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

If you like bell peppers, your heart (and eyes) will love you for it!

Like bell peppers? That is a particularly good thing for you and your eyesight. Those bell peppers are packed full of lutein and zeaxanthin-key plant compounds that play a powerful role in preventing the onset of macular degeneration (loss of sharp vision as the macula is that tiny spot in the center of the eye's retina that is responsible for sharp vision) that comes with age. It's unfortunate that as we age, we must come to expect that our bodies won't perform at the same level as when we were young. Of course a great way to slow down the aging process is with exercise as we all know but now, we're finding out everyday just how valuable a good diet filled with food that comes in all the colors of the rainbow can help to ward off the degeneration of our most valuable asset, our health.

Interestingly enough, those key plant compounds-lutein and zeaxanthin are common pigments found in the macula. Most studies have shown that people who suffer from macular degeneration that comes with age have lower levels of these pigments than those who don't have the disease.

So go ahead, toss those bell peppers in your salad, spread them on your italian bread instead of traditional tomato toppings for an even better bruschetta and dip your way to improved vision with red bell peppers. Indeed, red bell peppers are even better than the green ones because they are also chocked full of vitamin C. In fact, there's more vitamin C in red bell peppers than you find in an orange! Having a red bell pepper will actually save you 1/3 the calories that you'd take in eating an orange. Now I'm not saying stop eating oranges for they are delicioso-especially if you find the right one. I'm just saying that you now have yet another alternative to get in your vitamin C.

Now when you eat your red bell peppers, you'll know that you are helping your body to destroy those horrible free radicals as well as helping to save your eyesight as you age. Now that's a flavor worth savoring! Eat up, my lovelies...