Health & Nutrition, Immunity, Matcha, Matcha Powder, Mindfulness, News

Does it really taste like chocolate? ABSOLUTELY! But not only that, you’ll also benefit from the super nutrients in the matcha and the cocoa.  Yes, cocoa powder is also incredibly healthy for you when it’s in its basic powder form, absent of all the sugars and sweeteners you find in chocolate bars. Now, let’s delve into why cocoa powder is so great and why we have added it into our matcha (it’s not just for the taste!).  If you’re not caught up on incredible benefits of pure matcha, check out this post

Cocoa

I’m sure you don’t need a lesson on what cocoa tastes like given that it’s the essential ingredient in chocolate, but let’s start with a little more about how it’s made.  Cocoa trees produce large cocoa pods which contain around 20 to 30 seeds sitting in a sweet white pulp – these are the cocoa beans.  It takes a whole year’s crop from one tree to make half a kilo of cocoa.  When harvested, the ripe pods are cut open and the beans are taken out, fermented, dried, cleaned and roasted.  They’re then cracked, the nibs are grounded, and dried again, and then grounded into the powder.  Phew!  I’m exhausted just writing about it.

Now for the benefits!

Reduction of potential blood and heart problems

Cocoa powder contains flavanol which increases the level of nitric oxide present within the blood.  This is beneficial as nitric oxide allows for easier transport of blood as it dilates your arteries and relaxes blood vessels. This can result in a host of benefits including a reduction in bad cholesterol (LDL) and inflammation.

Brain function

Polyphenols found within cocoa powder can protect neurons within the brain against injury that may be instigated by neurotoxins, and can suppress neuroinflammation, seeing a promotion in memory and general cognitive functionality.

Weight control

Although not completely proven, it has been suggested cocoa powder is satiating as it reduces appetite and inflammation.  Further, it has also been advocated that it increases fat oxidation, which increases the rate of fat burning within the body.

Asthma and breathing difficulties

Theobromine and Theophylline are present within cocoa powder and both can relax the body’s airways, widening them by dilation of the lungs and, as a result, allowing you to breathe more easily.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should eat a ton of chocolate! As it contains significantly high amounts of sugars and fats, that would be a pretty bad idea. Rather, try adding cocoa powder to your diet and try out our Cocoa Matcha to get some serious health benefits at the same time.

Also, check out our Tumeric Cocoa Matcha for a delicious combination of sweet and spice with the added advantage of also having Tumeric in your diet.  Please see my blog on Tumeric to see how remarkable it is!

Serving Suggestions

Sprinkle it onto your breakfast cereal:  Cocoa Matcha turns your granola or morning porridge into a delicious, rich chocolatey feast. It provides you with a morning full of energy and will keep you satisfied until lunchtime.

At Twist Teas, we’ve gone one step further and added it to our homemade granola mix which gives us a great start to our day.

Hot cocoa.  Instead of a high calorie hot beverage, why not have a low calorie, equally delicious treat! Just make the matcha by putting a tea spoon full into a cup, adding a small amount of slightly cooled boiling water, milk or milk substitute (approx. 80 degrees centigrade) and stir into a smooth paste. Then add the rest of the liquid stirring vigorously.   And there’s your fusion cocoa goodness to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.

With fruit and yoghurt.  Another delicious way to enjoy our cocoa matcha is to combine it with some yoghurt, exactly as you would when making a drink.  Then simply add some fruit.  Now you can have healthy chocolate-dipped fruit for breakfast.  The Twist Teas taste team made this delicious chocolate dip with coconut yoghurt – our healthy version of a chocolate fountain!