Hot Chocolate

Ginger, which can be found in crystallized form in dark or white chocolate, is also used to get blood pumping.

The root, which is often used in herbal preparations for digestive aids and cold treatments, may also have blood-thinning and cholesterol-lowering properties, as well as antibacterial, analgesic and sedative effects.

Wasabi, hailing from Japanese horseradish, kills ulcer-causing stomach bacteria and may even prevent tooth decay, according to a South Korean study.

However, while studies tout the benefits of chocolate -- a press release from the Chocolate Show even claims that chocolate is a vegetable, since it hails from beans -- nutritionists wouldn't encourage scarfing down every piece you can get your hands on.

Gourmet chocolates may seem better for you than mass-produced chocolates from large companies like Hershey(HSY Quote), Cadbury Schweppes(CSG Quote) and Nestle, but most chocolates, regardless of price, contain sugar and fat.

"There is some evidence to suggest that dark chocolate may have short-term beneficial effects on circulation," British Heart Foundation spokeswoman Dr. Charmaine Griffiths told the BBC.

"But it is important to remember that chocolate is far more often part of the problem for heart health than the solution. Eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day is a better way to get the heart-protective antioxidants without having to worry so much about the fats and sugars packed into chocolate," Griffiths continued.

A Potent Gift

If you're planning on buying some chocolate for the holidays, however, regardless of the benefits or risks, why not kick it up a notch?

Organic chocolate company Dagoba offers a spicy bar called Xocolatl, named after the ancient Aztec spiced hot chocolate.

However, the Dagoba offering adds a fruity flavor to chiles, as well as nutmeg, vanilla and small chunks of cocoa bean called cacao nibs.

Building on the citrus taste, Danish chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt has soft and spicy tangerine and red chili ganaches wrapped in a hot pepper-shaped outer coating.

Both companies sell their goodies online and at select Whole Foods Markets(WFMI Quote).

For ginger lovers, "'Sexy' is chocolate in stilettos," says confectioner NewTree, which offers a dark bar by that name to warm up your winter. Sexy also contains stimulating guarana extract, which "adds an extra perk for a seductive treat," the company says.

And Tokyo-based Mary's Chocolate offers wasabi-dusted ganaches with flavor that starts out sweet, then reveals a slow and smooth heat with a pleasantly sharp finish.

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