In the age of the Monster Burger from Hardee’s and common goals to get fit, several companies have developed tasty treats with health in mind; sacrificing sugars without giving up flavor.

Companies, such as local Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier, are using the idea of innovating candy with health in mind. The company is using healthy foods like almonds and fruit to keep consumers aware of healthy choices without surrendering tasty treats.

“There is nothing bad about chocolate, but if they had more healthy chocolates on the market I would eat them,” English teacher Kimberly Haugh said.

Supermarkets and a variety of stores have many foods known as “functional foods.” From popcorn to eggs and cereals, companies are coming up with different ways to appeal to health-conscious consumers of all ages.

“There really are no junk foods. The problem is junk diets or eating plans which skip essential foods and include empty calories or contain mainly those foods with less healthy choices,” Connie Diekman, M.Ed. RD, LD, nutrition consultant who worked with Bissinger’s on the development of Spa Chocolates, said.

While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the nutritional claims, it does not check general claims that a product is helpful for people, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times. Some consumers eat chocolate indifferent to its benefits and despite its unhealthy consequences.

“For nutrition facts consumers should not rely on the front labels, but should check the Nutrition Facts panel,” Diekman said.

Thirteen percent of kids ages 6-11 years and 14 percent of adolescents 12-19 are overweight, according to the U.S Surgeon General report on obesity. Many consumers, however, do not blame chocolate for this problem .

“It doesn’t matter to me if chocolate is healthy or not; I think chocolate is good because it helps you feel better about yourself,” Haugh said.

Consumers have begun to buy less fortified fruits and vegetables and have instead bought organic foods. Sales of packaged organic foods and beverages soared in the last year and have now reached $18.9 billion- up 18 percent from $10.9 billion in 2003, according to the National Marketing Institute (NMI).

“I eat organic foods because I don’t like having pesticides in my food and the idea of having my food tampered with bothers me because I like to control what I eat,” sophomore Laura Smith said.

Fortified foods, however, can be beneficial during crises in certain countries and can help alleviate malnutrition and poor living conditions in other countries.

The World Food Program (WFP) is donating 2,600 tons of fortified-blended foods for expectant and nursing mothers as well as children between six months and ten years in the Sri Lanka area to aid tsunami relief, according to an article on Sri Lanka’s Daily News Web site. Countries such as Indonesia have added iron to its candy to improve the country’s problem with iron deficiency anemia in children without attempting to raise prices of foods.

“Fortified foods can provide extra nutritional value but can’t ‘magically’ make a poor eating plan a healthy one,” Diekman said.