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Have Your Herbal Chocolate And Eat It Too

By Angel Dudley


Herbal chocolate is not just a passing trend, because it's already a part of healthy lifestyles for people all over the world. The problem with traditional sweet chocolates is that every ounce contains 155 calories. It is choc-a-bloc full of sugar, along with an array of additives and preservatives. A healthy recipe would eliminate these harmful substances and allow people to enjoy the delicious sweetness without worrying about their weight or health risks.

Traditional chocolates are made by harvesting, fermenting, refining, roasting and grinding cocoa beans. Milk and sugar are then added for flavoring and the viscous liquid is stored for molding into smaller units in the desired shape. Going herbal requires a slight modification of this process, with some ingredients replaced by healthier options.

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.

There's really no specific formula that has to be followed. The main ingredients included in most recipes are milk and dark chocolate. If sweetness is an essential requirement, then sugar can be replaced with honey as the third main item in the recipe.

The dark chocolate must preferably be in the form for powdered cocoa. This makes it easy to measure and add the right quantity to match other items, and it mixes well with everything else. The optimum combination includes two teaspoons of honey, three spoons of cocoa and three cups of milk. Anything else that goes into it is simply a process of trial and error that each person can do according to their own tastes and preferences.

It's possible to create chocolates with a vanilla flavor simply by adding two spoons of organic and gluten-free vanilla extract. Those who favor a minty edge to their concoction just need to throw in a few drops of peppermint oil. This is an organic and highly concentrated form of mint, and excessive use will overpower all other flavors and tastes.

Another good example is the use of coconut oil as a replacement for milk. Couple this with stevia to replace honey, and it makes the recipe completely free of the high calories and carbohydrates that ordinary chocolates contain. Mint leaves chopped fine can provide additional natural flavoring. It works best when the coconut oil is heated and in liquid form, so that it mixes properly with the rest of the 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.




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