Why Hot Cocoa Is Healthier Than Hot Chocolate

By:Darren Craddock

There is an important difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate. These terms are often used interchangeably, but the distinction is in the nutritional properties. Hot cocoa is made from raw cocoa powder, which is pressed chocolate which removes the fat of the cocoa butter. Hot chocolate is made from chocolate bars melted into a cream or ground into a powder. Often hot chocolate has a very high sugar and fat content and low cocoa content. Cocoa can be very good for you, especially if you minimize the sugar and fat.

Hot cocoa has been around a long time and for good reason. It is one of the most potent antioxidant beverages you can drink, plus it is naturally delicious! Archeologists have found that the oldest civilization of the Americas, the Olmecs, (1500-400 BC), were probably the first users of cacao. The Mayans continued consuming-based drinks made with beans. Chocolatl was the name of a drink made from roasted cocoa beans, water and spices and was consumed voraciously by the aristocracy. They primarily drank cocoa but the beans were also valued as a currency.

Drink of the gods

Originally these ancient people drank and unsweetened version of hot cocoa. This hot cocoa recipe was a mixture of ground cocoa beans, water, wine, and peppers. Soon the Spaniards begin heating the mixture adding sweeteners like sugar. In England, they added milk and created a sweet after dinner drink.

Nowadays people are discovering the powerful nutritional benefits of the cocoa bean. Recent research has found that the flavonoids in chocolate are more powerful than vitamins such as ascorbic acid in protecting circulating lipids from oxidation. And researchers discovered that people who eat chocolate and sweets up to three times each month live almost a year longer than people who eat too much or folks that steer clear of junk altogether. (This is from a study done at the Harvard School of Public Health)

Now that we understand that cocoa is good for us, how do we make sure we are getting the bountiful health benefits of the cocoa chocolate? First get pure cocoa powder. You can identify it by its dark brown color and bitter taste. Next, try mixing it with hot water and low fat milk or milk substitutes, like soy or coconut milk powder. Add a natural sweetener like agave nectar, honey or turbino sugar.

Hot cocoa provides more antioxidants

Even though cocoa beans have 500 times more anti-oxidants than blueberries; studies indicate that adding a diary product actually blocks the body's ability to properly absorb them. In order to get the most antioxidants, mix ground cocoa with non-dairy liquids for hot chocolate, smoothies or shakes. You can enjoy drinking cocoa if it is hot or cold but heating the cocoa triggers the release of more antioxidants.

For many years the common conception of hot cocoa was that of a commercially prepared packet mix that was basically sugared flavored chocolate turned into a sweetened instant powder and marketed to children. Now adults are finding that the drink they loved as kids is better than taking vitamins! Drink your cocoa hot and pure and enjoy the best tasting health drink available.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: Cocoa powder, hot chocolate, anti-antioxidants, hot cocoa, flavonoids, cocoa chocolate

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Darren Craddock is an expert in Naturopathy, Nutrition, Herbology,
Massage, and Yoga. Free Report: Discover how to keep from getting sick and have more energy! Enjoy a delicious and healthy Hot Cocoa Drink with Cocoa Mojo. Get some at www.enerhealthbotanicals.com

Top Gourmet Articles
1). The Incredible Edible Olive By : Lee Dobbins Olives have been eaten and the oil used since biblical times but it wasn’t until recently that they have enjoyed so much press due to their cardioprotective properties. Find out more about this amazing food including the many varieties of olives available.
2). The Amazing Acai Fruit By : Jerry Cahill Do you know about the Acai Berry Fruit? It is a blueberry like fruit from the Amazon area that exhibits excellent health benefits.
3). Gourmet Gift Baskets Impress Your Business Contacts By : Malorie Dael If you're used to thinking of gift baskets as cheap woven containers of semi-fresh fruit, you may be interested to discover just how creative gift baskets have become. There's something for everyone, and it's not even limited to food items. FOR GOLFING FANATICS: Got a client who loves to golf? Get him or her a golf-themed gift basket. Most include some gourmet treats, perfect for snacking on the green.
4). Is Chocolate That Healthy? By : Gerald Meyer It is great news that research has found a food that lowers blood pressure and is healthy for the heart and maybe more. The problem is that the chocolate people consume most is not the kind that was studied. The more popular kinds of chocolate have little or no positive effect on your health. Only certain chocolate may be healthy.
5). The Game of Catering By : Frances Coleman When you first meet a customer for a catering job, you must make the right impression...
6). Culinary Traditions Of France By : Kirsten Hawkins French cuisine is the amazingly high standard to which all other native cuisines must live up to. The country of France is home of some of the finest cuisine in the world, and it is created by some of the finest master chefs in the world. The French people take excessive pride in cooking and knowing how to prepare a good meal. Cooking is an essential part of their culture, and it adds to one's usefulness if they are capable of preparing a good meal.
7). British Cuisine By : Kirsten Hawkins British cuisine has always suffered from bad press. The simple homespun fare and plain preparation of most traditional British foods pales when compared to French haute cuisine, and it’s not uncommon for food critics to sound almost apologetic when writing about traditional British dishes as if there were something shameful in enjoying a good, thick joint of beef with an accompaniment of Yorkshire pudding.
8). Discover How To Turn Any Meal Into A Gourmet Treat By : Lee Dobbins Are you looking for an easy way to turn your old favorites into something special? Lucky for you there is one secret and easy to use ingredient that can help give some class to almost anything you serve.
9). White Barbecue Sauce - Sweet, Sour, Tickling and Tangy By : InsaneChicken BBQ sauce is generally a basic mixture of tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Tomatoes used can be in various forms such as tomato sauce, paste, puree and even ketchup. Sugar adds sweetness to the barbecue sauce and can either be corn syrup, honey or molasses. The addition of vinegar, on the other hand, lends a sour flavor to the bbq sauce and can be in the form of beer, white or flavored vinegar, wine or citrus juices.
10). Wrap Your "Claws" Around This-Tips On How To Eat A Lobster By : Wayne Ryan For the ultimate seafood experience, it's tough to top the sweet flavor of a tender lobster. Here are some succulent suggestions from the experts at Red Lobster on easy ways to crack and eat this delectable dish. Step 1: Where to begin? The claws, with meat that is tender and flavorful, are generally the best place to start. After removing the two front claws, use a nutcracker to crack them open and a lobster fork to remove the meat.

New Gourmet Articles
1). Gourmet Food Gift Basket - A Savory Treat For Any Occasion By : Larry A. Johnson With so many different tastes how does one go about selecting the most choice gourmet gift baskets for a loved one? It's simple, make a list of classic gourmet food gift baskets, go over the list carefully, and choose the one that you think will make your loved one's mouth water the most. Almost any basket chosen with love will be a well-received gift.
2). White Barbecue Sauce - Sweet, Sour, Tickling and Tangy By : InsaneChicken BBQ sauce is generally a basic mixture of tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Tomatoes used can be in various forms such as tomato sauce, paste, puree and even ketchup. Sugar adds sweetness to the barbecue sauce and can either be corn syrup, honey or molasses. The addition of vinegar, on the other hand, lends a sour flavor to the bbq sauce and can be in the form of beer, white or flavored vinegar, wine or citrus juices.
3). A Gourmet Chocolate Gift Basket Is The Perfect Gift By : Lisa Scott There are many online specialty stores that offer nothing but the best in chocolate gift baskets. They offer a great assortment to choose from, and you can even individualize your basket by picking just your favorites. Chocolate gift baskets are designed for all occasions and holidays; Valentines Day, birthdays, weddings, and Mother’s Day are by far the most popular, but they are offered in designs perfect for any type of gathering.
4). Lardo di Colonnata : A Tuscan Delicacy By : Andrea Flint Pork is a staple food of the mountain regions of northern Italy, where it's often said that a well butchered pig should leave 'nothing but the oink' behind. As a pig is typically around 30% fat, thrifty locals had to come up with a way to use and preserve this valuable source of protein, and the result is Lardo. Lardo di Colonnata, to give it its full name, is a delicacy produced from pork fat in and around the Tuscan mountain town of Colonnata.
5). Gourmet Gift Baskets Impress Your Business Contacts By : Malorie Dael If you're used to thinking of gift baskets as cheap woven containers of semi-fresh fruit, you may be interested to discover just how creative gift baskets have become. There's something for everyone, and it's not even limited to food items. FOR GOLFING FANATICS: Got a client who loves to golf? Get him or her a golf-themed gift basket. Most include some gourmet treats, perfect for snacking on the green.
6). Wrap Your "Claws" Around This-Tips On How To Eat A Lobster By : Wayne Ryan For the ultimate seafood experience, it's tough to top the sweet flavor of a tender lobster. Here are some succulent suggestions from the experts at Red Lobster on easy ways to crack and eat this delectable dish. Step 1: Where to begin? The claws, with meat that is tender and flavorful, are generally the best place to start. After removing the two front claws, use a nutcracker to crack them open and a lobster fork to remove the meat.
7). YES! You Can be a Food Gourmet and a Skilled Gourmet Cook Too By : The X Chef Yes, even you can cook up wonderful meals and impress your loved ones! Ever thought that gourmet cooking is not for you, or that you do not cook well? Then it’s time to totally change your mindset from today . . . Anyone and everyone can easily pick up cooking skills; younger or older, ladies and even the guys. It doesn’t matter what your skill level is today; you can do much better and make great dishes like the chefs at your favorite restaurants.
8). Impress With Duck By : Stacey Moore It's not always easy for the time-starved cook to stay on top of the latest quick, easy, exciting dishes. So where do the at-home cooks go to learn how to wow guests? These days, people are jumping online in search of trendy, delicious recipes to impress family and friends. Recently, the U.S. Duck Council introduced www.ImpressWithDuck.com-an online resource that provides time-starved cooks with alternative, easy recipes that impress guests with simplicity and style.
9). Create Gourmet gift baskets By : OliviaAndrews If you want to make a gourmet gift basket by your own then don’t take much time to think because making one is quite fun and also an affordable alternative to purchase them. But before you get a gift basket to start making the basket decide carefully that which candy and in what quantity you are going to place in it. You can gift a gourmet gift basket on any occasion may be mothers day or fathers day or even on the occasion of the birthday of your friends.
10). 5 Simple Steps To Clone A Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes By : Joana Steele It's amazing how so many people love chocolate cakes. One of my favorite is the "Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes". It's sooooo delicious! If you are like me, I urge you to try this recipe when you have time. You'll fall in love with it. Trust me... :-) So here it is: Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes Number of servings: 6 persons Ingredients: .