#Imstayingathome – Chocolate Day – the Sweetest Event in the Year!
The upcoming Sunday will most probably be the sweetest day of the year. And no, we’re not talking about Resurrection Sunday, however, on second thought, Easter shortcake, muffins and cheesecake surely make our mouths water. It so happens that we’ll be also celebrating Chocolate Day in Poland on April 12!
Many of us can’t imagine their life without it. It’s available in many forms, for example, bar, glaze, candy bar, hot or cold drink, chips or even a flavor-booster in porridge… Doesn’t it sound deliciously tempting? Almost everyone knows its rich, marvelous taste, but very few know how many health benefits it offers (but only if consumed in a reasonable amount). In order to celebrate its day, we want to present you 6 main benefits of eating this dessert:
- Shot of positive energy
Eating chocolate stimulates the production of serotonin, while the contained in the product zinc and selenium increase the secretion of endorphins. These hormones are responsible for our level of relaxation and feeling of happiness.
- Reduced risk of stroke
Cacao (the main ingredient of chocolate) contains flavonoids, in other words, antioxidants that lower the level of bad cholesterol in blood. Moreover, they also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as, for example, stroke.
- Eagle eye
The mentioned earlier flavonoids also have the ability to increase the blood flow to the brain. This, in consequence, makes the retina of the eye to be better supplied in blood, hence providing us with enhanced vision.
- Improved digestion process
Bitter chocolate contains almost 15% of fiber, which guarantees a feeling of fullness and improves the function of the intestines.
- Strong heart
Aside from lowering the bad cholesterol, chocolate also offers other ways to care for our heart. Studies have shown that people who regularly eat moderate amounts of dark chocolate have a significantly lower level of C-reactive protein in their blood, which makes them less vulnerable to myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).
- Skin protection
Chocolate supports skin protection against the damaging effects of UV radiation, and again, all thanks to the beneficial antioxidants – flavonoids. Of course, we should always remember to apply appropriate sunscreens, though, a few squares of chocolate will not only put us in a good mood but it’ll also enhance the protection action of cosmetics.
As you can see, bitter chocolate with a high content of cacao offers the most benefits to our health. The majority of milk chocolates available in stores contain great amount of sugar and little nutritional value. Still, if the taste of dark chocolate is not to your liking, you can always make one that’ll satisfy your taste buds! Below, we present a recipe for a date chocolate with nuts, which you’ll be able to easily make at home and which will be healthier than a store-bought one!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup seedless dried dates
- 2 tablespoons dark cacao powder
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped nuts (e.g., hazelnuts)
Preparing this chocolate is super easy. First, start from scalding the dates with boiling water. If you’ll be using medjool dates, just pour hot water over them and let soak for a few minutes; however, if you’ll be using a harder type of dates, then let them soak in water for a few hours.
Drain the dates, then blend them with cacao powder and coconut oil. It’s the best to use a mixer, but if you don’t have one, you can use a blender.
Next, add nuts to the blended mixture. Stir thoroughly, then pour into silicone mold or appropriate flat container lined with baking paper. Remember to keep the mixture flat in order to obtain a smooth surface of a chocolate bar after chilling.
Chocolate needs a few hours to become solid (if placed in a fridge). You can speed up this process by placing your chocolate in a refrigerator, with this method, your dessert will be ready in only about 40 minutes.
Enjoy your healthy delight!