My Healthy Hot Cocoa Recipe

Avoid Unhealthy Hot Chocolate Powder with This Healthy Hot Cocoa Recipe

It’s fun to have warm, sweet treats when the weather is frightful. But most sweets will hijack your blood sugar and your immune system, leaving you prone to headaches, flus, cravings and weight gain in the winter months.

Luckily you can uplevel your sweets and get that satisfaction without the side effects! This recipe for healthy hot cocoa is something I make nearly every day in the winter months as a healthy, light ‘breakfast’ for a partial morning fast. Or I’ll enjoy a mug in the evening with my son. Kids will also love a sweet treat that they don’t even realize is so good for them!

Read on to learn the trouble with conventional hot cocoa and my recipe for a delicious alternative.

The Trouble with Conventional Hot Cocoa

Swiss Miss wouldn’t do you wrong, would she? Oh yeah! Let’s take a look at what’s in those packets of hot cocoa mix.

And just so I’m not only picking on Swiss Miss I’m also sharing a label by the popular K cup brand, which is doing no better in its ingredients.

Let’s look at some of the ingredients:

Sugar: When you make your own sweets, it’s easy to use local honey, stevia, monk fruit, etc for a sweet taste. When you buy retail sweets, you’ll often get the good ‘ol white stuff, processed sugar.

Corn Syrup: Corn syrup is a concentrated sweetener that is a likely contributor to the obesity epidemic. (1) It is also usually a genetically modified food that is heavily sprayed with herbicides. (2)

Modified Whey: According to my mentor, Dr. Datis Kharrazian, whey, which is a dairy protein, is inflammatory to the brain. He does not recommend the use of whey powder if you have an inflamed brain, or if you are trying to prevent one!

Hydrogenated coconut oil: Hydrogenation in the food industry turns liquids into solids to stabilize processed foods. (3) There are no health benefits to this process! 

“The primary health risk identified for T-fat consumption is an elevated risk of coronary heart disease. T-fats have an adverse effect on the brain and nervous system. T-fat from the diet is incorporated into brain cell membranes and alter the ability of neurons to communicate. This can diminish mental performance.” (4)

Nonfat milk: Most adults do not produce the enzyme to break down the protein, lactose, in dairy milk. (5)

Sucralose: Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that also has the brand name Splenda. It can still spike insulin and also cause digestive distress and harm beneficial gut bacteria. (6)

Artificial Flavor: “Flavorists make artificial flavors by combining chemicals made from inedible ingredients, such as paper pulp or petroleum.” (7) Ick! 

My Healthy Hot Cocoa Recipe 

This recipe contains whole foods and superfoods to deliver nutrition while you enjoy a tasty treat.

Recipe: (Click here to print!)

• 1 serving Paleo Valley 100% grassfed Bone Broth Protein powder (get 15% off with the link above) or other collagen powder 

• ½ teaspoon of cocoa powder

• 1 drop pure peppermint essential oil

• 1 teaspoon local honey

• 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut cream (find this in natural grocery canned goods aisle)

• 1 cup hot water

• Optional: 1 serving of Defend Mushroom Mix (get 10% off with code HORMONEDETOXSHOP)

Benefits of My Healthy Hot Cocoa Recipe

Collagen powder: Supplies a variety of amino acids that build protein, facilitates wound healing, supports muscle mass. (8)

I like PaleoValley brand because it’s conscientious about sourcing ingredients (unlike most collagen powders!) using bones (not just skin) of pastured cows raised without antibiotics or steriods. (Get 10% off your PaleoValley order with code BRIDGIT10.)

Cocoa powder: Improves blood flow and mood. (9)

Peppermint oil: Benefits digestion, smell decreases mental fatigue, reduces nausea. (10, 11, 12)

Local honey: A 2018 review in the journal Molecules states, “honey exerts also a protective effect in the cardiovascular system, where it mainly prevents the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins, in the nervous system, in the respiratory system against asthma and bacterial infections, and in the gastrointestinal system.” (13 image and quote credit) 

Full-fat coconut cream: It’s medium chain fatty acids satisfy your hunger while efficiently becoming clean-burning fuel for your body. These fatty acids are not stored as fat deposits and therefore can benefit weight management. (14)

Give my healthier hot cocoa a try and let me know what you think in the comment section!

Ready for More Healthy Recipes?

---

Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is an acupuncturist turned functional health coach and has worked with thousands of clients since 2004.

She is the founder of FunctionalDetoxProducts.com and the author of The Ultimate Guide to Toxic Mold Recovery: Take Back Your Home Health & Life, available in audiobook, Kindle and paperback on Amazon.

---