Pages

May one of these solutions help you ?

Have Your Herbal Chocolate And Eat It Too

<
<
By Angel Dudley


There's a very good reason why more and more people are scoffing down herbal chocolate. Every ounce of ordinary dark chocolate contains 155 calories, and is filled with sugar, preservatives and additives such as artificial flavors. Switching to healthier recipes allows people to indulge in their sweet tooth without packing on the pounds and putting their health at risk through obesity.

Chocolates are usually made through a complicated process that begins with harvesting cocoa beans, followed by stages such as refinement and fermentation. The roasted and grinded beans are then mixed with milk and sugar to provide flavor, and the resulting viscous liquid is stored for chopping up into smaller units. Converting this into an herbal product requires a few tweaks to the traditional recipe.

There are any number of herbs and natural ingredients that can be combined to produce chocolates that are just as heavenly, but without the excess calories and harmful contents. For instance, it's possible to make guilt-free healthy chocolates using cocoa butter and cocoa powder with honey. The recipe can be further improved by using natural ingredients such as lavender, cinnamon, rose petals and mint.

It doesn't have to be a specific recipe. The core items are milk and dark chocolate. Those who need it to be sweet can replace sugar with honey, which then serves as the third key ingredient.

The cocoa should be powdered in order to facilitate mixing and addition of just the right measure. The tried and tested combination that provides best results is a mix of three tablespoons of cocoa to go with three cups of milk and two spoons of honey. After this, the rest of the recipe can be whipped up by a process of experimentation to find a combination that matches preferences and tastes.

For instance, vanilla-flavored chocolates require nothing more than an addition of a few spoons of vanilla extract, which is available in organic gluten-free versions. To give it an edge of mint, simply add a couple of drops of peppermint oil. This is a concentrated oil that will suppress all other tastes and flavors if used in excess.

The recipe can be further modified by using coconut oil instead of milk. Honey can also be replaced with stevia, which makes the concoction sugar-free and eliminates high calories and carbohydrates. Chopped up mint leaves will add a touch of natural flavoring. This combination works perfectly when the coconut oil is heated and turns into a clear liquid that easily mixes with the cocoa powder and other ingredients.

It's well-nigh impossible for such recipes to compete with global brands and their large factories and thousands of distributors. Even so, people manage to locate providers offering herbal alternatives that satisfy gastronomic urges without risking their health. It's always possible to cook up a batch at home. Herbal chocolate is not only good for the whole family, but is also the perfect holiday season gift. It is also the healthy option for kids who consume huge amounts of chocolates at birthday parties and other such celebrations.




About the Author:



< ;
< ;

No comments:

Post a Comment

 

Most Reading