‘Healthier’ chocolates gives U.S. cocoa demand a shot in the arm

By Marcy Nicholson NEW YORK (Reuters) – In an increasingly diet-conscious nation where the amount of chocolate candy sold has tumbled in recent years, a niche segment of the U.S. market is taking off: so-called "healthier" chocolate. Studies declaring health benefits found in cocoa, combined with new chocolate products touting lower fat and calories, have helped manufacturers to capitalize on a growing consumer appetite for these alternative sweets in the United States, the world's biggest chocolate consumer. …