Gourmet chocolate gifts are perfect for any time of year. But for Valentines Day, gifts of gourmet chocolate are especially delightful.

And thankfully, there are some health benefits to eating chocolate. Although chocolate isn’t exactly low in calories, dark chocolate is rich in flavanoids, which can promote heart health. Woo hoo!

Plus, many of the artisan gourmet chocolates are so expensive and exquisitely packaged, it’s hard to overindulge. Here are some of my favorite gourmet chocolate gifts for Valentine’s Day:

1) Christopher Norman Hand-Painted Luxury Tea Collection ($45)

Almost too gorgeous to eat, these gourmet chocolate truffles are flavored with a variety of teas, then enrobed in dark chocolate and hand-painted. If you’re looking for a gourmet chocolate gift that makes a statement, this is it.

2) Schokinag Extreme Dark Drinking Chocolate ($12.95)

There’s hot chocolate and there’s drinking chocolate. Artisan chocolate-maker Schokinag makes gourmet drinking chocolate, and in my mind, there’s no comparison. Rather than powdered cocoa, drinking chocolate is actually made from tiny little chocolate nibs. Schokinag hot chocolate is easy to make in the microwave and comes in a variety of flavors from Extreme Dark (my favorite) to White Chocolate.

3) Vere Good Chocolate Hearts ($4-$45)

Sold by the piece, these dark chocolate hearts are made from 75% cacao and topped with your choice of raspberry powder, toasted organic coconut, or organic figs and fennel seeds. You can also get them in a Valentine gift box with a 16-piece collection of raspberry truffles.

4) Recchiuti’s Champagne Truffles ($18)

Dark chocolate truffles are scented with 2001 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs from Napa Valley and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. The presentation — a bed of snowy truffles nestled in a red box — is gorgeous. I also recommend the Key Lime Apples. Twelve crisp apples are enrobed in rich dark chocolate for a perfect sweet and crisp combination any time.

5) Vosges Red Fire Chocolate-Covered Tortilla Chips ($20)

A divine combination of sweet and salty! Organic corn tortilla chips are covered with milk chocolate, then dusted with ancho and chipotle chili powders. It’s a treat they won’t soon forget.

6) MarieBelle Blue and Brown Box ($36)

This 16-piece box of artisan chocolates from the famed New York chocolatier features an exquisite assortment of flavors like Earl Grey Tea, Champagne, Passion Fruit, Raspberry Coconut, Lemon Milk and more.

7) SugarDaddy’s Sumptuous Sweeties Signature 8 Bag ($50)

Eight delicious “sweeties” (SugarDaddy’s delectable 3″ brownies) wrapped in a luxurious silk bag and satin ribbon. Choose from a delicious collection of flavors, including Dark Berry, Rich Mint, Strawberry, Tahiti, and more.

Diva Chocolates Grilling Rubs ($21.95)

Enjoy chocolate for dinner or on your vegetables with this four-tin set of chocolate grilling rubs. The flavors include Mocha Java, Orange Chocolate, Spicy Cocoa and Kickin’ Chocolate.

9) Norman Love Confections 18-Piece box ($34)

With flavors like Dark Chocolate Mojito, White Chocolate Mimosa, Pistachio Truffles and Milk Chocolate Java Fudge, these chocolates are not only unique in flavor, they’re beautifully presented, too.

10) Jacques Torres Chocolate-Covered Cheerios ($5)

It’s a bargain price, but the taste is far from low-brow. The famed chocolatier has a wonderful collection of truffles and assortments for Valentine’s Day, but I think the flavor combination of chocolate and Cheerios is exceptional. Try it and let me know if you agree

Well we all know that Valentines Day is the day of lovers and a day for giving gifts to those you care about but why is chocolate still the most popular gift given on Valentines Day? Why is chocolate is so closely associated with romance?

Since chocolate was brought to Europe it has been considered the food of love. Stories of its properties as an aphrodisiac for the aristocrats were well known. The Spanish who brought it to Europe learnt about chocolate from the Aztecs. It was however a European tradition that each year on the 14th of February young men would court young ladies with flowers and gifts and because back then chocolate was rare and expensive it wasn’t long before this was the favourite gift given by the rich and aristocratic who were able to provide this for the object of their affections. It wasn’t long however before the secret of chocolate got out and soon chocolate houses were opening up across Europe, the best of which were and still are in Belgium. Belgium’s best Chocolatier Neuhaus Chocolates was founded in 1857 and although the are the official provider of chocolate to the Belgian Royal Family these days even chocolate as good as theirs is affordable so that everyone can enjoy them. More importantly they are affordable enough that you can give them to those you care about on Valentines Day and any other day of the year.

Well why is chocolate still so popular as a Valentines gift, is it just the marketing? Well, since Valentines Day was exported to the USA it has been used to market everything from wrapping paper and cuddly toys to expensive items such as jewellery. However why is it that the historical connection between chocolate and Valentines day has lasted the years? Well it seems there is more to it than just the, sweet, mouth watering feeling you get as it melts in your mouth leaving you wanting more and more… Scientists now know that like coffee and tea, chocolate affects the chemical reactions already taking place in our brains. Unlike coffee and tea however is not only a stimulant, it contains phenyl-ethylamine which is known to stimulate the release of dopamine in the brain released chocolate excites our pleasure centres and creates a feeling of Euphoria and increases the heart rate similar to that of a person in love or at the peak of an orgasm both of which should go down well with the recipient of your gift.

Now, despite all its psychotropic properties and ancient reputation, chocolate will probably not make a woman fall in love with you but giving her something so delightful will definitely put you in her good books… Chocolate will also stimulate men’s pleasure centres so ladies don’t be shy to by a box for your man, who knows what reaction you might get…