There's a very good reason why more and more people are scoffing down herbal chocolate. Every ounce of ordinary dark chocolate contains 155 calories, and is filled with sugar, preservatives and additives such as artificial flavors. Switching to healthier recipes allows people to indulge in their sweet tooth without packing on the pounds and putting their health at risk through obesity.
Traditional chocolates are made by harvesting, fermenting, refining, roasting and grinding cocoa beans. Milk and sugar are then added for flavoring and the viscous liquid is stored for molding into smaller units in the desired shape. Going herbal requires a slight modification of this process, with some ingredients replaced by healthier options.
The new recipe may include a variety of natural ingredients and herbs that can be used to make chocolates without any harmful content or excess calories. A simple choice is to use cocoa powder and some cocoa butter with honey. Additional flavoring can be added using mint, cinnamon and rose petals.
There's really no set formula that must be followed here. Just start with some dark chocolate and milk as the core ingredients. Those who are desperate to sink their fangs into something sweet should include honey as the third core component of the recipe. It replaces sugar and is a lot healthier while at the same time maintaining the delicious sweetness of the concoction.
The dark chocolate must preferably be in the form for powdered cocoa. This makes it easy to measure and add the right quantity to match other items, and it mixes well with everything else. The optimum combination includes two teaspoons of honey, three spoons of cocoa and three cups of milk. Anything else that goes into it is simply a process of trial and error that each person can do according to their own tastes and preferences.
For instance, vanilla-flavored chocolates require nothing more than an addition of a few spoons of vanilla extract, which is available in organic gluten-free versions. To give it an edge of mint, simply add a couple of drops of peppermint oil. This is a concentrated oil that will suppress all other tastes and flavors if used in excess.
Another good example is the use of coconut oil as a replacement for milk. Couple this with stevia to replace honey, and it makes the recipe completely free of the high calories and carbohydrates that ordinary chocolates contain. Mint leaves chopped fine can provide additional natural flavoring. It works best when the coconut oil is heated and in liquid form, so that it mixes properly with the rest of the ingredients.
These and other such recipes are nowhere near as ubiquitous and popular as ordinary chocolates from big brand manufacturers that have factories and distribution networks all over the world. But as the adverse impact of consuming huge amounts of sugar-filled chocolates becomes obvious, people are looking around for healthier alternatives to indulge their sweet tooth. If it's not immediately available in the market, just buy the ingredients required to whip up a batch of healthy herbal chocolate. It also makes for a great gift for family and friends during the holiday season, and for birthday parties and other celebrations too.
Traditional chocolates are made by harvesting, fermenting, refining, roasting and grinding cocoa beans. Milk and sugar are then added for flavoring and the viscous liquid is stored for molding into smaller units in the desired shape. Going herbal requires a slight modification of this process, with some ingredients replaced by healthier options.
The new recipe may include a variety of natural ingredients and herbs that can be used to make chocolates without any harmful content or excess calories. A simple choice is to use cocoa powder and some cocoa butter with honey. Additional flavoring can be added using mint, cinnamon and rose petals.
There's really no set formula that must be followed here. Just start with some dark chocolate and milk as the core ingredients. Those who are desperate to sink their fangs into something sweet should include honey as the third core component of the recipe. It replaces sugar and is a lot healthier while at the same time maintaining the delicious sweetness of the concoction.
The dark chocolate must preferably be in the form for powdered cocoa. This makes it easy to measure and add the right quantity to match other items, and it mixes well with everything else. The optimum combination includes two teaspoons of honey, three spoons of cocoa and three cups of milk. Anything else that goes into it is simply a process of trial and error that each person can do according to their own tastes and preferences.
For instance, vanilla-flavored chocolates require nothing more than an addition of a few spoons of vanilla extract, which is available in organic gluten-free versions. To give it an edge of mint, simply add a couple of drops of peppermint oil. This is a concentrated oil that will suppress all other tastes and flavors if used in excess.
Another good example is the use of coconut oil as a replacement for milk. Couple this with stevia to replace honey, and it makes the recipe completely free of the high calories and carbohydrates that ordinary chocolates contain. Mint leaves chopped fine can provide additional natural flavoring. It works best when the coconut oil is heated and in liquid form, so that it mixes properly with the rest of the ingredients.
These and other such recipes are nowhere near as ubiquitous and popular as ordinary chocolates from big brand manufacturers that have factories and distribution networks all over the world. But as the adverse impact of consuming huge amounts of sugar-filled chocolates becomes obvious, people are looking around for healthier alternatives to indulge their sweet tooth. If it's not immediately available in the market, just buy the ingredients required to whip up a batch of healthy herbal chocolate. It also makes for a great gift for family and friends during the holiday season, and for birthday parties and other celebrations too.
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