Food of the week – Chocolate!

Health Benefits

• Healthy chocolate consumption has numerous health benefits
• Inhibits the oxidation of LDL and reduces LDL
• Improves endothelial function
• Inhibits platelet activation
• Increases HDL
• Increases insulin sensitivity
• Reduces inflammatory proteins
• Lowers blood pressure

What types to consume

• Pure 100% Cocoa powders can be added to drinks or protein shakes, or a small amount of a dark chocolate bar may be enjoyed on a daily basis
• The presence of sugar counteracts the beneficial effects, however, so low sugar chocolate is best – 75% dark or darker.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031788_chocolate_heart_health.html#ixzz1HR2MGIBG

Chocolate-Walnut Superfood Smoothie

For all those chocolate smoothie lovers!  You are going to love this recipe.  It is easy to prepare and contains all of your favorite superfoods. Chocolate, walnuts, chia seeds and whey protein….you can’t ask for a better tasting smoothie to satisfy your hunger and fuel your body with healthy fats, anti-oxidants, fiber, lignans, protein and very little carbs!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of raw walnuts (you may sub with raw pecans, cashews or almonds)
• 6 pieces of Endangered Species – Dark Chocolate
• 2 scoops of Whey Cool Protein Powder by Designs for Health
• 2 teaspoons of Chia seeds (you may sub with ground flax seeds)
• 1.5 cups of water
• 1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions

• Add all ingredients, except protein,  into your Blentec blender (you will need a powerful blender to chop up the nuts and chocolate)
• Once the ingredients are well mixed, add the protein in last and pulse the blender to mix the protein in
• Serve and Enjoy

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 5 mins or less

*** Note: overblending the protein at high speeds with cause a lot of foaming in the shake and disrupt the delicate structure of the protein

For the chocolate lovers out there, try this….

Organic Dark Chocolate

This chocolate is 88% cacoa.  The higher the cacoa content of chocolate, the better it is for you! Cacao is an excellent “brain” food.  It enhances your mood and your brain. Its shown to have anti-cancer properties, improve skin elasticity and improve cardiovascular health.  Most chocolate available at your local grocery store is low in cacoa and high in sugar, milk fat and artifical flavors.  So look for chocolates that are greater than 80% cacoa.

This bar is very low in sugar (5 grams of beet sugar), vegan (no milk) and gluten free.  A serving size is half  a bar!

We both have a few squares every night as a dessert!

Brand: Endangered Species