What are the benefits of chocolate?

Now now I know many of you are thinking why in the world is she talking about chocolate and benefits in the same sentence, but the truth of the matter is that sometimes you just need a little nibble after a meal to truly feel satisfied. I just happen to be one of those people and I am here today to share with you some of the benefits (and cons) of chocolate and some Paleo friendly chocolate choices.

So let us start at the beginning of the chocolate making process so we can understand where our food comes from. To begin with cocoa beans are fermented and processed to form cocoa solids and butter. The cocoa solids are mostly used to create dark chocolate while the cocoa butter alone is mostly used to create white chocolate. Now where does milk chocolate come in do you think? Well to sum it up milk chocolate is made primarily of a mix of milk solids, sugar, and a small amount of cocoa solids for the chocolate taste. All chocolate has a varying amount of cocoa butter and sugars added to add a bit more tongue friendly taste since cocoa solids are bitter all by their lonesome.

So before I get to the benefits I do want to go over some cons and warnings about chocolate consumption so that you're aware and informed before you dive in to defend chocolate as a main food staple of Paleo. (It's not and shouldn't be a large part of anyone's diet matter of fact.) So one main con of chocolate is in fact the sugar additives contained to make it sweeter. Sugars can lead to insulin dysregulation, hormone imbalance, and weight gain no matter how you look at it and how much you consume. So that little nibble of chocolate should have as little added sugar as possible if you're going to indulge your sweet tooth. Another con of chocolate is the high amounts of phytic acid and oxalates which can bind to essential minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium that are essential for strong bones and many body functions. High oxalate contents can also lead to the formation of kidney stones, so you must be careful when consuming foods that are high in oxalates (spinach, beets, and parsley also fall in this category). The last con I am going to share with you today is that many chocolate factories can contaminate their chocolate with soy lecithin as an emulsifying agent or even some gluten grains. So if you're going to indulge in chocolate and you have a gluten allergy please be careful and go for a higher quality chocolate with better processing quality.

Now on to the benefits! Dark chocolate is a good source (not great) of iron and magnesium. Dark chocolate is also rich in antioxidants which can help prevent free radical damage in your body. Dark chocolate is usually very low in sugar so it can be the healthiest choice for your sweet tooth and help to satisfy a dessert craving. As another plus, cocoa butter is a healthy fat provided its high in saturated fats and low in polyunsaturated fats. It can also be used to help make healthier dessert preparations for a mild chocolate taste. So if your sweet tooth needs a treat a square of dark chocolate that's low in sugar is a great choice to bypass dessert.

So what are some good brands of dark chocolate that are paleo friendly? According to the Paleo chocolate sampling expert opinions of Jonathan and Julie:
1) TCHO Pure Notes Dark "Chocolatey" 70% (TCHO also offers a flavor wheel of chocolate flavors including nutty, citrus, earthy, and chocolatey.)
2) Green & Black's Organic Dark 85 ( they also boast an espresso flavor)
3) Theo Spicy Chile 70%
4) Endangered Species All Natural Extreme Dark Chocolate 88%
5) Dagoba Xocolatl Bar 74%

As an added plus I've seen #4 at the local Schnucks, Hyvee, and Naturally Yours here in Peoria :) As an extra chocolatey bonus for those of you whose sweet tooth is now salivating... I've included a link to a delicious Paleo Friendly Chocolate Coffee Caramel Bar. MMmmmm I can't wait to try this one!

The Paleo 30 Day Challenge

Ladies and Gentlemen....On August 1st 2012, I am embarking on a 30 day Paleo Diet Challenge. I am going to eat nothing but Paleo approved meals which means I will be cutting out all processed sugars and white flour or wheat products from my diet for 30 days. We have been reading the book Paleo Solution here in the office and researching the effects of refined sugars and grains on our bodies. The results are in and eating refined sugars and grains have been harming our bodies by causing inflammation and leading to chronic diseases such as auto immune disorders, food sensitivity, sugar dysregulation, and hormone imbalance. If you haven't heard anything about the Paleo diet or the "caveman" diet or the hunter-gatherer diet as its also known, I highly recommend picking up this book, The Paleo Solution. It's a bit technical in some parts but really gets the point across about how refined sugars and carbs are affecting your health on a cellular level.

For others that are curious what this diet is really all about, the main idea is that we return to the diet of our ancestors who foraged off the land and had to keep moving to survive instead of setting up farms. They ate a diet full of protein and rich in seasonal fruits and vegetables. Their lives might not have been as long as ours, however they lived full lives with plenty of activity and traveling long distances to forage the land. This is the one part of our lives that is missing now, the movement part. Many of us sit at a desk or stand in one place on our feet all day and then return home to eat large meals and sit on the couch and watch TV. In addition, we eat a diet full of processed and refined carbs that cause us to pack on the pounds. In the wake of this change, we've seen droves of disease and metabolic disorders rise in astounding numbers in our population. I won't bore you with more details, but if this sounds eye opening to you I'd highly suggest you look more into "paleolithic diet" or "caveman diet" or "blueprint diet".

In the meantime I do want to share some family and kid friendly recipes, because the application is the hardest part in our society today. So below find a 2 year old approved breakfast compliments of my daughter Camryn and an easy crockpot dinner that will impress guest's palates.

In case you're wondering whats on her plate: Pork sausage cooked with fresh basil leaves and chopped garlic for the hair, 2 slices of ripen peaches for eyebrows, green grapes for eyes, nose, and earrings, and banana sliced for the mouth. Fried eggs or hardboiled eggs also work great for eyes.

Now for dinner: Cranberry Pork Roast

Ingredients: 1/2 cup to 1 cup all natural cranberry juice, 2 tbsp coconut flour, 1/2 cup golden raisins, 2-3 tbsp ground ginger, 2 tbsp dried mustard, 2 tbsp garlic powder or 4 sliced cloves, salt and pepper, 1/2 small lemon for garnish, 2-3 lb pork roast, and a crockpot. I also added some fresh basil leaves for a bit more flavor punch but it tastes great without as well.

Pour cranberry juice in bottom of crockpot until fills whole bottom about 1/2 inch. Wash and pat dry pork roast. Rub all spices into roast and place in center of crockpot. Sprinkle coconut flour and raisins over roast. Garnish with 2-3 thin lemon slices. Cook in crockpot on low 8 hours or high for 5 hours. Enjoy :)