Happy International Women’s Day to all the beautiful women out there!
I’m so grateful that I have such an amazing job & that I am able to work with wonderful women just like YOU!
To celebrate, I would like to introduce you to chocolate. Ok, yes – I’m sure you know it all too well already, but do you know how GOOD it is for you? Yes, GOOD!
Eat more chocolate to:
- Have beautiful skin & hair – Cacao (the secret behind chocolate’s healthy boost) is potentially one of the single-most concentrated food sources of antioxidants, containing as much as 10% antioxidant compounds by weight. Antioxidants give you radiant skin & shiny hair!
- Have a Happy Heart – Thanks to flavonoids (those wonderful antioxidants!) that increase the flexibility of veins and arteries, your heart will beat stronger for chocolate too.
- Lose the muscle aches, sleep better & boost your moods – Magnesium is the secret here. Being deficient in this important mineral is a pain in the body – literally. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency can include leg cramps, migraines, fatigue, loss of appetite, depression, nausea and vomiting. On average a dark chocolate bar can deliver nearly 12 percent of your daily magnesium requirement.
There you go – proof that chocolate CAN be good for you!
BUT
Enter milk, sugar, and butter—good for your taste buds, not always good for your health. Besides adding calories to your chocolate goodness, these can dilute the benefits of cacao.
So snack smart: Stick to healthy chocolate with at least 70 percent cacao (or cocoa, which is cacao in its roasted, ground form). By doing this you get to have all the benefits of chocolate without the problems that come with the other stuff.
Here is another one of my favorite chocolate recipes for you to try – This has gotten me through some rough chocolate-craving days. Make them, freeze them, and have them ready for the moments you could use a re-charge. 🙂
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chocolate Nutbutter Cups
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup high quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup smooth almond butter
1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Melt coconut oil. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Pour into paper-lined muffin tin cups or silicon muffin cups and fill half-inch full. Makes 10. Chill for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes. When firm, remove. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Mmm-mm!
