On this episode of Healthytarian Living, host Evita Ochel (//www.evitaochel.com) shares a tutorial for understanding cacao and chocolate. NOTE: most of the ...
Someone told me that chocolate is good for people with gout. What's your
take on that? Of course I mean the real cocao. Also, would double boiling
be better or do you think the lowest stove setting will not compromise much
of the goodness of the cocao? Thanks!
+Ann I am not really a proponent of the "one food fix" ideology that is very common today. All disease stems from and is helped by a variety of lifestyle factors. With respect to gout, it would be of more value for the person to focus on the overall quality of their diet (especially removing meats, processed foods, and alcohol) and focusing on a highly-quality, nutrient-dense, acid-alkaline balanced diet based on whole, plant foods. (Chronic acidity from foods, unmanaged stress/emotions and other lifestyle factors plays a big role in gout.) And so in addition to this, the mental and emotional state of being must also be addressed. In the case of gout, as any similar condition (arthritis), it is valuable to examine our approach to life in terms of how "rigid" vs "flexible" we are in our thinking and actions, as well as addressing unresolved anger and "inflaming" emotions.But with regards to cacao specifically, it has potent anti-inflammatory benefits, which may help with gout. It also has valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can be helpful as well. In general, chocolate and cacao are acidic, but upon digestion, some regard cacao as more alkaline forming. So in the end, as always, our body will be the best authority as to whether something will work for us or not. It doesn't hurt to try in this case, and see what, if any, effect(s) may be experienced.As to the melting method: at the beginning I started with the double boiling method, and later moved to the lowest heat setting as I found it produced the same result for me (slow, gentle melting). What I've learned will be the big determining factor here will be the type of stove we have. With an electric stove, we can get away with the lowest setting, with gas stoves not so much (they tend to produce a higher heat even on low and one that is harder to control due to the presence of the open flame).
+ampoules1 Although there are no exact quantities that can be recommended with certainty, there are some general guidelines. Note, ideal consumption will also vary from person to person: their weight and their unique sensitivities to cacao. Therefore I recommend we first and foremost pay attention to our body and remember to treat cacao more as a "medicine" than a "food". For example, some people quickly learn for themselves how much is too much cacao for them, as ingesting too much at once can make a person quite ill. Symptoms of too much cacao can include nausea, headache, digestive upset, heart palpitations, etc. There have also been a few studies* that looked into the dose of theobromine specifically and its impacts on humans, which found 50 - 100g cacao (800 - 1500mg theobromine) to be associated with negative effects, especially on a cardiovascular level. Another study** found that theobromine dose of up to 250mg showed limited positive effects, with negative effects becoming more prominent in higher doses (500mg and up) For reference, if a tablespoon of cacao powder is about 5-10g, this would provide about 80 - 150mg theobromine. As a general rule of thumb, I don't recommend to consume it daily, but rather sporadically, where a small amount would be consumed perhaps a few times a week or month, several times throughout the year, depending again on our personal inclination towards cacao. For example, if making a hot cacao drink, typically anywhere from 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of raw cacao powder would be used per cup of water. If making a cacao-based dessert, like a square, bar, or cake, 1 to 2 pieces would be reasonable, depending of course on personal health and weight needs. If making chocolates, similar to what I did in the video, 1 to 2 chocolates per day would suffice.As with many "treats" like this, it is important to stay mindful of portions and to allow the cacao experience to be just that — "an experience" and not something to fill us up or fill ourselves with. * //monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol51/mono51-12.pdf** //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3672386/
Awesome presentation! I just loved and enjoyed every part of this video!!!
There ARE ways to make things like chocolate into something that can be
beneficial for healthy living! All it takes is a little research, careful
planning when choosing and gathering ingredients, and some education about
cacao and all of its shapes and forms. Your video presentation sums it all
up! And I will definitely refer to this whenever I want to make treats and
desserts in a much more healthier perspective than I have done in the past!
Information, education, and good preparation are the key elements into
producing wholesome and healthy foods! Even the chocolate junk food myth we
leaned upon for ages! Thank you for doing this video, my awesome and good
friend! ;)
+Michael Irwin You are so super welcome Michael, I am so happy to hear you liked it so much! I was hoping to get it out before the holidays, but amidst other tasks it took longer than expected....all good though, it is here now :) So thank you so much for your comment! Your gratitude and enthusiasm were such a joy to received. And absolutely, there are so many amazing, healthy and delicious ways in which a person can enjoy the various desirable attributes of chocolate, aka cacao. To your best health always!
+sandi ortega My pleasure, and thank you for your comment!
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