Good luck with the cooking chocolate. Let me know how it tastes.

I rarely have smoothies, but I agree that adding cocoa powder sounds great!

Haven’t been round in some time, but the title of this article just sucked me right in. I’ve noticed over the past few years that my tolerance for milk chocolate has dropped, and these days I prefer the darkest organic chocolate I can find, which usually comes in at about 85%. I’ve been toying with the idea of buying a bar of 100% cooking chocolate to try, but haven’t taken that step yet.

I love Sharon’s idea of buying cacao powder and using that in smoothies–definitely going to give it a shot!

Ok, running over to Part II now to learn the deleterious effects of chocolate. Hope it’s not too grim

Yes, the potential for chocolate to provide health benefits and a lift in mood and energy are a nice bonus for such a tasty food. The next two articles will provide more insight on whether it’s a good idea or not to use chocolate specifically for these purposes.

Raw cacao powder and coconut oil or coconut milk sounds great. I might have to give these combinations a try!

You’ll have to wait for the next article to find out about the potential for adverse effects. I haven’t used cacao powder much, but now that you mention it, I have an idea that applies to reducing one of the less desirable substances that it contains.

It’s good to hear that you transitioned to darker chocolate. Ironically, I was never much of a chocolate fan until trying dark chocolate! However, this was after I started eating more whole foods and developed an aversion to excessive sweetness. I suspect that I wouldn’t have liked it as much before this.

I prefer dark chocolate too. Not only based on taste, but also because milk chocolate is usually made with milk powder which can contain oxidized cholesterol.

If your cravings for chocolate or sugar tend to happen when you’re hungry, have you tried increasing the size or frequency of your meals? An increase in protein and fat should especially help to prolong hunger. You can also try having healthier snacks readily available. Nuts, berries, and figs are some of my favorites, and the berries and figs can even satisfy sweet cravings. However, as long as you’re eating mostly whole foods, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some chocolate or even sugary foods. If you focus on your enjoyment of them when you do, perhaps it will be more satisfying and reduce the frequency of your cravings. Just a few thoughts that I hope you find helpful.

I love chocolates specially the dark chocolates. When I need a little jump start for the day I take a small chocolate.
When taken in moderation or suggested amounts chocolates are good and cure many diseases.

Bye for now,
Cheryl