Chocolate for Me

Drinking cocoa is supposed to boost blood flow to key areas of the brain for 2 to 3 hours. You know, as a low-fat vegetarian who verges on being vegan, I don’t eat chocolate, because of the milk and calories and cholesterol. But recently I had an idea: I bought an 8 oz box of Hershey’s Cocoa, naturally unsweetened. I put about a tablespoon of cocoa in a little bowl, add sugar, water, and put it in the microwave for a few seconds, just so the water and cocoa mix. That is how I take chocolate now, almost like a little cup of espresso. I think it is rather healthy for me. I’m not eating a candy bar; I’m just having some chocolate, which in and of itself is not unhealthy. It is what the candy manufacturers do to the chocolate that makes it unhealthy in my opinion. And of course it is what the consumers do – consuming too much, even of a good thing like chocolate – that leads to obesity, illness, etc.

While we’re on the subject of chocolate, some cocoa may help prevent heart disease. And apparently Mars products contain more healthy flavonols because of the way the cocoa is processed.


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Saturday Recipe

Here is a quick and easy recipe, especially for kids: while cooking a box of Stovetop Stuffing, stir in a 6 oz. can of white meat chicken. Use 4 tablespoons of olive oil instead of butter. Much healthier that way.

That's all. It really is good. My son loves it. I have trouble staying away from it myself.


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Here is more information on the new DNA test for things like Down Syndrome and other chromosomal problems. It would be great if no woman had to undergo amniocentesis again. I guess Sequenom is the company working to develop the technology.


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