Mar 9, 2022
In today’s Longevity Kitchen
episode, we are highlighting one of my very favorite foods in the
whole world: dark chocolate. Chocolate is universally adored and
appreciated by people everywhere as the world’s favorite sweet
treat. Beyond the fact that it’s delicious and versatile, dark
chocolate has specific and proven health benefits. Don’t feel
guilty; grab a piece of dark chocolate and savor the flavor.
Chocolate comes from cacao,
which is found in the seeds of football-shaped pods that grow on
the cacao tree. So yes, there IS such a thing as a chocolate
forest! I’ve never been in one, but I’m SO ready to go! Today I’m
telling you why dark chocolate is good for us, along with a brief
history of chocolate, the differences in types of chocolate, and
I’m sharing some delicious recipes. I created a new recipe for Dark
Chocolate, Pecan, and Dried Cherry Clusters; they are crunchy and
yummy and very easy to make. I’ll also highlight a few favorites
from my Recipe Roundup, which includes 40 recipes from some fellow
dietitians who also love dark chocolate. Join me for this delicious
adventure!
Show Highlights:
- The basics to know about dark
chocolate:
-
- Cacao is high in magnesium and
antioxidants.
- Dark chocolate has higher amounts of cacao and
less sugar than milk chocolate.
- The health benefits are greater with dark
chocolate than other varieties because of the phytonutrients, which
may play a role in cancer prevention and heart health.
- Other health benefits of dark chocolate include
reduced inflammation, lower blood pressure, better cholesterol
levels, improved cognition, better mood, better gut health, and
improved blood sugar levels. There is some evidence of dark
chocolate preventing memory loss and lowering the risk of Type-2
diabetes.
- The facts: dark chocolate has more antioxidants
than green tea or red wine (The darker the chocolate, the more
antioxidants.)
- How dark and how much? Choose a cacao content
of 70% or higher, and eat about an ounce each day for maximum
health benefits.
- We go WAY back for a brief history of
chocolate, spanning the Olmec tribes of present-day Mexico in 1500
BC, the Mayans, Aztecs, and Spaniards. (It was in the early 1800s
when chocolate became available to the masses, and aren’t we
thankful?!)
- Important nutrients in dark chocolate include
iron, fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus,
zinc, and selenium.
- Chocolate isn’t just for desserts; there are
great savory recipes for Triple Chocolate Beef and Bean Chili
and Eggplant
Caponata. (I will be
trying these!)
- My new recipe for Dark Chocolate, Pecan, and
Dried Cherry Crunchy Clusters–they are made with dark chocolate
chips, flaked cereal, chopped pecans, and dried unsweetened tart
cherries.
- From the Dark Chocolate Recipe
Roundup:
- From Laura @lauramali.com: Dark Chocolate Orange Mousse is made with
dark chocolate, silken tofu, orange zest, agave syrup, kosher salt,
orange-flavored liquor, and sliced strawberries.
- From Jackie @jackienewgent.com: Double Chocolate Banana Dessert Bread is made
with whole wheat pastry flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking
powder, baking soda, ripe bananas, chopped pistachios, vanilla and
almond extracts, bittersweet chocolate chips, sugar, butter, and
eggs.
- From Kelly @kellyjonesnutrition.com: Vegan Turtles are made with dates, salt,
walnuts or pecans, dark chocolate chips, and cayenne
pepper.
- The differences in types of chocolate, like
cocoa powder, dark chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, semisweet
chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, milk chocolate, and white
chocolate (which isn’t really chocolate at all!)
Resources
History of Chocolate:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/archaeology-chocolate-180954243/
Video of Cacao Bean
Processing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_JuQCiKWUc
Savory recipes with dark chocolate:
Triple Chocolate Beef and Bean
Chili: https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Triple-Chocolate-Beef-Bean-Chili/
Eggplant Caponata:
https://www.saveur.com/gallery/Savory-Chocolate-Recipes/
Dark Chocolate Orange Mousse:
https://www.lauramali.com/easy-dark-chocolate-orange-mousse/
Vegan Turtles:
https://kellyjonesnutrition.com/vegan-turtles/
Double chocolate banana dessert bread: https://jackienewgent.com/dessert-bread/
Liz’s Links:
My website: www.lizshealthytable.com
My email: liz@lizshealthytable.com