PrintBy Katherine Tallmadge
eDiets Contributor
It’s official: Cocoa is now considered a health food!
Seriously, folks! In surprising research from Cornell University, scientists found that cocoa is loaded with compounds called flavonoids. Flavonoids are the beneficial antioxidants, found in many fruits and vegetables as well as red wine and green tea, which prevent cancer and heart disease — among other benefits.
The scientists were stunned when they discovered that cocoa contains twice the level of antioxidant activity as red wine and three times the amount found in green tea, both considered excellent sources of antioxidants. So what is the best way to eat cocoa? That’s up to you and your taste buds!
However, the scientists warned that chocolate bars aren’t the greatest source, because they contain saturated fat, which raises blood cholesterol and is linked with heart disease. It’s better to focus on cocoa, which essentially doesn’t contain fat.
The purer the chocolate, the more benefits you receive. Cocoa powder has double the nutrients as regular chocolate. Of the regular chocolates, dark has the most.
Cocoa is very versatile in cooking. My favorite comfort food is a mug of hot chocolate. During the winter, I imbibe just about every evening. I make it with skim milk so that it’s high in calcium and protein. And now my imbibing will be so much more justified with all those beneficial phytochemicals floating around!
I’ll give you my exact hot cocoa recipe. I’ll also share my terrific recipe for Chocolate Souffle, another delicious way of enjoying cocoa — without the saturated fat. Here are my favorite cocoa recipes. I’m positive they’ll become yours, too!
Katherine’s Hot Cocoa
1 cup skim milk
2 tsp. cocoa (I use Droste Alkali Processed)
1 tsp. sugar, or more to taste
Heat in microwave and mix until blended.Makes 1 serving.
Nutritional values per serving: 115 calories.
Light Chocolate Souffle
1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
Chocolate Mixture:
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup sugar, plus extra for dish
1-1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Souffle:
7 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Whisk the cocoa, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon together in a saucepan. Heat the milk in a separate saucepan until little bubbles appear around the perimeter of the pan (almost boiling). Stir the milk into the chocolate mixture slowly. Return to the heat and cook until sauce starts to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming and cool.
Brush the inside of a 2 quart souffle dish with the melted butter. Chill and brush again. Sprinkle the inside of the dish with sugar and set aside.
Beat the egg whites at low speed about 20 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites thoroughly into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold this mixture into the remaining egg whites until blended.
Spoon the souffle mixture into the prepared dish. Smooth the top with a wet spatula and run your thumb around the edge to keep the rising souffle from sticking. (The souffle can be covered and refrigerated up to two hours at this point.)
Bake 15 – 20 minutes in a 400-degree oven until puffed and slightly soft in the center. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve. Makes 6 servings.
Nutritional Analysis: 156 calories, 2.3 g fat (1.4 g saturated fat, 0.7 g monounsaturated fat, 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat), 32.8 g carbohydrate, 3.3 g fiber, 6.0 g protein and 76 g sodium.
Katherine Tallmadge is an in-demand weight loss and nutrition speaker and consultant with a 20-year private practice in Washington D.C. She’s also spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and the President of Personalized Nutrition. Tallmadge is author of Diet Simple: 154 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations.
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