Herbal chocolate is not just a passing trend, because it's already a part of healthy lifestyles for people all over the world. The problem with traditional sweet chocolates is that every ounce contains 155 calories. It is choc-a-bloc full of sugar, along with an array of additives and preservatives. A healthy recipe would eliminate these harmful substances and allow people to enjoy the delicious sweetness without worrying about their weight or health risks.
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 cocoa should preferably be in powdered form, so that it can be easily and precisely added in just the right measure in combination with the rest of the items in the recipe. For optimum results, add two tablespoons of honey and three cups of milk for every three spoons of cocoa. The rest is just a matter of experimentation to get the right balance of flavor and health benefits.
Adding a couple of spoons of gluten-free organic vanilla extract will produce vanilla-flavored chocolates. To get mint chocolates, just add a few drops of organic peppermint oil. Remember that this is a concentrated and potent oil, so an excess of it will smother the flavor and taste of everything else in the recipe.
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 cocoa should preferably be in powdered form, so that it can be easily and precisely added in just the right measure in combination with the rest of the items in the recipe. For optimum results, add two tablespoons of honey and three cups of milk for every three spoons of cocoa. The rest is just a matter of experimentation to get the right balance of flavor and health benefits.
Adding a couple of spoons of gluten-free organic vanilla extract will produce vanilla-flavored chocolates. To get mint chocolates, just add a few drops of organic peppermint oil. Remember that this is a concentrated and potent oil, so an excess of it will smother the flavor and taste of everything else in the recipe.
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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