Can You Actually Make A Healthy Chocolate Smoothie?
Category: Smoothie Articles
I sometimes get strong chocolate cravings. I don’t like to keep chocolate bars around, due to temptations.
On warm evenings I love smoothies. So, one day I decided to make my regular vanilla smoothie into a chocolate smoothie.
Here is what’s in it.
1 apple
1 banana (not very ripe)
soy milk
turbinado sugar
a dash of salt
vanilla xtract
chocolate syrup
Ice of course
This is soooo good. I wonder, is it really good for you.
What do you think?
- newadbusys
Everything in there is good for you, except the chocolate syrup – most brands contain high fructose corn syrup, and way too much sugar. However, I’d say that the other stuff in there outweighs the syrup, so this is definitely pretty good for you. :)
You could try adding cocoa powder – it’s lower in calories and sugar, and it has fiber in it.
Take out the sugar and salt, and use unsweetened soy milk and instead of chocolate syrup use unsweetened cocoa. The sweetness of the banana (or other fruit) will help keep it sweet without the added sugar.
It sounds fairly healthy. The only thing I would improve is to blend in chunks of dark chocolate (less sugar, more anti-oxidants) instead of using the the choc. syrup. Enjoy!
The sugar is your problem not the chocolate .
Chocolate is very healty without the sugar.
Read about it on the web.
I wouldnt drink soy if I was a human unless its ferminted. You didnt say how much turbinado your using. You could switch to xylitol or stevia. Chocolate syrup……. and you said healthy right?
Im sorry but Im going to have to say no its not healthy and is spiking your blood sugar levels.
instead of using chocolate syrup, try using cocoa, and perhaps whatever sugar substitute if the cocoa needs sweetening. Cocoa has good stuff in it (though don’t ask me what cause I can remember….) and plain cocoa is healthier than chocolate syrup. But other than that I think it looks healthy!
Woo! Check this link out, its got everything nutritional about cocoa!
ok, I just read dark chocolate (maybe melt that for your smoothie instead.) is good and so check out this article!
In its NATURAL state, that is. Chocolate comes from cacao beans, which are extremely nutritious and beneficial to your health! Let’s go over some benefits of CACAO, courtesy of LiveSuperFoods.com.
Many people consider eating chocolate a “guilty pleasure.” But the reputation of chocolate as a junk food should more accurately be attributed to the harmful effects of commercial processing and refining techniques, and the other ingredients commonly added, most notably white sugar. All chocolate is made from the cacao (cocoa) bean, and cacao beans in their natural, unprocessed, unadulterated state are rich in nutrients and beneficial to health.
Why Unprocessed Chocolate is Good for You
Antioxidants: Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea. Health benefits of these antioxidants include:
* Promote cardiovascular health – Help dilate bloods vessels, reduce blood clotting, improve circulation, help regulate heartbeat and blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks.
* Protect from environmental and metabolic toxins – Help repair and resist damage caused by free radicals, and may reduce risk of certain cancers.
Neurotransmitters: By increasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters in our brains, cacao promotes positive outlook, facilitates rejuvenation and simply helps us feel good.
* Serotonin – Cacao raises the level of serotonin in the brain; thus acts as an anti-depressant, helps reduce PMS systems, and promotes a sense of well-being.
* Endorphins – Cacao stimulates the secretion of endorphins, producing a pleasurable sensation similar to the “runner’s high” a jogger feels after running several miles.
* Phenylethylamine – Found in chocolate, phenylethylamine is also created within the brain and released when we are in love. Acts as mild mood elevator and anti-depressant, and helps increase focus and alertness.
* Anandamide – Anandamide is known as the “bliss chemical” because it is released by the brain when we are feeling great. Cacao contains both N-acylethanolamines, believed to temporarily increase the levels of anandamide in the brain, and enzyme inhibitors that slow its breakdown. Promotes relaxation, and helps us feel good longer. (Also, cacao contains inhibitors that slow down the natural breakdown of anandamide, which in turn makes this natural ‘good’ feeling last longer.)
Essential Minerals: Cacao beans are rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.
* Magnesium – Cacao seems to be the #1 source of magnesium of any food. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and helps regulate heartbeat and blood pressure. Magnesium deficiency, present in 80% of Americans, is linked with PMT, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and joint problems.
* Sulfur – Cacao is high in the beauty mineral sulfur. Sulfur builds strong nails and hair, promotes beautiful skin, detoxifies the liver, and supports healthy pancreas functioning.
Essential fats: There is a misperception that chocolate is fattening. In truth, the fats in cocoa butter are healthy fats. Cacao contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, also found in olive oil, that may raise good cholesterol. Also, substances found in cacao are known to help reduce appetite.
Important note – To fully benefit from chocolate’s wide array of nutrients, eat chocolate that is as close to its natural state as possible. Whole cacao beans and nibs are best. You lose many of the health benefits when you eat commercially produced chocolate.
It sounds pretty good except for the chocolate syrup—which probably contains high fructose corn syrup. Try using cocoa instead or finding chocolate syrup without high fructose corn syrup. I’ve found a way to make a healthy chocolate smoothie, too. Here’s mine.
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup skim/lowfat/soy milk (depends on what kind you have)
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- honey (depends on how sweet you like it)
- 1 tsp espresso powder or 1 tbsp peanut butter (opt.)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ice (opt.)
It’s really good and pretty healthy, too! :)