Cocoa: benefits, harms and cooking options

There is hardly a person who has not tried cocoa. It is associated with chocolate, hot drink, or chocolate sponge cake. Excellent taste, aroma, feeling of fullness and pleasure from its use are far from all the advantages of the product. It contains many useful vitamins and minerals. After consuming cocoa, there is an improvement in mood and well-being. The drink is allowed subject to dietary meals and for the children's menu.

The benefits of cocoa

The product contains the following elements:

• Vitamins of group B, PP, E, A, folic acid. The combination of retinol (vitamin A) and tocopherols (vitamin E) provides cocoa with a high antioxidant effect.
• Saturated fatty acids improve the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, and normalize blood cholesterol levels. Combined with other active ingredients, they prevent blood clots.
• Trace elements: manganese, fluorine, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, magnesium. In terms of iron and zinc content, this product is the leader among other products. Iron is needed for increase in blood hemoglobin, zinc is involved in the synthesis of proteins, it is necessary for human puberty.
• The unique component epicatechin reduces the risk of stomach ulcers, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and procyanidin promotes skin rejuvenation, wound healing, and increased elasticity.
• Melanin contained in cocoa provides protection from the inside of the skin from harmful sun rays.
• Caffeine, theobromine, theophylline are known for their tonic effect.

Despite the high nutritional value, cocoa powder is not very calorie, 100 g of the product contains no more than 400 kcal. Drinking a cup of hot drink in the morning will keep you energized throughout the day. Good mood hormones - endorphins are produced when pure cocoa is consumed. The product is also useful after physical exertion, it provides quick muscle recovery. When drinking a drink at an afternoon snack, you will significantly increase your performance.

Harm to cocoa

Drinking too much cocoa can cause overexcitement. The powder contains caffeine, which causes the activity of nerve endings, an influx of strength. This must be taken into account when the product is included in the children's menu. If you have problems with the nervous system, it is recommended to drink no more than 1 cup per day for breakfast. In the case of diseases for which caffeine is contraindicated, cocoa should be discarded.

Cocoa beans grow in hot countries that are filled with various pests. Cockroaches often live on the fruits themselves, from which it is almost impossible to get rid of. To preserve the harvest, plantations are treated with pesticides, subjected to radiological treatment. Once in the human body, pesticides accumulate and can cause the most serious diseases. Manufacturers of cocoa products claim that they only use powder from carefully peeled beans, but no one can be sure of the reliability of these statements.

High nutritional value, high sugar content can be harmful to the health of overweight people. The consumption of cocoa-containing products often causes allergic reactions. Therefore, you need to increase the amount of use gradually, monitoring the reaction of the body.

Cocoa contraindications

The product has the following contraindications:

• It is not recommended to consume cocoa in its pure form or as part of complex dishes in the presence of sclerosis or atherosclerosis.
• Limited use is recommended for digestive system disorders, obesity and high cholesterol.
• The stimulating effect of the product is contraindicated in people with diseases and disorders of the nervous system.
• The product contains purine bases, which are part of nucleic acids. They are carriers of genetic information and are involved in metabolic processes. Their excess in food leads to the formation of hard accumulations inside the joints and urinary tract. The product is not recommended for use in case of gout, kidney disease.

Cocoa during pregnancy

A pregnant woman should strictly monitor her diet. And products containing cocoa are highly allergenic. Even if the mother has not experienced negative reactions to this product before, now it may manifest itself. Therefore, it is best to limit the consumption of hot drinks, chocolate and chocolate baked goods.

Also, excessive consumption of cocoa can cause impaired absorption of calcium, this is important for the growth of the fetus. With a lack of calcium, growth retardation and developmental delays can occur. A calcium-deficient maternal body will have increased fragility of bones, nails and hair.

It is very difficult to live this long period of pregnancy by completely eliminating cocoa products. But keeping the consequences in mind will make it easier to work through your diet.

How old is cocoa for children?

There is no unequivocal recommendation for the introduction of cocoa into the diet in the form of a drink or chocolate. Many mothers give their baby candy to eat as early as 9-10 months, others do not allow chocolate to eat for as long as possible. However, the drink contains less fat and sugar, so it is possible to introduce cocoa as a drink earlier. Especially if the child is bottle-fed and drinks cow's milk. Nevertheless, a child's body over the age of 3 years is considered the most ready for this product.

The tonic substances caffeine and theobromine contained in the product can negatively affect the nervous system of the baby, so it is better for them not to consume this product before bedtime.

How to make cocoa

There are many recipes for making a drink, here are the most popular ones:

• For 1 serving of the drink you need 1 tsp. brew powder with a small amount of boiling water, add honey to taste, mix everything. Soy milk or cream is poured into a mug. The drink is drunk hot.
• A delicious milk drink prepared from hot milk. First, 1 tsp. cocoa powder is mixed with 2 tsp. Sahara. Then add milk to the mug.
• Beat the yolks from 2 chicken eggs with a spoonful of sugar. Dry cocoa is ground with sugar in a 2: 1 ratio. Pour boiling water over the mixture, bring to a boil over a fire. Pour in whipped yolks and serve.
• Children will love the ice cream drink. Brew 2 tsp in 250 g of water. cocoa powder mixed with 2 tsp. icing sugar. Remove the mixture from heat and cool. Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in each portion.
• A group of adult guests will appreciate cocoa with alcohol. For making punch 8 tbsp. cocoa is mixed with 2 tsp. instant coffee, 2 tbsp. Sahara. Milk is added to the dry mixture and brought to a boil. Mix 150 g of white wine and 2 tbsp. rum is poured into a punch pan. The drink is served in portions hot, each mug is decorated with whipped cream.

Remember, you can come up with your own cocoa drink recipe and surprise your family.

Cocoa application

Cocoa powder is used not only for the preparation of drinks and confectionery. Cocoa-based chocolate is considered the most popular treat in the world. The product is used in the preparation of desserts, sauces, second courses to add flavor.

Many cosmetics manufacturers include powder and cacao butter into their products. The oil has a nourishing effect, suitable for sensitive skin. Chocolate wraps for hair and body are recommended for skin toning, detoxification, relaxation, rejuvenation. Among the cosmetic products for the face are tonics, creams, masks with cocoa.

When choosing a product, you need to pay attention to the country of origin of the goods. It should be from the southern direction, where the fruit trees grow. The minimum amount of fat in a quality product is 15%. The powder should be homogeneous, without lumps and impurities.

Having cocoa powder at home, you can prepare a healthy drink, a delicious dessert or make a rejuvenating face mask. The product contains many useful substances and can be included in the diet of children.