Healthy Hot Cocoa

After a day of skiing, walking the dogs, or just spending time outdoors in winter, I find myself seeking a warm drink. There’s nothing better than a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter day, especially if it’s good for me!

Cocoa comes from raw cacao and is packed with health-promoting polyphenols. Adding sugar and dairy have been shown to negate many of the health benefits, so this drink is, of course, sugar and dairy- free. Sweetened with dates and organic cacao, it’s a delicious, satisfying treat!

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Raw cacao and cocoa are considered superfoods because of their many health benefits. They can improve endothelial function, lower blood pressure, and increase perfusion, such as to the brain and heart. They are even shown to lower lipids, including LDL, and have other cardiovascular and cognitive benefits.

Cacao and cocoa are also beneficial for the skin. The many flavanols protect the skin against UV radiation and other environmental stressors. And by improving blood flow to the skin and bathing it in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, cacao and cocoa can help give the skin an enhanced glow and healthier appearance.

The many polyphenols and flavonoids in cacao and cocoa are prebiotics and can influence the microbiome and gut health. Roasting cacao to form cocoa reduces polyphenols by 27% and destroys the living enzymes, so raw cacao is the healthier option. These polyphenols have been shown to increase the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, while reducing pathogenic ones, such as Clostridium perforingens. And beyond the microbiome, these bioactive compounds are immune modulators demonstrating anti-inflammatory effects on the immune system.

One word of caution: many brands of cocoa and cacao are high in heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium. As these metals can accumulate and have long-lasting effects on the body, I recommend searching for brands with less heavy metals. I like to use ConsumerLab.com to find the best options.

All in all, cacao and cocoa live up to their name for being superfoods.

And I hope you enjoy this hot cocoa recipe – it’s super delicious! 😋

Resources:

1. Cocoa Bioactive Compounds: Significance and Potential for the Maintenance of Skin Health, Nutrients 2014.
2. Effects of cocoa products/dark chocolate on serum lipids: a meta-analysis, Europ J Clin Nut, 2011.
3. The effects of cocoa on the immune system, Front Pharmacol, 2013.
4. https://www.consumerlab.com/news/best-dark-chocolate-and-cocoa/01-23-2020/.
5. Cocoa Polyphenols and Gut Microbiota Interplay: Bioavailability, Prebiotic Effect, and Impact on Human Health, Nutrients, 2020.
6. Cocoa, Blood Pressure, and Vascular Function, Frontiers, Nutritional Immunology, 2017.

Recipe: