Cocoa and flavanols

We all know how delicious chocolate is but did you know how healthy it can be for you? Whew, well I'm going to tell you-this is gonna be goooooood!

Chocolate is made from cocoa which is an herb but did you know that cocoa flavanols (protective substances that are also abundant in dark chocolate) help improve blood flow to the brain which could slow the mental decline that comes with age? Cocoa stimulates endorphin production that gives us the feeling of pleasure and satisfaction.

Even though we definitely have to watch our caloric intake as most of the chocolate we buy in stores is made from the waste product of the herb chocolate, a Harvard study indicated that moderate candy eaters such as those who reached for one to three candy bars a month were most likely to reduce their risk of dying by thirty-six percent versus those who didn't eat chocolate.

There is a catch to this though. To get the most benefits of chocolate, you really need to partake of either the solid chocolate candies of those with nuts versus those with creamy fillings such as a chocolate kiss.

Chocolates are full of antioxidants that allow us to live longer. Chocolate has even more antioxidants than strawberries which is my favorite fruit, especially during the summer when you can find strawberries at the peak of ripeness full of natural sugar that are delicious in my all time favorite fruit slushies that I make from scratch.

Chocolate actually has ten times the antioxidants of strawberries and chocolate (dark chocolate) packs in 5700 antioxidant units in 1 1/2 ounces of chocolate which is roughly the size of a standard chocolate candy bar. I won't name specific candy bar names until I get an endorsement deal but you get my drift don't you?

I tell you, it is such a comfort knowing that my love affair with chocolate doesn't have to end in an effort to improve and maintain my health. I have this incredible recipe that I absolutely love for a chocolate cherry slushie which just proves that yes, you can have your chocolate and eat it too. Notice I didn't say cake. I didn't say cake on purpose because chocolate cake has a lot of unnecessary calories in it so I don't endorse eating chocolate cake as good as it may taste unless of course, like everything else that isn't necessarily good for you-you do it in moderation.

Now, scroll down for my Cherry chocolate slushie recipe

2 cups of low fat chocolate milk (the soy chocolate milk is a wonderful choice)
2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder
3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup of honey
3/4 teaspoon of almond extract
1 1/2 cups of ice cubes
1/4 cup of low fat whipped cream
1/2 cup of dark red cherries
1/2 cup of shaved chocolate from a dark chocolate bar

Combine the milk, espresso powder, cocoa, honey,cherries and almond extract in a blender until there is a smooth consistency. Add the ice cubes and blend until frothy. Pour into three glasses. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon of the whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Toast and enjoy. Use the triple treat chocolate from Youngevity in your recipe to yield the best results. It's the healthy chocolate alternative. Click here to order yours now. http://bit.ly/1C1L0O Item # TLC1 and Item #Tru6half