Cacao, cocoa, or chocolate, regardless of what name you choose, comes in many forms. And truthfully, I am an expert in all things chocolate because I confess I am a chocoholic. I eat dark chocolate and raw cocoa powder every day. The taste is awesome, and the benefits are huge! However, I am very selective about the type of chocolate I eat or drink. Let’s look at healthy chocolate!
The cacao bean is the jewel of the bean world. No other food has higher antioxidant power! It is also rich in many other nutrients. Raw cocoa (or cacao powder) added to your smoothie and other foods can supercharge your body in many ways. Be creative with it.
WARNING! Not all chocolates are healthy.
Milk chocolates or candies with added chocolate also have a lot of added sugar and do not provide the same health benefits. Obviously, chocolate cakes, crackers, and cookies fall into the not-healthy category. You also want to be careful with the volume of chocolate. Even healthy dark and raw chocolate is high in calories, so limit your amount to prevent weight gain.
1-2 ounces of dark chocolate or raw cacao powder once a day is enough to get the health benefits. According to Johns Hopkins, the darker the chocolate, the better the benefits.
Benefits of Healthy Chocolate
- Helps reduce blood pressure
- Provides great energy
- Boost metabolism
- Improves bone health
- Protects cells from free radical attacks
- Reduces premature aging
- Helps reduce stress
- Improves vascular wall health
- May reduce blood clots
- Can improve both LDL and HDL cholesterol levels.
- Improve insulin function
- Reduces platelet stickiness
- Improves immune response
- Improves our mood
- Improves our sleep
- Can improve heart health
Vive Shake contains healthy cocoa for a rich chocolatey flavor. To see how it can help your health and wellness plan, contact us today at info@viveshake.com or 877-878-3009.