Hot chocolate is a uniquely cold-weather treat. And if you're a cocoa lover you know that quality of the warm sweet drink can vary widely, from ice-rink chocolate-flavored hot water to tooth-staining dark richness.

But beyond it's flavor and richness, there's another quality you should be looking for when it comes to cocoa; the chocolate's origins. Chocolate is one of those crops that, like coffee, can be farmed in a destructive or sustainable way. If you are a chocolate lover, it's worth making the switch to organic, Fair Trade chocolate, read more here to find out why.

Equal Exchange makes regular hot cocoa mix, spicy hot cocoa mix and drinking chocolate. Equal Exchange goes the extra mile with their Just Add Water powder: "The organic cocoa is from small-scale farmers in the Dominican Republic, the organic sugar is fairly traded from farmer cooperatives in Paraguay, and the organic milk powder is from U.S. dairy cooperatives." The spicy mix contains cinnamon and cayenne pepper for a kick, and the drinking chocolate has a higher concentration of chocolate and some chocolate liquoer too.

Allison's Gourmet Hot Chocolate is made with fair-trade chocolate and organic sugar and vanilla. Allison's also offers a mint hot chocolate, made with natural peppermint flavor. 

Dean's Beans Hot Cocoa was field-tested on a group of 4-year olds, according to their site, and they guarantee it's deliciousness. Made with just organic Sugar, organic cocoa powder, and organic non-fat dry milk, "Half the profits are returned to the indigenous growers cooperative in Costa Rica that supplies us with the cocoa," says Dean's Beans' site.

Green Mountain Coffee sells Lake Champlain Fair Trade, Organic hot chocolate through their site. Lake Champlain makes chocolate bars and candies, and definitely know a thing or two about sourcing great cocoa.

Mary Jane's Farm organic cocoa is made with all-natural cane organic cane sugar and other organic ingredients, and each serving is only 100 calories.