Crush Your Chocolate Cravings the Healthy Way

Roasted Cacao Beans

When I first heard a news report about chocolate being good for you I had one of those Hallelujah moments when you smile and know that Life IS Good!

But then—screech—put down that chocolate bar! It’s the dark chocolate that is good for you, the higher cocoa content the better. In fact, it’s the cocoa solids that have high antioxidants responsible for the possible health benefits. But once these solids are processed and the empty calories from sugar and fat are added, much of the antioxidant have left the building! Then that chunk of heavenly, mouth-watering chocolate is back to just being junk food again. (WAH!)

Foodie Facts
The potential health benefits from cocoa solids are the result of over 300 naturally occurring chemicals. One study found that chocolate has potent antioxidants called phenols which are the same type of antioxidants found in red wine.¹ Cocoa phenols were found to prevent the bad cholesterol from causing plaque buildup in the arteries.²

“Good” Saturated Fat
Cacao seeds contain fat, usually around 40%, mostly from oil of cacao and cacao butter. Cacao butter is high in saturated fat, yet one-third of chocolate’s fat comes from stearic acid, which does not raise LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) as do most other saturated fats. Stearic acid is converted in the liver to oleic acid, a heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat.³

Eat Dark Chocolate to Eat Less Pizza?? Don’t Try This at Home!
In a recent study⁴ fasting participants were fed either milk chocolate or dark-chocolate and then told to eat as much pizza as they wanted. Those that had the dark chocolate consumed 15% less calories from pizza than those that had the milk chocolate.

The study concluded that dark chocolate may be more filling than milk chocolate, lessening the craving for sweet, salty, and fatty foods. In other words, eating dark chocolate help you keep your weight down.

Enjoy Chocolate the Healthy Way

At this point any logical chocolate lover would wonder the best way to get your antioxidants from chocolate and enjoy it too!

The two edible items that provide the best source of antioxidants from minimally-processed cocoa solids are:

Raw Cacao Nibs – also called raw chocolate nibs or raw cocoa nibs. These nibs are chocolate in its purest edible state. They are pieces of peeled low-fermented cacao beans. Unroasted and unsweetened, they are ready for use in recipes or right out of the bag.
Unsweetened, Non-Alkali Cocoa Powder - also known as ” un-dutched” cocoa powder. Alkalizing cocoa (or Dutch processing) produces a milder flavor and darker color but destroys most of the antioxidants responsible for the health benefits of chocolate. You can purchase this powder or use a coffee grinder to grind raw cacao nibs into powder.

Click to Order: Organic Raw Chocolate Cacao Nibs 8-oz. ($10.95)

Here are some ideas for enjoying the goodness from raw cacao nibs and/or cocoa powder:

By the spoonful, sweetened with a few drops of agave nectar or your favorite sweetener!
Replace some or all of the chocolate chips in a recipe. (Try this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins.)
Include them in a homemade protein bars or granola mix. (Try these recipes for No Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars and Bodybuilders Trail Mix.)
Make chocolate chip pancakes for the kids and replace half of the chips with cocoa nibs.
Include cacao nibs in a freshly-baked crepe with some strawberries and whipped cream, for a frozen dessert treat mix them into an ice-cream crepe. (Try these recipes for Pardon My French Crêpes and Ice Cream Crêpes.)
Sprinkle on top of cereal, yogurt, or a dessert.
Add to smoothies or low-cal pudding. (Try this recipe for Quick Chocolate Protein Pudding.)
Enjoy a hot drink spiced with cocoa powder. (Try this recipe for Hot Spiced Mocha.)
Coat some nuts with cocoa powder. (Try this recipe for Cocoa Spiced Almond Clusters.)

Nutritionals

Nutrition Facts for Raw Cocao Nibs⁵
Serving size 1 oz (28.5g), about 4 teaspoons

Calories: 181
Fat: 12.9g, Saturated Fat: 7.7g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 3mg
Carbs: 10.3g, fiber: 1.3g
Protein: 2.6g

¹ Antioxidants in chocolate, Lancet, Sept.1996; 348(1):834.

² Inhibition of LDL oxidation by cocoa, Lancet, November 1996; 348(2):1514.

³ Yale-New Haven Hospital http://www.ynhh.org/online/nutrition/advisor/chocolate.html

⁴ University of Copenhagen (2008, December 23). Dark Chocolate Is More Filling Than Milk Chocolate And Lessens Cravings. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from:
http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2008/12/081210091039.htm

⁵ Calorie King: Calories in Baking Ingredients: Roasted Cacao Nibs
http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-baking-ingredients-roasted-cacao-nibs_f-Y2lkPTE2Mzk4JmJpZD0xMjE1JmZpZD0xNTI4MTMmZWlkPTM4MDQ5NDYzMSZwb3M9MSZwYXI9JmtleT1DYWNhbyBuaWJz.html