Is drinking hot chocolate good for you?

Is drinking hot chocolate good for you depends on what's in it and your overall lifestyle. Here is a recipe that will please you; much cheaper and healthier.

Chocolate is usually considered an indulgent, fattening and unhealthy snack. What are the facts?

Anti-oxidants

The cocoa bean is remarkably rich in anti-oxidant compounds called phenols; flavonoids for example^[1]. They scavenge the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) that cause serious damage to our DNA and tissues in general.

One of these flavonoids increases the incredibly important nitric oxide that protects the inner linings of blood vessels. Greens in general also do this, in particular the stalks of spinach; don't dump them after deveining.

That means less aneurisms, cardiovascular disease and strokes; and lower blood pressure.

Type 2 Diabetes

Researchers have found that these phenolic compounds also improve the insulin resistance in pre-diabetics; that means less chance of progression to the full blown disease. But that is dependent on the sugar content of your hot chocolate.

Cognitive function and mood

Researchers have found that these phenolic compounds in cocoa beans have a very profound influence on our moods; and whether we will lose our marbles or not.

But everything hangs on all that sugar; it's not unusual for a chocoholic to eat half an 80 gram bar every evening after supper. That means over 4 teaspoons; we should consume according to the Heart Association no more than 6tsp in a whole day.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Drink

Is drinking hot chocolate good for you? You bet, if you make it this way. Nothing could be simpler.

Now add the boiling water, sugar and salt; and vanilla seeds if you wish. Stir and simmer until it thickens.

So fifty grams of cocoa powder, costing about $0.50 in America and R10 in South Africa will make up about 250g of concentrate; 12 cups of hot chocolate at 4 US cents apiece. 

20 grams of this paste will make a strong cup of of hot chocolate; about 12 helpings.

Cost of one large mug of hot chocolate

500 grams of a favourite hot chocolate costs R100. They recommend 24 grams per helping; 20 mugs.

The commercial hot chocolate costs R5 per mug to which you still have to add milk and sweetening.

Chemical additives

As usual deceit reigns at their site; there is no mention of the stabilizer (340) and emulsifier (471) that is added. They do mention the artificial flavouring known as vanillin.

• What is stabilizer in food?
  

Natural honey

The commercial hot chocolate already contains 50% more sugar than our paste; to which you are instructed to add more.

We choose to use natural honey which German scientists have found has a low GI; it even lowers the fasting blood glucose of diabetics.

Add the cold milk first before the boiling water; we cannot with absolute certainty claim that the glycaemic nature of the natural honey does not change when added to hot chocolate. Further research is necessary.

Is drinking hot chocolate good for you?

Is drinking hot chocolate good for you a vexing question? If it's from a commercial company it is more than 5 times the price and is loaded with artificial chemicals; and too much sugar.

Drinking hot chocolate is very good for you if made from scratch at home in five minutes with none of these chemicals; and a seed of real vanilla and natural honey.

Laziness

Is it not time for us to stop and consider what commercial food is doing to our bodies? The added chemicals, the excessive sugar and the plastic container all contribute to the poor health we are suffering from; not to mention the severe markup in price.

In just five minutes we can make up our own wholesome beverages. Is drinking hot chocolate good for you? It certainly is if you shrug off that inertia that holds us back.

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