Yep you heard it, chocolate!
Doesn’t just the whole concept of that sound wrong? All our lives we have been brought up to believe that chocolate is a treat, something you limit, have a little after dinner or after you have eaten some ‘good’ food to balance out the crap in which you are just about to indulge? Well if you are talking about commercial chocolate that has been heat or chemically extracted, loaded with refined sugar and other nasties then you would still be correct, however raw cacao has emerged in recent years with a gold star rating for its health benefits.
Check this out… it has flavonoids (natural antioxidants), magnesium, sulphur, iron, calcium, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese – so good for energy, strong nails, shiny hair, healthy liver & pancreas, helps to regulate blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, builds the immune system, is a mood enhancer and helps the body tune in to its natural appetite assisting weight loss. Yahoo!
See, now I know why I am attracted to it especially at ‘that’ time of the month. And this is why I feel totally pumped about eating chocolate for breakfast if that is what I feel like having. I usually have my Chocolate Tweets at the ready, having made a batch for the week and sometimes I add things to them like vanilla protein powder, pumpkin seeds and other goodies which only serves to ramp up the goodness factor. So with all the benefits, how can eating it at any time of day not be beneficial?
So empty your head of any prior beliefs about chocolate that you may have had and rebuild with this new information that will support your health and weight loss journey.
Be clear though it’s about raw cacao preferably organic, which has been processed without chemicals – there is a world of difference. Here are some brands that I have had in the past:-
Loving Earth Organic Raw Cacao Powder
Power Super Foods Raw Organic Cacao Powder
Apparently cacao powder releases more antioxidants when warmed up so this is why Hot Chocolate is so beneficial, especially prior to meals to quieten down the appetite. Here’s my favourite way to have it…
Slim Birdy Coconut Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
1 tsp raw cacao powder
a sprinkle of Ceylon cinnamon
1 TBS coconut oil
1 tiny scoop stevia powder (your equivalent to 1 tsp sugar)
1 cup boiling water
dash of ‘milk’
Mix together in a mug and sip slowly!
The cinnamon and coconut oil are supposed to be weight loss aids also, so talk about a magical drink! Hubba Hubba.
I love my raw chocolate!
Sources:
http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition+tips/cacao+a+guilt+free+treat,7575
http://www.naturalnews.com/029156_cacao_chocolate.html
Slim Birdy and book Lite as a Feather is the creation of Kristy Zenk, a writer and marketing professional who battled with her weight most of her life. After years of yo-yo dieting and binge eating, her life changed forever when she decided enough was enough. No more listening to everyone else’s advice, and instead to tune into what her body was telling her. Based in the healthy to alternative eating camp, finding your happy body in the most feel good way is the message. Pass the raw chocolate please!
Web address – http://slimbirdy.wordpress.com
Email: [email protected]
Medical Doctor, author, speaker, media presenter and health industry consultant, Dr Joe Kosterich wants you to be healthy and get the most out of life.
Joe writes for numerous medical and mainstream publications, is clinical editor at Medical Forum Magazine, and is also a regular on radio and television.
Joe is Medical Advisor to Medicinal Cannabis Company Little Green Pharma, Chairman of Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association and sits on the board of Arthritis and Osteoporosis WA. He is often called to give opinions in medico legal cases.
He has self-published two books: Dr Joe’s DIY Health and 60 Minutes To Better Health.
In 2024 due to public demand he commenced a podcast, Dr Joe Unplugged, which can be accessed via Spotify, Apple or YouTube.
Through all this he continues to see patients as a GP each week.
