Feed your inner chocolate monster

Hi, I'm Erin and I'm a chocolate monster. That is not to be mistaken for the Cookie Monster, which is a whole other entity. I'm just the chocolate monster.

I've discovered that I can't go a day with out having chocolate in some form or fashion. Sometimes it's in the form of my favorite vegan Chocolate Shakeology, but other times I just want to bite in to a piece of dark chocolate. I do love the vegan chocolate Shakeology, because it tastes like a dark chocolate shake. Dark chocolate is my favorite, and the vegan chocolate Shakeology feels like a cheat. It's not a cheat though, because I'm actually TREATING my body. Considering I drink Shakeology daily, sometimes I want that EXTRA bit of chocolate. Don't judge me! One of the lovely receptionists at my school has a candy jar at her desk that she always keeps filled. I've been struggling lately with hitting the candy bowl. I would like to blame end-of-the-year fatigue, but honestly it's likely to be lack of discipline with it.

Let me be clear, not all chocolate is bad! If you want chocolate, then aim for dark chocolate  that is 75% or more cacao. Dark chocolate that is 75% cacao or more will likely have less sugar and more flavonins (the good for your body stuff in chocolate). 

10 Reasons you should eat chocolate daily

1. People that eat dark chocolate consume 15% less calories and have fewer salty/sweet/fatty cravings in comparison to those who eat milk chocolate

2. Dark chocolate naturally helps you feel more satisfied and happy

3. Dark chocolate contains magnesium, which helps with PMS symptoms

4. Dark chocolate has the same type of antioxidants found in red wine and tea, which can help boost brain activity

5. Dark chocolate can help balance your body with their are stress-related imbalances. It can also reduce the levels of stress hormones

6. Dark chocolate has caffeine -  One ounce of 70 percent dark chocolate contains about 40 mg of caffeine, compared to 200 mg in 8 ounces of brewed coffee and 120 mg in strong black tea.

7. The antioxidants in cocoa trigger the walls of your blood vessels to relax, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. This means better delivery of oxygen and nutrients to every cell.

8. Chocolate’s protective natural substances also help prevent cholesterol from sticking to your artery walls, reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

9. Heart attack survivors who ate chocolate just twice a week over a two-year period cut their risk of dying from heart disease threefold.

10. The type of saturated fat in dark chocolate isn’t the same as the artery-clogging saturated fat in a hamburger or whole milk. It’s a unique variety called stearic acid, much of which gets converted in the body to oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acid. (information from Self.com)


So, now you know that you should eat chocolate. You can totally go reach for that stash of Hershey milk chocolate minis, right? Nope, wrong. You have to reach for the right type of chocolate, and not one that is laden with chemicals, sugars, and milk. If you're dazed and confused about which brands to choose, here is a list of the best and worst brands of chocolate for your body. Obviously, this isn't all-inclusive. But, it should be a handy guide for your next Whole Foods trip!

The best and worst dark chocolate

Healthy Dark Chocolate

Pascha - Organic, fair trade, non-GMO dark chocolate. No soy lecithin. Range of 55%-85%

Sweetriot - Organic, fair trade, all natural dark chocolate. 60% with nibs, 70%, or 80%. Around 20 calories/square.

Alter Eco - USDA Organic and Fair Trade. Range of dark chocolate. 85% Dark Blackout is best.

Ghirardelli Intense Dark - 72% Cacao and 86% Cacao Chocolate Bars. They have bars as well as small squares.

Godiva - 72% Cacao Chocolate Bars. Not processed with alkali. There used to be an 85% – but we can’t find it anymore. There is also some controversy over whether they use GMO Soy Lecithin.

Lindt - 70%, 85%, and 90% Cacao bars. They also make a 99% cacao (this is hard to find).

Green & Blacks - 70% Cacao and 85% Cacao bars. Organic and sometimes fair trade (e.g. Maya Gold).

Valrhona - 70% Cacao bars.

Moser Roth - 70% Cacao and 85% Cacao Chocolate Bars.

Endangered Species - 72% Cacao and 88% Cacao bars. Also a 70% organic bar. Ethically traded cacao. Social enterprise.

Chocolove - 70% Cacao and a 73% Fair trade bar.

Taza - 70%, 80%, and 87% cacao bars. All 100% USDA organic.

Vivani -Vivani is a German chocolatier that sources ingredients from Ceres (100% organic). 72% and 85% bars available in USA and Canada.

Giddy Yoyo - Based in Canada. Raw, USDA organic. A large range of dark chocolate bars up to 89%.

Theo - Based in Seattle. 100% Organic, Fair Trade, and non-GMO certified. 85% and a large range of different flavored 70% bars.

Scharffen Berger - Atrisan US chocolate company (owned by Hershey). Selection of chocolate squares and bars (from 62% up to 82% cacao),

Unhealthy Dark Chocolates

Dove Dark Chocolate - Low cacao content. All processed with alkali.
 
CocoaVia Supplement Packs - These are similar to Crystal Light, except they have flavanols (the main chocolate antioxidant) added in. You will get some health benefits from this, but it is more important to eat the whole food that contains the fiber.
 
Hershey’s Special Dark - Processed with alkali. High in sugar.
 
Dark Chocolate M&M’s - The ingredients list is ambiguous (they list “chocolate” as an ingredient). However these are high in sugar (more like candy than healthy dark chocolate).

Milky Way Midnight - Like all the candy brands, this is not really a dark chocolate. It has more sugar than cacao and is processed with alkali.

Nestle Dark Hot Chocolate - Ouch! This beverage mix is the worst of the lot. Sugar, trans-fat, and processed with alkali.
 
Cadbury Bournville - 60g of sugar per small bar.
 
Cadbury Old Gold - It says dark chocolate on the label, but it is a dairy milk – with a high sugar content.
 
Brookside Dark Chocolate with Pomegranate or Blueberries - Even though this appears to have some fruit – a closer look at the ingredients says something different. (Information from Healthyeater.com)


















 

Clean Eating Apple Sauce Oatmeal Pancakes

Hello, all! Happy President's Day (aka parent teacher conference day for me)! I've been dying to write about the clean and yummy breakfast I made yesterday! My son had been asking for some pancakes, since we were out. I typically make a large batch and freeze the remainder. That makes busy mornings super easy, and since he's a growing boy, then it's a healthy quick snack for him. In the past, I tend to stick to making protein pancakes or waffles. Alas, I am out of vanilla protein powder so I just went with what I had. Welcome, Applesauce Oatmeal Pancakes! These are totally gluten free, sugar free, and dairy free. And if you follow the 21-Day Fix nutrition plan like me,  then each pancake is one yellow.

Clean Eating Apple Sauce Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Oat Flour
• 2 tbsp Truvia or Xylitol
• 1 tbsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Cinnamon
• 4 Egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups Almond milk (unsweetened vanilla is my favorite)
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened apple Sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat your skillet. I find that medium heat is the best.
2. Mix dry ingredients together.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with apple sauce. 
4. Add almond milk in to the egg mixture.
5. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter on to the preheated, oiled skillet. (I use either a non stick cooking spray or a teaspoon of coconut oil).

Top your pancakes with whatever you want, or leave them naked. My son loves REAL maple syrup, or he likes them plain. I like adding almond butter or some mashed berries. Enjoy!

Kicking that sugar addiction!

Okay, so you've checked to see if you're a sugar addict. If you're like many Americans, then the answer is probably YES!  Getting off that merry-go-round of blood sugar spikes and dips can be a difficult task unless you are armed with the necessary tools. If you are like me, then your toolbox is filled with information. I'm the type that needs to know the hows and whys of things for it to really "click" with me. If you didn't get a chance to see my first post "Are you a sugar addict?!," then I urge you to check it out AND the video that's with it.

For now, just know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. So, how do you work your way out of this sugar-laden maze? Follow these steps to help yourself along the way.

1. Make a committment to yourself. Yes, that's right. Simply decide to do this ONE thing for yourself. Only focus on 1 day at a time, if a week, month, or longer seems overwhelming to you.

2. Check your cupboards, fridge, desk drawer, purses, etc for candy and other goodies. While you're still on fire, make this extra step to rid your world of those extra temptations.

3. While you're perusing your food stash, check out the other "non-treat" items. Many of your everyday items are LOADED with sugar. Hello, ketchup! I'm talking to you! That seemingly healthy bowl of oatmeal, is loaded with the addictive sweetness.

4. Now they are you're probably wondering what you are going to eat, because you may have thrown EVERYTHING away - remember there ARE alternatives. Instead of instant flavored oatmeal, opt for plain jane quick-cooking oats. I LOVE Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats. You can top it with fruits, peanut butter, etc. I make mine SUCH a treat. Many companies are making ketchup and other products without the added sugar. READ YOUR LABELS! My favorite is peanut butter. Peanut butter should only have "peanuts" in the ingredients. Yum....

moving on...

5. If you feel REALLY overwhelmed, remember we live in a tech-driven age. If you're not used to reading labels, then that's when apps come in handy! My favorite app to check the nutritional value of a product is Fooducate. This is free through the AppStore.

6. You can sweeten your tea, coffee, baked goods, and oats with healthier alternatives. Stevia and brown rice syrup are my top favorites. Just remember, these are STILL sweeteners, so don't go overboard. A part of this process is re-acclimating your taste buds to normal levels of sweetness. I've got to the point now where I drink my coffee black and I rarely add anything to my oats beyond fresh berries or other fruit.

7. Fruit (see #6). If you are craving something sweet, reach for a piece of fruit instead of a snickers bars. While I love Snickers, I know that I am just not made to be able to eat whatever. Fruit can be such a treat. One of my favorites is a small bowl of blueberries, sprinkled with cinnamon, and heated up in the microwave for about a minute. That is dessert and I love it.

8. Don't forget your drinks! We aren't just talking foods, here. A soda has about 50g of sugar. 50! Once I realized that, I was knocked off my rocker. Okay, I don't have a rocker. But, I'm southern - let me use my metaphors. :) So you can have  artificial sweeteners, right? Nope. Artificial is just that, artificial. Does your body know what the difference is? Nope. Your body tastes the sweetness and thinks calories are coming. As soon as it realizes that calories and sustenance aren't coming from what you are taking in, then it immediately goes in to starvation mode and triggers you to eat more.

9. What is making you want to reach for that pack of gummy bears? Are you stressed, happy, content, sad, mad, anything under the moon? Pay attention to what you are feeling. Emotional eating is a common trigger for most people. Understand what you are feeling and find a coping mechanism. Try writing, reading, going for a walk, sipping on green (unsweetened) tea, or talking to a friend. More often than not, your craving is due to sheer boredom.

10. Focus on your HAVES instead of your HAVE NOTS. I'm sure you've heard that before, but probably in a different context. It's the same premise, though. If you are focusing on what you can't have, then it will drive you nuts and make you see what you are "missing out on." Instead, focus on what you can have - lean proteins, sweet potatoes, dates, berries, veggies, etc.


Sugar swap tip:
Want to nix excess sugar? Look at your yogurt! Yogurt becomes a dessert after companies add so many fillers and sweeteners. Don't miss out on those tummy-friendly probiotics, though. Grab some plain (or vanilla, if you are still transitioning) greek yogurt, add some berries, and 1/2 tsp of brown rice syrup - enjoy! Try the snack without the added sweeteners, if you can.