What’s your preferred hot beverage when it’s cold outside – tea, coffee or even hot chocolate?
In previous articles we’ve explored the hygge mindset and the role of ritual in the every day. One practice that is considered to be quintessential hygge is getting cosy in your winter woolies, lighting candles and enjoying a warm cup of cocoa.
The Danish love hot chocolate, and it is embraced as a regular beverage of choice for the hygge lifestyle.
Hot chocolate versus hot cacao
With such a delicious daily ritual, why not opt for cacao as your hot chocolate of choice?
Cacao contains many different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, that may enhance mood, increase mental clarity and improve energy levels.
Through indulging in delicious herbal cacao blends that are a great alternative to cocoa, you may support your body to become stress resistant and keep fatigue levels in check.
What’s the real difference between cocoa and cacao?
While all chocolate and cocoa products originate from cacao, cocoa usually refers to the core ingredient of processed chocolate, made from the roasted beans.
This processing and roasting of cacao beans can make it a less reliable source of healthy compounds such as flavonoids and fibre.
Further, processing often involves adding in fats and sugars which not only reduces the proportion of cocoa in the food or drink product, it also adds calories.
Raw cacao on the other hand is made by cold-pressing unroasted beans which helps keep much more of the nutritional profile intact and has no nasty additions.
Health benefits of drinking cacao
At Organic Merchant, our raw cacao Dust blends are powerful nutrient-rich chocolate tonics. We use fine, non-alkalised cacao powder made from pure cocoa beans that have been ground.
It has a slightly bitter chocolate taste and is known for its plentiful health benefits which include:
- Over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries help to fight signs of ageing.
- High in iron, calcium and magnesium.
- Contains flavonoids that work to increase blood flow to the skin’s surface and can create vibrant, healthy skin.
- High in flavanols, cacao can also improve brain function and cognition.
- Cacao is a great source of ‘happy’ chemicals – serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine improving overall wellbeing and combatting mood swings.
- Rich in dietary fibre, eating raw cacao on a regular basis can prevent constipation and enhance your digestive health.
How to create an indulgent hygge cacao for enhanced wellbeing
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons of any OM Dust cacao
20ml hot water
200ml hot milk (we recommend creamy oat milk)
1 teaspoon honey
Method:
- Choose your favourite teacup or mug and fill it with 2 teaspoons of any of our Dust products.
- Add 20ml of hot water or milk and stir to make a paste.
- Heat 200ml of milk on the stove and pour over the chocolate paste.
- Add 1 teaspoon of honey for a hint of sweetness.
Serving Suggestions:
- If you prefer a more lavish chocolate flavour and extra creaminess, we recommend adding 3 teaspoons of OM Dust and 1 teaspoon of ghee
- For a slightly more savoury and nutty taste, add 1 teaspoon of tahini
Having it all
With cacao having the creaminess and taste sensation of hot chocolate PLUS the added health benefits, why not enhance your daily ritual, with cacao as a new way to hygge? Learn more about our award winning, certified organic and sustainable cacao blends.