We’re going to go to school. Cholesterol school! I will take you through the classes of cocoa powder and how it can reduce and manage your cholesterol levels.
Science class:
In 2004, a research study showed that over 102 million Americans had high cholesterol. Now, with the busy lifestyles we live, and the convenience of fast food, you can make an educated guess that those numbers haven’t decreased, but have worsened. But, here’s the thing, you don’t have to be a statistic! There is a simple and tasty answer that can help manage your cholesterol levels.
There are two types of cocoa:
1. Natural (nonalkalinized) is unsweetened and unprocessed.
2. Dutch Process (alkalinized) is treated with an alkali to minimize its harshness and acidity. This process gives the cocoa its rich dark appetizing color and mellow toasted flavor.
English class:
Cocoa Powder: (Noun) the powdery remains of chocolate liquor after cocoa butter is removed; used in baking and in low fat and low calorie recipes and as a flavoring for ice cream.
Cocoa powder is an ingredient that almost every baker uses to flavor their most wonderful desserts, but for many people, it’s an ingredient that can put their cholesterol back on track. Cocoa powder has ingredients that reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and elevates HDL (good) cholesterol.
Cocoa powder ranks the highest of all the chocolate products. Dark chocolate and milk chocolate are a close second and third. The Chocolate Manufacturers Association recently stated that dark chocolate contains about eight times the healthy antioxidants more than those found in strawberries.
History class:
Cocoa powder is made from roasted and ground seeds and most of the fat is removed. This chocolate flavoring is naturally tart and acidic.
Math class:
Cocoa powder, which is lower in fat than candy bars, is a healthier way to get both the chocolate fix and healthy antioxidants.
A greater than/less than problem: which is lower in fat?
Cocoa powder < candy bars
Home Economics class:
You can bake Here are some recipes from lowfatcooking.com that are amazingly delicious and are made with cocoa powder:
From the main course:
Beef Burgundy with Cocoa Powder
To sinful desserts:
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Reduced Fat Chocolate Pudding
Low Fat Fudge Brownies
To the popular drink:
Hot Cocoa
Ethics class:
If you’re a little skeptical about cocoa powder, you have another choice. Dark chocolates have been researched to hold more antioxidants than milk chocolates. So, if you have a choice, pick the dark chocolates because they have higher flavonoid content than milk chocolates. While you can have that piece of dark chocolate, please remember that most candy bars are high in fat, calories, and sugar. Moderation is the key to a healthy life.
Cocoa powder has many benefits:
- Contains antioxidant power
- Encourages alertness
- Maintains healthy blood pressure
- Promotes blood flow
- Promote relaxation
