Trying to make the healthier choices for 2019? Enjoy guilt free Shredded Coconut and Ground Nut Chocolate Treats

As someone who loves a good treat, but also needs to be mindful of ingredients, these treats taste great while keeping your blood sugar balanced, your energy boosted and your waistline trim. They’re the perfect healthy treat when you need a little lift and a little deliciousness to keep you going for hours on end, easing ourselves gently into the New Year!!

1. Melt the honey and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Once combined, add the cacao, ground nuts and coconut and mix together in a bowl. (FYI –Nutribullet works great to ground the nuts.)
3. Pour mixture onto a small baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Form into a square when cool to touch.
4. Refrigerate until hardened. Break into bite size servings.

5. Eat, savour & enjoy! (*Best to store in container in refrigerator or freezer)

The Nutrition Info….

What is cacao?

Cacao can refer to any of the food products derived from cacao beans – the seeds or nuts of the cacao tree. These include cacao nibs, cacao butter, cacao mass or paste and (probably the most common) cacao powder.

Cacao v cocoa powder

Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat (cacao butter).

Cocoa looks the same but it’s not. Cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures. Sadly, roasting changes the molecular structure of the cocoa bean, reducing the enzyme content and lowering the overall nutritional value.

The studies that boast of chocolate’s amazing health benefits are likely not referring to your average store-bought chocolate bar (damn misleading researchers). The chocolate that they’re referring to has properties closer to raw cacao.

What are the health benefits of cacao?

Cacao powder is known to have a higher antioxidant content than cocoa, and has been linked to a variety of benefits.

Studies have shown that the compounds:

• Lower insulin resistance.
• Protect your nervous system: Cacao is high in resveratrol a potent antioxidant.
• Cut your risk of stroke.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease: The antioxidants found in cacao help to maintain healthy levels of nitric oxide (NO) in the body. The antioxidants in cacao neutralise these toxins, protecting your heart and preventing disease.
• Guard against toxins: As a potent antioxidant, cacao can repair the damage caused by free radicals and may reduce the risk of certain cancers. In fact, cacao contains far more antioxidants per 100g than acai, goji berries and blueberries. Antioxidants are responsible for 10 per cent of the weight of raw cacao.
• Boost your mood: Cacao can increase levels of certain neurotransmitters that promote a sense of well-being. And the same brain chemical that is released when we experience deep feelings of love – phenylethylamine – is found in chocolate.
• Provide minerals: Magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper and manganese.

Click here⇒ For more details of my 6 week, easy to follow, on line blood sugar balancing programme that will banish your cravings for good.