Chocolate lovers brace yourselves, it's officially Chocolate Week.

The national week returns for its 10th consecutive year, celebrating the world of fine chocolate.

Companies and chocolatiers from across the UK are preparing to host talks, tastings and demonstrations from today until Sunday.

The week, organised by Sylvie Douce and Francois Jeantet - founders and organisers of the Salon Du Chocolat around the world - will culminate with a show in London bringing the best of the industry together under one roof.

Aly Harrold, a local businesswoman from West Malling says that you shouldn't feel guilty for eating chocolate as some types can be good for you.

She added: " If you are a chocolate lover who regularly consumes this beautiful substance you want to make sure the chocolate you eat not only satisfies your desire but is really doing you some good at the same time, so Raw Chocolate is the best.

"All chocolate is made from the beans of the Cacoa Tree “ Theobroma Cacao”. Translated this means “Food of the Gods” and chocolate is indeed a Superfood.

"Most commercial chocolate is heated and cooled at least three times during the process of creating it. Heat destroys nutrients and then there are all those other substances added to it, refined sugars, fats, dairy and chemical flavours and preservatives.

"In the creation of Raw Chocolate the ingredients – the cacoa butter and cacoa powder are never heated above 40 degrees C so all the goodness is preserved."

Ms Harrold is also a competitive speaker, director of Damsels in Success in Tunbridge Wells and creator of Aly's Planet - a website dedicated to helping others create natural, nutritious foods, including chocolate.

"Of course all chocolate should be eaten respectfully, but with raw chocolate you will not get the blood sugar spikes that can come after eating commercial chocolate which can leave your body feeling fatigued because of the high sugar and dairy content," she added.

For more info visit: http://www.alysplanet.co.uk/ or http://www.chocolateweek.co.uk/