing Wonderful task

  17. Excellent blog here Also your website loads up very fast What web host are you using Can I get your affiliate link to your host I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol

  18. What an excellent post! Reading it was really educational for me. You provided extremely well-organized material, and your explanations were both clear and brief. Your time and energy spent on this article’s research and writing are much appreciated. Anyone interested in this topic would surely benefit from this resource.

  19. Reading your essay was a true pleasure for me. Even the more difficult subjects are easily understandable because of how you present them. Thank you for taking the time to provide such comprehensive details. For anyone interested in this topic, this is an excellent resource.

  20. I have been browsing online more than three hours today yet I never found any interesting article like yours It is pretty worth enough for me In my view if all website owners and bloggers made good content as you did the internet will be a lot more useful than ever before

  22. What a superb piece of writing! Both the thoroughness and lucidity of your analysis are much appreciated. Your data was both practical and pertinent. This is a post that I will return to at a later date. Your knowledge and insight are much appreciated.

  23. olá, gosto muito da sua escrita, então compartilhe, mantemos uma correspondência extra sobre sua postagem na AOL. Preciso de um especialista nesta casa para desvendar meu problema. Talvez seja você. Olhando para frente para vê-lo

  24. O que eu não entendi é que, na verdade, você não é muito mais inteligente do que seria agora. Você é muito inteligente. Você sabe muito sobre esse assunto e me fez acreditar nisso de vários ângulos diferentes. É como se mulheres e homens fossem não estou interessado, exceto que é uma coisa a realizar com Woman gaga Suas próprias coisas são excelentes Sempre cuide disso

  25. Incredible work on the article! Anyone with any interest at all in the point will track down it a must-peruse because of your fascinating composing style and magnificent exploration. Your consideration of models and functional thoughts is truly valued. I value you setting aside some margin to share your astute words.

  26. Thanks I have just been looking for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply

  31. Real Estate I’m often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your web site and maintain checking for brand spanking new information.

  35. I viewed this post as exceptionally educational and efficient. Your nitty gritty examination and clear clarifications make it a joy to peruse. The reasonable models you included were especially useful. Much obliged to you for offering your insight to us.

  37. Hello my loved one I want to say that this post is amazing great written and include almost all significant infos I would like to look extra posts like this

  38. hiI like your writing so much share we be in contact more approximately your article on AOL I need a specialist in this area to resolve my problem Maybe that is you Looking ahead to see you

  39. أنابيب الطين في العراق في مصنع إيليت بايب، نفخر بتقديم أنابيب الطين عالية الجودة، وهي حل موثوق لاحتياجات البناء التقليدية والحديثة في العراق. تشتهر أنابيب الطين لدينا بمتانتها ومقاومتها للظروف البيئية القاسية، ودورها في مشاريع البنية التحتية المستدامة. يتميز مصنع إيليت بايب كأحد أفضل وأوثق المصنعين في العراق، حيث يقدم أنابيب الطين التي تلتزم بالمعايير الصناعية الصارمة. لمزيد من المعلومات حول أنابيب الطين وغيرها من منتجاتنا، قم بزيارة موقعنا على الإنترنت: elitepipeiraq.com.

  41. Get a closer look at Lucky Jet review with our in-depth analysis. We discuss how the game works, the best strategies to use, and how to make the most of its bonus features.

  62. Профессиональный сервисный центр по ремонту бытовой техники с выездом на дом.
    Мы предлагаем: ремонт крупногабаритной техники в москве
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Susan started Savor Health after losing a close friend to a brain tumor and, through that experience, becoming aware of the significant unmet nutritional needs of people with cancer.  Struck by the fact that her friend was told “nutrition doesn’t matter” and “eat whatever you want,” Susan read the evidence-based literature on the subject, interviewed oncologists, oncology nurses and oncology dietitians, as well as patients and caregivers, and found that, in fact, nutrition does matter in oncology. Armed with solid scientific evidence supporting the clinical and quality of life benefits of proper nutrition, Susan left Wall Street and created Savor Health, an AI-based provider of personalized and clinically appropriate nutrition solutions for cancer patients, their caregivers and health enterprises. Susan brings to Savor Health over 25 years of industry experience in healthcare and business as well as expertise in strategy, finance and management.

Susan is an outspoken and tireless advocate for cancer patients receiving proper nutrition and nutrition support before, during and after treatment. She strongly believes that the U. S. healthcare system requires new innovation to transform it into a more holistic and integrated system of care whereby multiple disciplines coordinate care together for the benefit of the whole patient. As part of this, her goal is for nutrition to be an integral component of such an integrated cancer care delivery system.  Susan’s commitment to the field of oncology extends beyond Savor Health to volunteer work at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in pediatrics and as a runner for Fred’s Team to raise money for research at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Susan participated in the Cancer Moonshot in June of 2016 where she was a breakout session group “igniter” tasked with starting and leading discussion. Susan’s first book, the Meals to Heal Cancer Cookbook, was published in March 2016.

In addition to her role as CEO of Savor Health, Susan speaks nationally about the importance of ensuring proper nutrition in the cancer patient and on topics including leadership and startups. She has been a speaker at the Harvard Medical School’s Career Advancement and Leadership Skills for Women in Healthcare, ESMO World Congress on GI Cancer, BioPharm America, AARP Live @50+, Lake Nona Impact Forum, and IIR ePharma Summit.

Prior to starting Savor Health, Susan had a successful career on Wall Street as a healthcare services investment banker working at prestigious firms including Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Wasserstein Perella and Robertson Stephens. Susan earned a B.A. from Duke University and M.B.A. from the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business.

This will close in 0 seconds

Marissa Buchan is a registered dietitian, with advanced practice certifications in Oncology Nutrition (CSO) and Clinical Research (CCRP). She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Duke University, and Master’s of Science degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. Marissa worked for 10 years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in both the clinical research and nutrition departments.  In addition to counseling patients before, during, and after cancer therapy, she spearheaded nutrition-research efforts for the bone marrow transplant service. She has co-authored over 20 articles and has a particular interest in the role of nutrition on the intestinal microbiota and its impact on patient outcomes. When Marissa’s not wearing her lab coat, she’s in her apron whipping up healthy and delicious recipes that you can find on her blog, Get Off Your Tush and Cook.

Marissa is Chief Operating Officer of Savor Health where she leads operations working with the technology, clinical, and business development teams and management. Prior to assuming the role of COO in March 2020, Marissa was Vice President, Clinical Research and Operations at Savor Health where she worked closely with Savor Health’s Chief Medical Advisor, Scientific Advisory Board, and Clinical Operations Team to evaluate, design and conduct clinical research.  She also counsels patients on oncology nutrition issues and contributes to the Company website’s clinical content.

This will close in 0 seconds

Dr. DeFrance has a unique background including clinical interventional cardiologist, chief medical officer, educator, outcomes researcher and entrepreneur. He has expertise in Lifestyle medicine in which he was board certified in 2020 and is highly interested in the prevention and reversal of chronic disease. Dr. DeFrance also has expertise in appropriate utilization of technology in medicine, healthcare economics, value-based metrics, and educational design and delivery. He worked as Chief Medical Officer for HealthHelp, one of the largest specialty benefit managers in the US, and led large teams of healthcare professionals in writing evidence based appropriate care guidelines and rule sets which improve the quality and safety of medicine for over 20 million people in the US while also creating sustained savings in healthcare. He has also designed clinical decision support systems that are currently in use helping to improve patient care.

In 2018 Dr. DeFrance founded MedMentor Education, a company that provides state of the art CME content using the latest in eLearning science and online delivery platforms. Dr. DeFrance is also the founder and President of Digimedica, a consulting and educational design and delivery company for healthcare professionals, hospitals, and universities. He is passionate about creating systems to optimize knowledge transfer and has won numerous awards for teaching excellence during his career. He is an expert in cardiovascular CT imaging and has taught more than 3,000 physicians how to perform and interpret cardiac CT nationally and internationally and has lectured extensively on this subject.

Dr. DeFrance has a stellar reputation in the medical field and continues work to improve the quality and safety of patient care in the US.

This will close in 0 seconds


This will close in 0 seconds

Alyson is a registered nurse and is certified in oncology nursing (OCN) through the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS). She also has her certification as an ONS Biotherapy and Chemotherapy Provider. Alyson studied nursing at Thomas Jefferson University where she obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN). Since starting her nursing career in 2004, Alyson has had a strong dedication and commitment to oncology patients. She has worked inpatient specializing in Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation. Alyson currently works in outpatient oncology at the North Shore-LIJ Monter Cancer Center. Alyson is part of the clinical team at Savor Health where she counsels patients on oncology and oncology nutrition issues and contributes to website and other Savor Health content.

This will close in 0 seconds

Chelsey is a Registered Dietitian and Board Certified Specialist in Oncology nutrition (CSO). She completed her Dietetic Internship at Northwell Health, received her BS in Dietetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her MS in Nutrition at Stony Brook University’s School of Medicine. Chelsey works as an outpatient dietitian at Mount Sinai covering all of the downtown cancer services at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Philips Ambulatory Care Center. Chelsey works with patients and families before, during and after treatment to optimize their nutrition through dietary counseling and support. Chelsey has experience counseling clients with a variety of diagnoses including breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, head & neck cancer, and more. Chelsey also enjoys sharing nutrition knowledge with her peers by running a monthly Employee Wellness program that showcases healthy topics, recipes and food demos.

This will close in 0 seconds

Michelle is a Registered Dietitian specializing in oncology. She works as a clinical dietitian at an ambulatory cancer center in New York City and is a consultant for Savor Health. She is passionate about educating oncology patients on the importance of nutrition during their fight against cancer and helping them to optimize their nutrition through all phases of treatment. Michelle received her Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Master of Science degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University.

This will close in 0 seconds

Denise Sievering is a Registered Dietitian who is board certified in Oncology Nutrition as well as Nutrition Support. A fluent Spanish speaker, Denise joined the Savor Health team to support Spanish speaking cancer patients and to continue to expand the Platform’s nutritional strategies and recommendations in Spanish. Denise holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University, and completed her internship at New York Presbyterian Hospital (NYP). Denise started her career as a registered dietitian at NYP-Columbia University Medical Center, primarily covering inpatient Oncology units. Denise also holds a Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling from New York University, and incorporates her advanced training in motivational interviewing and empathic listening in her patient encounters, particularly those whose lives have been forever changed by a cancer diagnosis. A New Jersey native, Denise now resides in sunny San Diego, CA where she works as a part-time outpatient Oncology dietitian at Scripps Health-MD Anderson Cancer Center, and also works as an inpatient dietitian at Kaiser Permanente. In her spare time, Denise can be found at a mom-and-pop taco shop, one of the many local craft breweries, and exploring her new city of San Diego with her husband and her rescue pup, Ripley.

This will close in 0 seconds

Karen is a Registered Dietitian, Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition and registered in New York as a Certified Dietitian Nutritionist. Fluent in Spanish, Karen joined the Savor Health team to support Spanish speaking cancer patients and to continue to expand the Platform’s nutritional strategies and recommendations in Spanish. Karen received her Bachelor of Science degree from Ithaca College and her Master of Science degree from Hunter College. She works as an outpatient oncology dietitian in New York. Karen often works with local community centers to host nutrition programs for cancer survivors and their families, leading classes on how to live healthier lifestyles throughout their continuum of care. The American Institute of Cancer Research selected to showcase one of her many programs at their conference in 2019. Karen has written for and lent commentary to various publications and truly enjoys teaching people how to eat better. She loves to cook and strongly feels that healthy food doesn’t have to taste bad.

This will close in 0 seconds

Allie is a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Specialist in Oncology (CSO). She joins Savor in 2023, bringing years of experience from the John Theurer Cancer Center in New Jersey, where she worked with patients with a variety of cancers. Her goal is to help people feel their best, both mentally and physically, when physical health challenges arise. She believes in the power of nutrition ever since the impact it made on her athletic career as a volleyball player during college. Allie graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Maryland-Baltimore County and has her Master’s degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Wisconsin Stout. She enjoys travelling, enjoying different cuisines, cooking, and hiking and other outdoor activities with her family and dog.

This will close in 0 seconds

Julia Penberg is a seasoned healthcare professional with more than 30 years of experience focusing on maximizing operational excellence, leading clinical program development and building strong cross-functional teams. Her previous roles include overseeing the performance of clinical managers and nurse practitioners across multiple markets within United Healthcare-Optum’s Medicare Advantage and dual-eligible special needs populations, payer outreach and program development at Mayo Clinic, ground level specialty hospital development and direct patient care as a family and dermatology nurse practitioner. Julia volunteered as an operating room nurse and nurse practitioner on several mission trips to Romania and was a support group leader for the Kansas City chapter of the International Myeloma Foundation. Her motivation throughout her career has been with wellness promotion, disease risk modification and ensuring the best patient experience across the health continuum. Ms. Penberg received an MBA from the University of Dallas; a MS in Nursing from the University of Kansas and a BS in Nursing from the University of Texas-Austin. She is board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

This will close in 0 seconds

Rachel is a Registered Dietitian and Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (“CSO”). She joined NYP-Columbia as the outpatient oncology dietitian in 2020 after working at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for two years. Rachel completed her dietetic internship through Keene State College in 2017. She is pursuing an MS in Integrative Nutrition at Stony Brook University and has a BS in Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise from Virginia Tech. Rachel provides nutrition counseling to all types of oncology patients and helps them understand the mental and physical benefits of nutrition as an ally in their fight against cancer. In her free time she enjoys slow meals with family and friends, Pilates, and tending to her fire escape garden.

This will close in 0 seconds

Allie Werner is a Registered Dietitian at Fresenius Kidney Care where she provides medical nutrition therapy diet counseling to patients on Dialysis. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in nutrition from Indiana University and completed her Master’s Degree and dietetic internship at Loyola University Chicago. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, checking out the amazing food scene in downtown Chicago, and exercising on her Peloton bike.

This will close in 0 seconds

Immersed in the tech world for a decade, I've coded, led teams, and honed my skills in architecture and design. As a tech enthusiast, I've seamlessly woven through full-stack projects, fusing my love for code with the art of leadership.

This will close in 0 seconds