Chocolate Is Healthy

Susie Norris of Happy Chocolates in Los Angeles has just authored a sweet new book, Chocolate Bliss, featuring 24 photos and 38 recipes for healthy and sensual chocolate desserts.

As a former TV producer, pastry chef, chocolate boutique owner and educator, Norris has massive expertise and enthusiasm for chocolate and its health benefits.

“I wanted to offer my enthusiasm for chocolate and teach the surprising ways that chocolate benefits health and happiness,” Norris says. “It’s also a good occasion to share my favorite recipes for the holiday season when fine, handmade chocolate makes an affordable gift of luxury.”

Recipes in Chocolate Bliss include Artisan Caramel Bon Bons and Blueberry Cocoa Nib Crumble.  We can’t wait to check it out.

Chocolatier’s New Book Hits Stands Just in Time for Holidays.

Not that you don’t know this already, but it’s always good to hear.  We’ve discussed the benefits of dark chocolate for heart health, mood and more.  Nutritionist and best selling diet book author Zoe Harcombe lays out some practical instruction for how to consume healthy chocolate.

She said: “Stick to dark chocolate, with at least 70 per cent cocoa and ideally, 85 per cent.

“The problem with milk chocolate is that it uses artificial sweeteners and it’s a lot more calorific.

“Have a couple of squares of dark chocolate after dinner and you’ll feel like you’ve had dessert, yet you won’t be piling on the pounds.”

Interestingly, Harcombe also says that your day’s dark chocolate treat should be enjoyed at one time, and not spread throughout the day.  Spreading out your chocolate intake causes insulin to be released repeatedly, contributing to weight gain.

Expert confirms dark chocolate is good for your health – The Daily Record.

Cocoa butter, also referred to as cacao butter, is made by pressing cacao nibs to separate the cacao “butter” from the protein and fiber.  For cacao butter to be raw, this process cannot take place at or above 112 degrees Fahrenheit.  The cocoa “butter,” a naturally occurring fat, separates and solidifies.  It is yellow in color and has a mild, chocolate scent.

Cocoa butter retains the antioxidant properties also found in dark chocolate, but has even more uses.  You can use it for making chocolates or chocolate desserts like ice cream. Despite being high in saturated fats, cocoa butter does not raise cholesterol levels the way other saturated fats do. You can also massage cocoa butter into your skin to help soften and retain moisture.  It’s commonly added as an ingredient in soaps and lotions.

When you’re shopping for raw cocoa butter, look for a producer who ensures there are no contaminants or other unwanted stuff in the product.  It’s commonly sold by the pound and you’re guaranteed to find many uses for cacao butter.

Did you know there are some foods that may help contribute to brain health and longevity? We came across this fabulous article about the top 5 foods for enhancing your mind and body.

In addition to cacao beans making the list, there was (in no particular order) wild salmon, matcha tea, the acai berry and blueberries and coffee beans.  Any surprises?  It’s important that you seek out the specific types of food recommend in this article.  For example, any old salmon will not have the same nutrients as wild salmon.

None of these things (no, not even raw chocolate) is a wonder food, but you’re well-served incorporating these foods into your diet.

Here’s what the study has to say about our friend, the cacao bean:

“What’s healthy is the cacao bean, minimally processed. This amazing, hedonistic bean is one of the world’s longest-revered foods (think ‘time of the Aztecs’ old) and has in recent years been shown to be a veritable powerhouse of cognitive enhancement, mood and bliss-enhancement (thanks in part to the Theobromine in cacao), antioxidants, flavonoids, catechins and many other brain & body-enhancing elements. In fact, chocolate has been very recently cited by some top health professionals and researchers to be THE single most exciting health food, and as more research continues to pour in, the more true this appears to be.”

The Top 5 Brain Health Foods

Have you ever dreamed of being a chocolatier?  Treehugger posted a great review of the Navitas Naturals Organic Chocolate Kit.  This looks like a fantastic gift for the chocolate lover with delicious results. And, Navitas Naturals Chocolate Kits are 100% organic, kosher, vegan, gluten-free, and raw.

The DIY chocolate kit requires no special equipment. The process involves some simple slicing, melting, mixing and freezing, and your chocolates are done in minutes!

The kit contains all organic, raw superfoods including premium cacao, maca, lucuma and mesquite.

Here’s an excerpt from the review:

“All I needed was two smallish bowls, a spoon, a knife, and ice cube tray. Shave and stir, drop in the super berries, pour into ice tray molds, slide into the freezer to set. Within minutes (just like the box promised). Pop them out and there were a dozen perfect little dark chocolate candies. Move out of the way, Whitman’s. Forget, Frangos. So long, Sees. And bye-bye to pre-packaged natural equivalents.

For ten bucks and ten minutes, you, too, can be a chocolatier. No one will guess it’s so easy. As I said, I’m predisposed to chocolate, so when I taste tested one and liked it, and gobbled another, I recognized my bias. The chocolate tasting party would be the judges. “You made these!?” they exclaimed.”

DIY Superfood Chocolates: Good and Good for You, Too? : TreeHugger.