Vegan Cocoa: Why You “Need” It

It doesn’t rain very often in Southern California, but when it does, it is definitely cocoa time.

Cold+Cloudy+Rain = Need Cocoa

Chilly days are also adequate for necessitating cocoa.

And if the psychologically/emotionally satisfying aspect of cocoa is not enough, there is another healthy reason to drink cocoa that I recently discovered.

Cocoa can help prevent the flu according to a 2015 study done in Japan. Cocoa does this by stimulating the immune system, inhibiting the virus from multiplying in the throat and other points of infection, and by possibly eliminating cells infected by the virus.

The healthful compounds in cocoa work immediately, but also continue for some time after that.

Dose: 1 cup daily!

Fortunately I have a dairy-free cocoa recipe that is very satisfying. This is a great low carb treat!

VEGAN COCOA RECIPE

• Heat 1 Cup of Almond Milk
• Add 1 tablespoon of Cocoa powder (organic, if possible).  The cocoa actually blends better if you stir it into a tablespoon or so of milk before adding it to the larger amount.
• Add a pinch of Salt (preferably Himalayan or sea salt) and a splash of Vanilla (made with no alcohol is best)
• Sweeten with Stevia or a small amount of Coconut sugar to taste.
• Stir and enjoy.

This is a soothing, low carb, Paleo-friendly, treat to de-stress with after dinner instead of chowing down a heavy dessert, or to enjoy with a good book by a fire, or any ole time really.

The 365 brand of almond milk that I got at Whole Foods in the refrigerator section is organic, has only 40 calories, with 1 gram of protein, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of fat in 1 cup, and does not contain carrageenan.

You can also experiment with substituting cashew milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, or regular cow’s milk (if you tolerate it) depending on what best suits you.

For an autoimmune protocol (AIP) version you can use Carob powder instead of cocoa powder and Coconut sugar instead of Stevia.

Use this recipe as a base and play around with it. Be crazy and throw in a cinnamon stick. Or naughty and add a few marshmallows. Umm, maybe a sprinkle of pumpkin spice is a better idea. But you get my drift. Also, on warmer days you can even make a cold version to add to your iced coffee.

BOTTOM LINE:

For those of you with food intolerances, it is SO important
to your psyche and your health to focus on what you can have.
If you haven’t already, start accumulating life-giving recipes that nourish & satisfy you.

Here’s to comfort and delight!

 

The reference below was found in GreenMedInfo article. Read the full article here.

Kamei M et al, “Anti-influenza virus effects of cocoa.” J Sci Food Agric. 2015 Apr 2. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.7197. [Epub ahead of print] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25847473