In preparation for the Easter festivities, I spent last Sunday excitedly making homemade healthy chocolate treats for my family and friends. Chocolate can actually be healthy and I am fed up with the way most of the chocolate eaten today is produced, so decided to make my own.
I was super happy with the way it turned out, smooth, creamy, delicious, organic and completely void of artificial ingredients.
Dark chocolate is actually jam-packed with a whole host of benefits.
Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Heart- Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two times a week can help lower your blood pressure.
Dark Chocolate is Full of Antioxidants – Antioxidants help free your body of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells accelerating ageing.
Dark Chocolate is High in Vitamins and Minerals- Dark chocolate contains a number of vitamins and minerals that can support your health, the following are found in high concentrations:
Potassium
Copper
Magnesium
Iron
It is important to remember that not all chocolate is created equal. Most shop-bought chocolate brands contain tonnes of sugar, refined carbohydrates and use soy lecithin as an emulsifier (sticks it together).
Remember, chocolate is still a treat, it can be healthy in moderation (hard I know) but that’s not an excuse to go crazy with it.
Here is the basic recipe, but feel free to jazz it up! A teaspoon of a shot of espresso, dried fruit, chopped nuts or some yummy orange extract for a tag taste!
