Raw Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate is the only ingredient that is its very own food group.
Well not really—but I feel like it should be. (Anyone else?) Powerfully comforting, creamy, delicious—if I’m not doing a whole30, I eat chocolate several times a week.
Which begs the question…
Is Chocolate Good for You?
One of my best friend’s dads always used to pick out the positive attributes of foods. The dialogue would go a little something like this….“Chocolate? Oh that' has antioxidants in it. So does salad. Basically, chocolate is practically a health food.”
And you know what, he’s not wrong. The answer is both yes and no.
Chocolate has been used for centuries to treat bronchitis, sexual malaise, fatigue, hangovers, anemia, depression, memory loss, high blood pressure, poor eyesight, and more. It also helps release that feel-good neurotransmitter—serotonin—in the brain.
But eat the wrong kind and you’ll get loads of sugar, calories, and junky ingredients, which will lead to inflammation and in turn block that serotonin. So here are my tips for using chocolate as a legitimate health food.
How to Eat it Responsibly
Chocolate begins life as raw cacao (pronounced kah-kow) beans. Loaded with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and plant phenols, cacao is a powerful superfood. The more processed cacao becomes, however—think commercially produced candy bars—the fewer healthy components remain.
So how to get the most out of your chocolate fix?
Are you afraid of the dark? Don’t be! The darker the chocolate, the more beneficial cacao it contains.
Revisit your high school math text book. Know your percentages: the number on dark chocolate packaging refers to the percentage of cacao bean in chocolate. For maximum health benefit, look for dark chocolate that has 75% to 85% cacao.
Get naked! Go raw—or as unprocessed as possible.
Looking for more fun ways to enjoy your favorite food? You’ll love this dark chocolate treat. Invite some friends over and make a batch!
Chef Karolina’s Raw Chocolate Truffles
Makes 25 truffles
What You’ll Need:
1 cup raw cacao powder
1 cup cashews or macadamia nuts
½ cup maple syrup
Water (to mix)
Roll-in ingredients: shredded coconut, chopped nuts, chocolate nibs, raw sugar, cacao powder, ginger, or something else you love
What I Did:
Mix cashews in a food processor until a powder, adding enough water to create a thick paste.
Add maple syrup to cashews and pulse to process.
Add cacao powder. Pulse to process.
Refrigerate for four hours or overnight for best results.
Form teaspoon-sized balls of dough. Coat balls in your chosen roll-in ingredients!