Saturday, February 13, 2010

Low Calorie Sugar Free Hot Chocolate - Only 10 Calories in This Lite Hot Cocoa!

If you are craving Chocolate - congrats, its good for you! But probably not the kind you are reaching for;

Because Milk Chocolate = Sugar, Oils, GARBAGE!

Dark Chocolate on the other hand, is packed with antioxidants, fiber, and Omega-3 fats. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals. Free Radicals cause damage that can lead to heart disease. Dark chocolate also contains Flavonoids that help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body. Along with lowering your blood pressure, 100g Dark Chocolate can also help lower cholesterol, and lift your mood - it boots levels of serotonin, which is an anti-depressant!

So if you have an insufferable chocolate craving, try my recipe for:

10 calorie Hot Chocolate:

Add 1-2 tablespoons of "Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa" and 1 to 2 packets of Stevia (all natural plant sweetener) to a cup of boiling hot water. You can add a little bit of milk for a creamier taste if you can afford to spare a few extra calories and give yourself a little calcium and vitamin D!

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size 1 tbsp. (5 g)

Amount Per Serving %DV *
Total Calories 10
Calories from Fat 5
Total Fat 0.5 g 1%
Total Carbohydrate 3 g 1%
Dietary Fiber 2 g 8%
Protein less than 1 g 2%

Amount Per Serving %DV *
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 2%

*Healthy Tip: Don't add too much milk, because studies suggest that washing down chocolate with a large quantity of milk can interfere with your body's ability to absorb and use the antioxidants*