SUPERFOODS which promise to be a healthy alternative to sweets and treats have grown in popularity in more recent years which has led a Bradford on Avon husband-wife duo to buck on the global trend.

Dan and Paula Knowlson decided to set up Elements for Life in 2010 – offering customers hand-made, award winning raw chocolate products.

Since then, they have gone from strength to strength, eventually moving into a cooking kitchen last year in Woolley Green.

Mr Knowlson said the couple, who are keen foodies, first came into contact with the unusual chocolate trend a few years ago after a lifestyle change which focussed on diet and nutrition.

“It was on one normal day that I walked into our home and my wife said I think we should set up our own raw chocolate business and over the next month we went from just having an idea to launching our business in time for Christmas.

“We just started to make kits and having never done product development or production it was different for us bit it has been growing from then ever since.”

The raw chocolate making kit includes ingredients such as Ecuadorian Arriba raw cacao powder, raw cacao butter and Sweet Freedom – a blend of natural fruit syrups.

The couple have also created a raw chilli chocolate making kit in partnership with the Wiltshire Chilli Farm.

Despite being in the early stages of their business, interest grew over their product and in March 2011, Elements for Life launched their product Yummy Scrummy, an unbaked raw chocolate brownie made up of fruits and nuts – something which has been their most popular and successful having won many Taste of the West Awards.

Mr Knowlson said: “Everything we do is dairy, gluten and wheat free and it is made of all natural ingredients which are free of refined sugar with no artificial additives.

“I would say it is appealing for people who have intolerances or for a medical reason can’t eat something but I think it definitely appeals to those who just enjoy raw chocolate and its benefits.

“It is a healthier alternative and option to normal chocolate as it is packed of nutrients and it is one of the highest sources of magnesium which is often what people are lacking.”

Raw chocolate, which differs to commercial chocolate, is made of cacao beans which are never heated above 42°C.

In commercial chocolate bars, cacao beans are usually roasted at 130-400°C meaning that many of the enzymes, anti-oxidants and nutrients are usually destroyed.

Mr Knowlson believes that this process also loses the bitterness which is often found in dark chocolate and due to its slow energy release, raw chocolate is a better alternative for diabetics.

Elements for Life also offer consumers raw hot chocolate in their range.

For more information, visit www.elementsforlife.co.uk.