Since chocolate is made from plants, this chocolate “plant” and vase from Chocolat Factory in Spain made me smile and salivate just a little. This chocolate exists for more than mere consumption: it is intended to create a user experience.

The chocolate vase and leaves function as an edible centerpiece. Inside a beautifully designed box, are a vase of either dark, milk, or white chocolate with four crunchy “leaves” made from three different chocolates and a bag of chocolate “sand” in which to plant the leaves–all accompanied by cotton gloves and instructions for “planting” the edible centerpiece.

We’ve all heard lately about the health benefits of chocolate–but did you know that chocolate contains many of the same nutritional components of dark vegetables? We’re talking flavonoids, antioxidants that protect our bodies from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause the damage that leads to heart disease. The flavonoids can also help reduce blood pressure and balance certain hormones. It’s best to eat dark chocolate, which contains the largest number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). And I love the packaging.

This is a bit of guilty pleasure that might just be good for your health!