4 replies to this topic

[Daniel Cooper]

For those interested in supplementing with cocoa for cardio-vascular and other benefits, what is the best way to take it?  Eating a reasonable amount of the darkest chocolate you can find, or taking it in a powdered form, perhaps in a capsule?

 

The powered form has the seeming benefit of not getting extra fat and sugar, which while reduced in a very dark chocolate is not zero.  However the existing studies on cocoa you find tend to be of consuming it as a dark chocolate.  Is there perhaps a downside to consuming it in powdered form?

 

 

 

[joelcairo]

You want chocolate that has not been dutch processed. It's easier to obtain this in cocoa powder than to find it in commercial products.

 

Here is a page that has a comparison of catechins and epicatechins between different chocolate bars. It looks to me that the cocoa powder is a far superior source to any of the sources of commercial chocolate.

https://blog.priceplow.com/epicatechin

[Daniel Cooper]

Excellent information.  Thanks!

 

 

 

[Adaptogen]

My hot cacao recipe:

2 Tbsp raw cacao powder

1 packet "sugarless sugar" (stevia, inulin, monkfruit blend) or alternative sweetener to taste (stevia extract, additional inulin)

1-2 tsp sugar (for taste, and possibly to avoid cacao induced hypoglycemia)

1-2 tsp pure inulin (sweetness, prebiotic)
Pinch of vanilla powder, ceylon cinnamon
Pinch of chili powder of choice (guajillo, chipotle, cayenne, etc)
200mL flax/nut milk

Heat milk and vanilla first, add cacao and other ingredients at the end.

[hydrus]

what does cocoa do, what does it help with?