Have you ever used the terms hot cocoa and hot chocolate interchangeably? If so you are not alone. However, there is a distinctive difference in the two and one may just be healthy for you to sip on. So which is better for you and what is the reasoning for it?
Hot cocoa is actually healthier for you than hot chocolate because of what it is made from. Hot cocoa is made from raw cocoa powder, which is simply chocolate that has been pressed to remove the fat of the cocoa butter. Hot chocolate on the other hand is made from chocolate bars melted into a cream or ground into a powder.
The key is minimizing the sugar and fat content. If you can do this, it is possible to make healthy hot chocolate from scratch. But it can be difficult finding healthy hot chocolate on the market for this very reason.
More and more people are beginning to discover the nutritional benefits of cocoa beans and hot cocoa, especially when you make it at home. It has been found that the flavonols in chocolate are more powerful than many vitamins are, especially for cardiovascular health and anti aging. This does not mean that pigging out on chocolate will benefit you, but including sweets and chocolate to your diet a few times a month can actually extend your life.
If you want to make your own health hot cocoa, make sure to get pure cocoa powder. Anything else is just a joke and will not provide you with the nutritional benefits you are looking for. It is easy to identify because it is dark brown and has a bitter taste. Then add water or low fat milk to the powder and stir it up. Lastly, add a natural sweetener like honey or coconut palm sugar and you are on your way. There are a few commercially sold mixes that are organic and naturally sweetened, but read the labels carefully before you buy.
While hot cocoa is much healthier than hot chocolate, the key is to reducing the fat and sugar content and adding pure ingredients to the drink. Purchasing healthy hot chocolate that has pure cocoa powder and a natural, low glycemic sweetener can give you all of the nutritional benefits you are looking for while still allowing you to enjoy the enriching flavor. Your kids will love it and you will feel great giving it to them.
The next time you see hot cocoa and hot chocolate on the market, the safe bet is to go for the organic, naturally sweetened hot cocoa. It will provide you with a much healthier drink while still giving you the flavorful drink. However, look at the fat and sugar content in hot chocolate because reducing these two can give you a healthy hot chocolate drink full of antioxidants and flavenols.
Hot cocoa is actually healthier for you than hot chocolate because of what it is made from. Hot cocoa is made from raw cocoa powder, which is simply chocolate that has been pressed to remove the fat of the cocoa butter. Hot chocolate on the other hand is made from chocolate bars melted into a cream or ground into a powder.
The key is minimizing the sugar and fat content. If you can do this, it is possible to make healthy hot chocolate from scratch. But it can be difficult finding healthy hot chocolate on the market for this very reason.
More and more people are beginning to discover the nutritional benefits of cocoa beans and hot cocoa, especially when you make it at home. It has been found that the flavonols in chocolate are more powerful than many vitamins are, especially for cardiovascular health and anti aging. This does not mean that pigging out on chocolate will benefit you, but including sweets and chocolate to your diet a few times a month can actually extend your life.
If you want to make your own health hot cocoa, make sure to get pure cocoa powder. Anything else is just a joke and will not provide you with the nutritional benefits you are looking for. It is easy to identify because it is dark brown and has a bitter taste. Then add water or low fat milk to the powder and stir it up. Lastly, add a natural sweetener like honey or coconut palm sugar and you are on your way. There are a few commercially sold mixes that are organic and naturally sweetened, but read the labels carefully before you buy.
While hot cocoa is much healthier than hot chocolate, the key is to reducing the fat and sugar content and adding pure ingredients to the drink. Purchasing healthy hot chocolate that has pure cocoa powder and a natural, low glycemic sweetener can give you all of the nutritional benefits you are looking for while still allowing you to enjoy the enriching flavor. Your kids will love it and you will feel great giving it to them.
The next time you see hot cocoa and hot chocolate on the market, the safe bet is to go for the organic, naturally sweetened hot cocoa. It will provide you with a much healthier drink while still giving you the flavorful drink. However, look at the fat and sugar content in hot chocolate because reducing these two can give you a healthy hot chocolate drink full of antioxidants and flavenols.
by Darren Craddock
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