Let’s start with something that most Moms love, chocolate. By knowing just a few things about chocolate you can ensure that the whole family reaps the most benefits.
First, the amount of powerful phytonutrients (called cocoa flavanols) naturally found in cocoa beans that are responsible for chocolate’s health benefits all boils down to the way the chocolate is processed. In fact, some cocoa beans have been processed so much that the chocolate doesn’t even contain any flavanols at all! (You can read more about this here).
So what do the cocoa flavanols do for you and your kids and how can you be sure your chocolate is delivering them?
Cocoa flavanols support healthy circulation. This means that aside from promoting cardiovascular health, they improve the flow of oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body, helping you to perform and feel their best while nourishing skin, eyes, muscles and all parts of the body—and who doesn’t want that for the entire family?! Hello gorgeous complexions, energized muscles and strong hearts!
Clearly, we all want to reap the benefits of cocoa flavanols, so ideally, flavanol content would be listed on the labels of chocolate bars and products so we would know the chocolate that would be best for us to eat, especially since most commercial chocolate is highly processed. The good news is that most major chocolate manufacturers are looking for ways to keep the flavanols in their processed chocolates and some do list the amounts. Look for 200 mg of cocoa flavanols or more—this is the amount that you want daily. We’re optimistic that all brands will list their flavanol level in the future and hope this labeling takes place soon.
For all die hard chocolate and flavanol fans: At the present time, since it’s not processed, raw cacao does retain the flavanols and can be purchased as whole beans (peeled or unpeeled), nibs, or powder. For those who have never had raw cacao, just be aware, this is not the sweet chocolate that you may be accustomed to. If you do get the nibs, consider sprinkling them in smoothies or on the delicious CocoaVia Chocolate Mousse recipe below or using the powder in yogurt, smoothies or beverages.
In the meantime, if you’re indulging in a little bit of chocolate and don’t care about the benefits, then go for a small amount of what you like. However, if you’re like most of our clients who want to be guaranteed to flood their bodies with health-promoting cocoa flavanols, you’ve gotta give this CocoaVia Chocolate Mousse a whirl! It’s deliciously satisfying and doesn’t break the calorie bank! Plus, it’s super easy to make– it uses just 3-ingredients. Here’s the recipe—to see why using Cocoavia ensures that this decadent chocolate treat is packed with flavanols see below the recipe.
CocoaVia® Chocolate Mousse
Indulge in this guilt-free chocolate mousse!
Ingredients
1½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
Sweetener of choice to taste (example: 1 tsp. honey)
1 packet of CocoaVia® Dark Chocolate Unsweetened supplement
Directions:
Step 1:
Whisk together for 30 sec – 1 min.
Step 2:
Pipe into an individual cup and serve chilled.
Step 3:
Garnish with some nuts, chocolate shavings, or fresh fruit.
Nutritional Info
Calories 80, Carbohydrates 9g, Sugar 4g, Protein 10g, Fat 1g,
Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g, Caffeine 17mg*, Cocoa Flavanols 250mg**
*Caffeine in CocoaVia® supplement ≤ 20 mg/packet
**Measured Cocoa Flavanol content in CocoaVia® supplement
So you’re probably wondering what ensures that this decadent chocolate treat is packed with flavanols. Well, the secret ingredient is the CocoaVia® daily cocoa extract supplement—it uses a patented Cocoapro® process, guaranteeing the highest concentration of cocoa flavanols (250 mg) available in a dietary supplement. You can get it online at www.cocoavia.com and www.amazon.com. Or pick it up in the supplement section at Vitamin World, King Soopers, Fred Meyer, Wegman’s, Harris Teeter, and independent natural food retailers throughout the country. To find the store closest to you, please visit the store locator.
For more information about CocoaVia®, other CocoaVia® products and additional CocoaVia® recipes, please visit CocoaVia.com
Relationship Disclosure: This post was sponsored by CocoaVia®. The Nutrition Twins work with CocoaVia® to help people to improve their health.
The Nutrition Twins Cocoa Banana-Burst Smoothie
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 banana, frozen (we slice banana’s into coins and lie them flat in a zip-loc bag in the freezer so they are ready to jump in a smoothie at any time :))
½ cup silken tofu
½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon stevia (or 2 teaspoon honey or sugar)
Directions:
Blend tofu and almond milk. Once blended add cocoa, honey and banana and blend until smooth.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving, Serves 1 (with stevia): 205 calories, 36 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 9 g protein, 8 g fiber, 83 mg sodium,
Nutrition Facts Per Serving, Serves 1 (with sugar or honey): 235 calories, 44 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 8 g fiber, 83 mg sodium, 22 g sugar
