Cacao
Cacao is an amazingly healthy food or should I say supplement. If you are anything like me and have a bit of a sweet tooth, then looking at gradually replacing chocolate with 100% cacao is a really good alternative.
OK, granted, cacao can be bitter and take a bit of time to get used to it, hence why I am suggesting to introduce it gradually. This can be done as a snack or as a drink. If you’re finding the taste a bit too bitter to start off with, simply add a bit of honey to it as a natural sweetener. One of the many benefits of cacao is that not only is it nutrient rich, it is also very versatile too, not just as food but also as a tasty drink.
Cacao Snacks
One of my favourite snacks is oats, some honey, cacao and a bit of milk to bind it together. This is a very simple yet powerful snack packed with proteins and energy. Check out this recipe which I posted a little while ago.
Another alternative is adding it to your breakfast. A mixture of fruit, oats, cacao, cinnamon and yogurt. This makes for an awesome breakfast which will keep you full for hours and is packed with nutrition too. Healthy and tasty!!
Cacao Drink
I use this as a recovery drink after exercise or simply as a nice drink full stop. Mix some cacao with a small amount of hot water, just enough for the cacao to dissolve. It dissolves easier with hot water than with straight milk. Once you’ve mixed the cacao and water, top up with milk. This is a personal choice, I use soya milk as I like the taste of it.
How Much Cacao Should I use?
I tend to put one tablespoon in general, whether it’s for a drink or for my breakfast. That equates roughly to 15 ml which works out to be be roughly 67 kcal.
Why is it Good For You?
Pure 100% cacao is a good source of fats, carbohydrates,fibre and protein, it is low in sugar and salt too. In addition to all this, it also has some awesome minerals which can be hard to find in these quantities in other foods. A typical 20 gram serving has the following nutritional values:
- Energy 72 kcal
- Fat 2.1 gram
- Carbohydrates 4.8 grams (only 0.1 gram is sugar!)
- Fibre 5.8 gram
- Protein 5.6 gram
- Salt < 0.01 gram
When it comes to micronutrients, check this out!
- Potassium 356 mg (18% RI)
- Magnesium 126 mg (34% RI)
- Iron 3 mg (21% RI)
Just in case you were wondering, RI = reference intake, these figures are based on an adult on a daily calorie intake of approx 2000 kcal.
So, next time you are trying to think of some healthy snacks, check out some of the many options you have available where you can add some cacao. Whether it is as a snack, drink or even as an energy bar. There are many ways you can add it to your diet and benefit from the great health benefits it offers.
