Tag Archives: Chocolate

Get This: Hot Chocolate Might Be Good For You

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Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:

Drinking hot chocolate might help prevent diabetes (as long as it’s made with actual cocoa powder), according to a new study. [Mail Online]

On a (semi) related note, Starbucks just announced that it’s going to add calorie counts to menus nationwide. [The Atlantic]

Getting to a healthy weight may help improve your memory. [ScienceDaily]

Did your brother or sister bully you when you were little? It could still impact your mental health. [UPI.com]

ODing on sugar can put extra stress on your heart. To keep your ticker in good health, check out these sneaky sugar culprits. [redOrbit]

Pregnant women are often laid off or forced to take unpaid if they ask for temporary job changes, according to a new report. [OrlandoSentinel.com]

Eyeball licking is a real trend in Japan. If for some bizarre reason you’re tempted to try it, don’t—it could lead to blindness. [CBS News]

Twenty percent of men choose their bride’s dress, according to a new survey. We didn’t realize this particular right to choose was up for debate… [Huffington Post]

Fast-food companies plant info about fake products (like pizza-delivery drones and hands-free burger devices) to get free publicity—and the sad thing is it works shockingly well. [Grub Street]

photo: Image Source/Thinkstock

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4 Delicious Hot Chocolate Recipes

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There may be a way to make any hot chocolate recipe taste even more delicious. Turns out, the color of your cup can impact how you perceive the taste and aroma of a beverage, according to a new study published in Journal of Sensory Studies.

Researchers served 57 people either unsweetened or sweetened hot chocolate from four different-colored cups: white, dark cream, orange with a white interior, and red. Then participants rated each drink on its sweetness, bitterness, flavor, aroma, creaminess, and overall enjoyment. Overall, the tasters favored the cocoa they drank out of orange cups, and liked the white-cupped cocoa least. Compared to the same stuff served in other cups, the orange-cupped hot chocolate tasted most chocolaty. Meanwhile, cocoa served in cream-colored cups tasted sweetest, and had the most intense chocolate aroma.

According to the results, you should use an orange cup if you crave chocolate or general deliciousness, and a cream-colored cup to satisfy your sweet tooth or savor a rich chocolate scent, right? Not so fast.

“Hot chocolate does not necessarily taste better from an orange cup,” says study author Betina Piqueras-Fiszman, Ph.D., researcher and teaching assistant at from the Universitat Politècnica de València. “Eating and drinking are multisensory processes, so obviously what we see does affect our perception of foods. But there is no rule that certain foods will taste better or worse in a certain container.” That’s because people approach food with certain associations and biases, she says. In other words, if your favorite mug happens to be orange, you may be prewired to think that anything you drink from it tastes better.

Luckily, you don’t have to trust your eyes to trick your taste buds. Just treat yourself to one of these mouth-watering twists on the classic cocoa drink. (Each makes one serving.)

For Spice-Lovers: SWEET AND SPICY HOT CHOCOLATE
This almond milk-based recipe from registered dietician Keri Glassman includes just a spoonful of sugar. Better yet: the cinnamon helps lower blood sugar, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which found that even people without diabetes benefit from about a teaspoon of the spice in their rice pudding. Note: This recipe is dairy-free.

What You’ll Need:
1 c almond milk
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp cinnamon

How to Make It:
Combine all ingredients in either in saucepan over low heat, or heat in microwave for about 90 seconds.

For Buzz-Seekers: SPIKED FLAMING MOCHA HOT CHOCOLATE
Professional mixologist Anthony Caporale says this cocoa coffee makes a spectacular presentation (even if you’re only making it for yourself!). All you need is a skewer and a gas burner to toast marshmallows to perfection. Use decaffeinated coffee for a sweet after-dinner drink that won’t keep you up all night.

What You’ll Need:
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
6 oz. hot coffee
1-1/2 oz. scotch liqueur (like Drambuie 15)
3 mini-marshmallows on a short wooden skewer

How to Make It:
Combine the cocoa and coffee in a mug (any color!). Stir until the cocoa is completely dissolved, then add liqueur. Use tongs to hold wooden skewer over gas stovetop burner, turning until all sides of the marshmallows are brown. Submerge skewer in drink to extinguish and balance on the rim of the mug to serve.

For Mint-Maniacs: PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
The holidays are over, but you can still savor the spirit (and put leftover candy canes to use!) with this decadent recipe from Candice Kumai, author of Cook Yourself Sexy and Pretty Delicious.

What You’ll Need:
1/2 c chilled half-and-half
1 tbsp sugar
1 c sweetened almond milk
2 oz dark 70% cacao chocolate chips
1/4 tsp peppermint extract (or less if desired)
For optional garnish:
1 candy cane or 2 peppermint wheels, crushed
Chocolate shavings (use a vegetable peeler on a dark chocolate bar)

How to Make It:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine first four ingredients and whisk until the chocolate fully melts and is smooth in texture. Remove from heat and stir in the peppermint extract. To garnish, Top with crushed candy and chocolate shavings.

For Nut-Fiends: NUTELLA HOT CHOCOLATE
A dollop of hazelnut spread adds a smooth and satisfying flavor to the classic cocoa recipe. Tip: A scoop of Nutella will jazz up a mug of instant hot cocoa, too.

What You’ll Need:
½ c 2% milk
½ c half-and-half
2 ½ oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons Nutella
Optional:
Marshmallows, toasted

How to Make It:
Combine the milk and half-and-half in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate and Nutella. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cover to keep hot. If using marshmallows, toast them, one at a time on a long wooden skewer over a gas flame, turning until all sides are golden brown. Serve hot in a coffee mug and top with the marshmallows.

Recipe courtesy of Donatella Cooks.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:
The Most Decadent Hot Chocolate EVER
DIY Hot Chocolate Mix
Healthiest Types of Chocolate

Send your Metabolism Sky-High and Drop 15 Pounds in Six Weeks!

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Why Chocolate Tastes Better While You’re Dieting

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Guilt is the tastiest ingredient. A new study from Northwestern University finds that feeling guilty about eating forbidden food makes it taste better.

In the study, 40 women were split into two equal groups. One group was shown healthy living magazines with images of people looking fit and slender while the other group looked at magazines whose pictures did not relate to wellbeing. After study participants were done reading, they were given a chocolate bar and asked how much they enjoyed it. Those who read the healthy living magazines reported that they liked the sweets 16 percent more than those who did not.

“People experience a greater amount of pleasure when they have just a little bit of guilt,” says lead researcher Kelly Goldsmith, an assistant professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. “We have a relationship programmed in our brains between guilt and pleasure. If you feel guilty doing something, you just expect it to be pleasurable. It’s an automatic feeling,” she adds.

What this guilt/pleasure relationship doesn’t mean: Feeling guilty will not make you choose to eat the forbidden food. “If you read about the importance of health, you’re not more likely to go pick up a chocolate cupcake,” Goldsmith explains. “You’ll just enjoy it more if you do.”

But while you may enjoy the sweet side of your guilt trip, it can actually become dangerous and cause overeating. “It’s easy to think denying yourself your favorite foods will help you be good, but that often backfires,” explains Karen Ansel, R.D. “After too much deprivation, even the most dedicated dieter won’t be able to take it anymore and will end up binging.”

It’s not all bad news, though. If you’re looking to lose weight, you don’t need to deprive yourself in the first place. “Women can eat their favorite foods as long as they have a portion control strategy. The key is to balance your diet with lots of healthier, lower-calorie choices,” Ansel says. If you’re trying to drop some extra pounds and don’t want to give up some of life’s tastiest foods, follow Ansel’s advice for how to enjoy every bite—no guilt necessary.

Chocolate:
While high in fat, chocolate actually has some pretty awesome health benefits. “It’s made from cocoa powder, which is shown to lower blood pressure and protect your skin from sun damage,” Ansel says. The first step to guiltlessly enjoying chocolate is to choose the right kind. Dark chocolate, which is higher in antioxidants than milk chocolate, is always a safe bet. Next, Ansel recommends portion control. Think miniature. “Dark chips or dark chocolate kisses guarantee instant portion control,” Ansel says. Here are her suggestions on how to incorporate these small sweets into your healthy diet:

*Melt a couple of dark chocolate kisses into low fat milk in the microwave for a decadent hot chocolate that’s high in protein and calcium
*Stir dark chocolate chips into cooked steel cut oats
*Melt dark chocolate kisses in the microwave and drizzle over fresh strawberries, bananas, kiwis, or pineapple for a healthy antioxidant packed dessert
*Stir dark chocolate chips into non-fat Greek yogurt

Cheese:
It’s time to start liking stinky cheese. “Choosing cheese with a strong flavor makes it easy to use less,” Ansel says. When trying to pack a salad with flavor, opt for blue or Gorgonzola cheese rather goat cheese. And, as always, portion control is key. Here are Ansel’s suggestions for healthily enjoying cheese:

*Sprinkle Parmesan on air-popped popcorn
*Put a couple cubes of Brie alongside a pear for a super indulgent snack that’s under 200 calories. Bonus: This snack provides a smart combo of protein, fiber, and a little fat to keep you full for hours.

French fries:
Fast food French fries will never be healthy. They are drenched in oil and covered in salt, which masks the potato taste! But sometimes you just have to have them. In that case, Ansel suggests:

*Balancing them. Pair them with something lower in calories like a veggie burger or a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a big greasy cheeseburger. Make it even healthier by eating your burger or grilled chicken over greens instead of on a bun.

For those times a fry substitute will do, lower you calorie count by:

*Tossing sliced parsnips with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic and baking in a 450-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. This also works with zucchini.

photo: Photos.com/Thinkstock

More from WH:
9 Health Benefits of Chocolate
Make Your Junk Food Healthier
The Grown-Up Guide to Grilled Cheese

You Being Beautiful
Find easy ways to look and feel good fast in Dr. Oz’s book You Being Beautiful

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Does Chocolate Really Make You Smarter?

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Solid, drizzled, or baked into a tasty dessert, chocolate is a proven heart-healthy indulgence—in moderation, of course. But could the sweet stuff actually make you smarter? An article published in the “Occasional Notes” section of The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that it’s possible. The researcher, Franz H. Messerli, MD, Director of Clinical Hypertension at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, wrote that countries that consumed the most chocolate per capita also produced more Nobel Prize winners. Therefore, he says, chocolate makes you smarter!

But before you go cocoa-crazy, know that this “note” only finds a correlation between chocolate eating and Nobel Prize winning, and that it isn’t a peer-reviewed study—or scientifically verified. In fact, it’s almost certainly complete bunk. Goes to show: You can’t believe everything you read. Sorry, choco-holics.

It’s not all bad news, though. See, chocolate has a ton of legitimately scientifically verified health benefits.

“It’s a life stimulant,” says Maja Zaric, M.D., an interventional cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and a Women’s Health advisor. “It’ll bring out the best of you.”

To be specific: Cocoa, the active substance in chocolate, contains theobromine, which increases heart rate and can increase brain function, focus, and concentration; bioflavonoids—disease-fighting antioxidants; and phosphorus, which can improve pulmonary function, according to Zaric. But, keep in mind that it also contains a large amount of saturated fat, so a few cubes of dark chocolate every day is all you need to reap these benefits, she says. Aim for no more than 7 ounces of chocolate for a week. Also: The key to maximizing these health benefits is to chow down on chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa.

Want even more excuses to devour your favorite sweet? Click here for 9 health benefits of chocolate.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:
Decadent and Delicious Chocolate Recipes
The 12 Best Healthy Desserts
Eat Chocolate for Better Sex
Look Better Naked: Buy the book to learn how to look (and feel!) your very best.

 

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