Chocolate, Chocolate, and More Chocolate
Is your mouth watering yet? Just the word “chocolate” makes me want some! With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, we as Americans will buy at least $345 million worth of chocolate candies next week alone! This makes up approximately 5% of the yearly chocolate sales! Below is a chart I downloaded from the International Cocoa Organization’s website showing that we as Americans are proud supporters of the cocoa industry.
Something that might surprise you is chocolate was originally consumed as a beverage, not a sweet dessert. Chocolate used to be prepared as a bitter drink, sometimes even fermented. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that the first chocolate bar was invented.
Believe it or not, cocoa actually has some positive nutritional benefits. Cocoa contains vitamin E and some B vitamins, as well as minerals such as magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and zinc. Chocolate is also rich in flavanols which protect the body against oxidative damage. To benefit from these flavanols, choose dark chocolate over highly processed milk chocolate. Moderation is key!
I thought taking us back to our “chocolate roots” might be fun with this Spiced Chocolate Tea recipe! Enjoy! –SY
Spiced Chocolate Tea (recipe serves 1)
Ingredients
½ C milk
½ C water
1 black tea bag or 1 T loose black tea
4-5 chocolate chips
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
½ T sugar (optional)
Directions
Place teabag or loose tea in strainer into mug. Add chocolate chips and cinnamon. Add sugar (if desired).
Mix water and milk. Heat in small saucepan over low heat until bubbles form.
Pour heated mixture into mug. Mix until chocolate is melted. Top with whipped cream and more cinnamon for an extra special treat.