Hey sweetest readers ♥
Phuh, I can feel it’s been a while since I swung my rocking foot! I tried to do some exercise earlier but after 20 minutes I had to give in. A little is better than nothing, right? So instead of exercising I’m spending my time in the kitchen making some delicious and super healthy rawsome chocolates. I’ve tried lots of different combinations now, and last time I think I found the magic formula, but of course I didn’t write it down so now I’m going to try to redo it. Before I post the recipe I thought I’d tell you a bit more about the ingredients and why you should implement them to your diet.
I’m using:
♥ Raw Cacao Butter, can be bought here.
♥ Raw Cacao Powder, can be bought here.
♥ Raw Carob Powder, can be bought here.
♥ Lucuma Powder, can be bought here.
♥ Raw Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, can be bought here.
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About Raw Cacao
Cacao is the seed (nut) of a fruit of an Amazonian tree. When in its pure, raw form, cacao is one of nature’s most fantastic superfoods. Raw Cacao beans contain 10 grams of flavonol antioxidants per 100 grams, that is an incredible 10%! Cocoa powder has set the world record for antioxidants To put that into perspective, that’s 14 times more antioxidant flavonoids than red wine, 21 times more than green tea, 7 times more than dark chocolate, and nearly 4 times more than Goji Berries! Besides its high level of antioxidants it is also a very rich source of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.
Raw cacao is the primary dietary source of magnesium, the most deficient mineral in western civilisation. Magnesium is the most important mineral for a healthy functioning heart. It also plays a key role in producing energy for the neurons in the brain from glucose. So when there is an abundance of magnesium the brain works with clarity and focus.
Cacao is a great source of serotonin, dopamine, anandamide and phenylethylamine (PEA), four well-studied neurotransmitters, which are associated with feelings of well-being and help alleviate depression. Both PEA and Anandamide (the bliss chemical) are found in abundance in the brains of happy people and are particularly released when we are feeling happy. Both of these nuerotransmitters are present in raw cacao in large enough quanitities to affect the brain and lift our moods. Cacao also contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors) that keep neurotransmitters in the bloodstream for longer without being broken down.
Pure raw cacao also seems to diminish appetite – likely as a result of its unusual MAO inhibitors that allow more serotonin and other neurotransmittors like anandamide (the bliss chemical) to circulate in the brain, precipitating a rejuvenating effect
The Cacao butter
The “butter” is made from pure, cold-pressed oil of the cacao bean and is used to make both white chocolate and milk chocolate. It melts at about 34-38 degrees so it’s perfect for making raw chocolate!
The Raw Cacao powder
Normal cocoa powder is processed via the “Dutch method” meaning heat extracted (up to 150°C !) with solvents, thus destroying most of the nutrients and anti-oxidants and likely contaminating the end product. Raw Certified Organic Cacao powder is cold pressed from the nibs without solvents, then fine-milled and sifted so the most bio-available cacao particles filter into the final product. As the temperature is never allowed to exceed 40°C, the powder is considered a ‘raw’ food with all heat-sensitive vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants remaining intact, thereby maximizing digestion and absorption.
The powder can be used to make chocolates, chocolate milk or hot chocolate (mix with almond milk), add to smoothies, milkshakes, coffee, desserts, or blend with honey for chocolate syrup. It is raw and gluten-free, and suitable for vegans as well.
Carob Powder
Carob is another superfood, it is a tropical pod that contains a sweet, edible pulp and inedible seeds. After drying, the pulp is roasted and ground into a powder that resembles cocoa powder, but does not have the same flavor and texture of cacao. Just like cacao, carob is also very nutritious. Cacao has lots of magnesium, carob has lots of calcium but unlike cocoa powder and chocolate, carob is caffeine-free. Carob is naturally sweet and requires much less sweetener when used in recipes with chocolate. Carob contains as much vitamin B1 as asparagus or strawberries; as much niacin as lima beans, lentils, or peas; and more vitamin A than aubergine, asparagus, and beetroot. It also contains vitamin B2, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and the trace minerals iron, manganese, chromium, copper, and nickel. It contains approximately 8% protein and is a good source of fibre. Compared to chocolate, carob is three times richer in calcium, has one-third fewer calories and seventeen times less fat. It is said that regular use of carob helps in preventing lung cancer.
Lucuma Powder (pronounced loo-ku-mah)
Lucuma is a sweet and edible fruit of the Lucuma tree and was once hailed the “Gold of the Incas”. Lucuma serves as a healthy sweetener as it is very low in sugars, and with its naturally occurring beta-carotene, niacin, and iron, lucuma powder makes a healthier option to the “empty calorie” sweeteners. Lucuma powder also soothes the nervous system as it is loaded in vitamin B3- the nutrient known to aid in depression. Carotene by the way is what gives it the pretty orange colour and the even prettier ability to protect our DNA from cancer.
Coconut oil
Coconut has a high level of saturated fats, but it’s a different kind of saturated fats than what we find in unhealthy processed foods. The kind of saturated fats that are occurring naturally, like in coconut oil, improves your heart health, boosts your thyroid, increase your metabolism, promotes a lean body and weight loss if needed and supports your immune system. Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs which are easily digested and immediately burned by your liver for energy — like carbohydrates, but without the insulin spike. MCTs actually boost your metabolism and help your body use fat for energy, as opposed to storing it, so it can actually help you become leaner. Nearly 50 percent of the fat in coconut oil is of a type rarely found in nature called lauric acid, a “miracle” compound because of its unique health promoting properties. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties.
Making chocolate out of these ingredients are bound to be good for you. They are all superfoods which bring different kinds of nutrition to your body, which you need. My prayers have finally been heard, chocolate is healthy :D
