Hot chocolate for breakfast? Cacao as a superfood coffee replacement
Are you tired of crashing every afternoon? Or feeling jittery some days when that ever so necessary coffee kicks in? What about experiencing those splitting headaches if you don’t have coffee first thing? While lots of research has proven many benefits of coffee, copious amounts of coffee over years of time might be contributing to some not so great symptoms. Check out these great coffee alternatives and see what you think!
I’ve been a chocolate lover all my life, so it makes me incredibly happy to say that cacao has AMAZING health benefits for the body and mind. Theobromine is the bioactive compound found in cacao, and it improves mood, increases alertness, invokes a sense of calm, and can even help lower blood pressure and cholesterol(1).
In order to fully reap the benefits of cacao, make sure you’re getting the real thing and not simply hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is highly processed and usually contains dried milk and tablespoonfuls of sugar. Drinking that in the morning would lead to potential stomach ache and definite energy crash in the afternoon. Instead, make sure you are getting unsweetened cacao.
What’s the best way to prepare it? For a daily basis, a like to buy cacao powder. I put the powder, cinnamon (ceylon cinnamon if possible- it has higher potency to decrease inflammation, boost the immune system and lots of antioxidants!), and one of honey/maple syrup/agave as a sweeter, then add water heated in my electric kettle. Using a frother, I stir everything together really well. Once all the powders are fully dissolved, I add a plant based milk (my go-to is oat or soy) and then enjoy! It is a fantastic, nutrient-dense breakfast drink.
Looking to kick the nutrition up another notch? Keep an eye out for our next blog post, when we go into the benefits of adding adaptogenic mushroom blends to your morning beverage of choice. I love to add a blend of these functional mushrooms (bought as a powder) to my morning cacao for the added health benefits! They further enhance cognitive function, energy, mood and digestive function.
Another powerhouse plant you can add to enhance your coffee or warm beverage of choice is St. John’s Wort. This is an incredibly powerful supplement that effects neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA and glutamate. It has been featured in peer-reviewed studied where it is compared to antidepressants in it’s effectiveness in treating depression and anxiety disorders.
Important note: before incorporating St. John’s Wort or adaptogens like these functional mushrooms into your daily routine, consult your doctor. Due to their powerful effects on the chemicals in the brain, there can be serious interactions with certain daily medications, especially anti-depressants and anti-coagulants.
Sources:
1) Frontiers in Pharmacology journal: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4335269/
This article is meant only for informational purposes. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any illnesses. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet or daily routines.
