Yay for chocolate! It's such a delicious sweet treat and yes, it can be made nutritious, low carb and diabetic-friendly too! All you have to do to eat chocolate and still balance your body weight is to use a few key, wholefood ingredients. Then you can stick to your goals, and enjoy chocolate any time, and totally guilt-free. So don't wait any longer, get ready to enjoy some delicious chocolate dessert. Ready? Let's find out how...
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Can You Eat Chocolate On A Healthy Diet?
Chocolate can be a wonderful treat, dessert, and part of a healthy, otherwise well-balanced diet. The trick in making chocolate healthy is to prepare it yourself at home, or be super choosy with the brands you buy at the shops. Personally, as a Nutritionist, I do enjoy making chocolate treats fully from scratch with my youngest daughter. You'd be surprised just how super easy this actually is!
How Do You Make Chocolate Healthy?
Healthy chocolate requires you to remember a few basic rules. Firstly, the percentage of cocoa in the chocolate should be high, ideally above 70%. I prefer to use raw cacao which is an even richer source of nutrients and flavour. Its an excellent source of magnesium which is an essential nutrient in hundreds of or bodily processes. I use it for chocolate lollies but also in my daily café mocha or if the kids want hot chocolate.
Secondly, the chocolate you use, whether cocoa or the raw cacao form, should be consumed in moderation, as even healthy homemade chocolate can be high in calories. Finally, it is important to choose chocolate that is minimally processed and does not contain added sugars or artificial ingredients. By keeping these things in mind, chocolate can be enjoyed as a part of a healthy diet.
There are keys things to keep in mind to consume healthy chocolate:
choose chocolate made from wholefood-based ingredients or make your own
avoid chocolate with sugar, added flavours, fillings or dried fruit (nuts are ok)
remember to enjoy in moderation; a few pieces to savour but not every day
raw, dark chocolate contains the most beneficial flavonoids and antioxidants
be aware chocolate can contain caffeine; avoid in the evenings if affected
Having a healthy relationship with all foods, and that includes desserts like chocolate, will has a significantly positive impact on your overall health and can help support natural weight loss.
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What Goes Ingredients Go In Chocolate?
Milk chocolate is created by blending fermented, roasted and ground cocoa beans with cocoa butter, sugar, and whole milk or milk solids. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, is known for its bitter taste and is often sweetened with additional sugars. It can also be made without any dairy products. White chocolate is a different variety altogether and is typically made using cocoa butter, milk powder, vanilla extract, and sugar.
If you are diabetic like me, or want a low carb, sugar-free option, you can make a healthy chocolate dessert from combing wholefood ingredients such as coconut oil (which is rich in nutrients and helps create a solid mass), with raw cacao power, vanilla extract and a sugar-free sweetener like stevia. Try it with my Best Healthy Homemade Chocolate Biscuits recipe.
My Raw Chocolate Sauce Recipe for Sundaes or Pancakes is my family's favourite way to enjoy a chochy as a treat. It tastes like the real thing and is chockablock full of nutrients. Click the link (above) to grab the free dessert recipe and tell me what you think in the comments. It is one of my most requested wholefood recipes!
How To Make Healthy Chocolate
Making your own homemade, sugar-free chocolate is surprisingly easy. By using wholefood ingredients that are affordable, you can create delicious chocolate and desserts in just a few minutes. The best part? They taste so good, you won't even believe they're healthy!
Key Ingredients Used
My healthy chocolate recipe contains no sugar making it perfectly safe for diabetics and those on a low carb menu to rebalance body weight. And the best part is, you'll only need 4 simple ingredients:
Coconut oil: this oil is nutrient-rich and contains medium-chain fatty acids that can stimulate fat loss, especially the abdominal fat around your middle and also helps to boost the body's metabolism. It is nutritious but is high in saturated fats.
Raw cacao powder: is a popular superfood and is chocolate at its purest form. The powder is made from the cacao pod right from the bean. Raw cacao is unroasted and relatively unprocessed which keeps most of the nutritional value intact. The powder is a super rich source of antioxidants, iron, calcium and is high in magnesium.
Stevia sweetener: is a natural sugar substitute made from the leaves of the stevia plant. It is a much sweeter alternative to traditional table sugar, but without any of the associated carbohydrates, calories, or artificial ingredients. In fact, it is estimated to be up to 300 times sweeter than table sugar. Stevia is a great option for those looking for a natural, low-calorie sweetener.
Vanilla extract: is used to help flavour the recipe and creates a delicious dessert-like flavour with some health benefits.
Combining these four simple ingredients makes a surprisingly delicious chocolate recipe suitable for those who love chocolate but still want to rebalance body weight with healthier food options.
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Healthy Variations
I encourage you to play with my chocolate dessert recipes and make your own chocolate treats by mixing up the main ingredients and toppings. I love making a coocnut oil-based sauce and pouring it onto a baking sheet to harden. I add superfood toppings just before putting it in the fridge to set. Use them sparingly, but the follow does give these chocolate biscuits a wonderful array of flavours.
Citrus peel: whether is the grated peel or if its been cured, citrus is a delicious paring with homemade chocolate.
Fresh berries: finely chopped, smashed or sliced, berries make a nice fruit pairing while providing extra fibre.
Goji berries and pumpkin seeds: goji berries are high in antioxidants and beta-carotene, with crunchy pumpkins seeds are a lovely combo.
Nut butter drizzle: add a drizzle of runny nut butter over the top before you freeze the chocolates. Also works well with Greek yoghurt.
Roasted coconut flakes, almond slivers and rock salt: sprinkle over the top for a salted chocolate treat.
Rose, Calendula or lavender blossoms: yes you can eat some flowers and these three add a beautiful touch and subtle flavour as a topping.
No matter what toppings or additions you choose, these suggestions are all a great way to pimp out any homemade chocolate recipe and create a little variety.
Want more wholefood, wholefood recipes like these? You might like my That Wholefood Low Carb Life! cookbook full of easy recipe ideas! Click here to grab your copy!
Healthy + happiness,
Emma Lisa xx
HEALTH & NUTRITION PRACTITIONER
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