Central Coast Home & Lifestyle Autumn 2024

W e used to think the only problem with sugar was its effect on our teeth. Extra sugar means extra calories and eating too many calories could lead to obesity, which raises your risk of kidney disease, developing gout, acne and tiredness in the short-term and in the long term increase the risks of chronic diseases, trigger insulin resistance, linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart problems, and brain diseases, raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease. To avoid those extra calories, we need to watch out for free sugars. When fruit is turned into fruit juice, the sugars come out of their cells and become free sugars. What are free sugars? I f you’re a chocolate lover, you’ve probably tried traditional hot chocolate. Have you ever considered using cacao powder instead? Not only is it a healthier option, but it also has numerous health benefits. Cocoa powder is packed with nutrients and minerals. By itself, cocoa doesn’t contain much sugar or fat. Most commercial chocolate products, however, contain added sugars and fats. Raw cocoa powder provides tons of benefits, especially if your powder is at least 72% cocoa but like all chocolate should be consumed in moderation. One of the most popular ways to use cacao powder is by making hot cocoa. Hot cocoa made with raw cacao powder can be sweetened with honey or maple syrup instead of sugar. Honey adds a subtle floral note to the drink while maple syrup provides a rich earthy flavour that complements the chocolatey taste of raw cacao powder. Both honey and maple syrup have lower glycaemic indexes than sugar and contain beneficial nutrients and you can enhance the

The government recommends that free sugars make up no more than 5% of our daily calories. But right now, the average adult is eating twice as much. Most of that comes from soft drinks and fruit juices, sugars that we add to food and drink, including jams and chocolate spread, biscuits, pastries, and cakes. Don’t add sugar to your tea or coffee and avoid sugary snacks or stick to small portions! Adults and children aged over 11 should eat no more than around 30g of free sugars a day. A standard chocolate bar equals 25g of free sugar, 150ml of fruit juice equals 12g of free sugar and a 330ml can of cola equals 35g of free sugar. blood vessels (which lowers blood pressure) and improving blood sugar control (which may help prevent diabetes). Cocoa beans are fermented, dried, roasted, and ground into powder for use in foods and beverages. Cocoa powder is a dry and unsweetened light brown powder that is very nutritious and has a strong, bitter taste. It is important to note that this nutrient profile is for unsweetened cocoa powder. Hot chocolate mixes that contain sugar and other additional ingredients will not offer the same nutritional values. There is a range of cocoa powders and hot chocolate mixes available on store shelves, and many of them are heavily sweetened to provide a better taste. While these products will still contain beneficial nutrients, the amount of sugar they provide will cancel out the health benefits. In other words; for health purposes, unsweetened cocoa powder or cocoa nibs are the best choices.

Free sugar is what we call any sugar added to a food or drink. Or the sugar that is already in honey, syrup, and fruit juice. These are free because they’re not inside the cells of the food we eat. The sugars found in fruit, vegetables and milk don’t seem to have a negative effect on our health, and they come with extra nutrients, such as fibre. But when fruit is turned into fruit juice, the sugars come out of their cells and become free sugars. The fibre is lost and it’s easier to consume extra sugar without realising. You wouldn’t eat four oranges in a row, but you might drink their juice in one glass of orange juice without feeling full. How much free sugar should I be having? taste by a small pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. Try blending coconut milk with a banana before pouring into your favourite mug of cocao with hot water or mix it into your morning coffee for a mocha twist. Create unique hot cocoa flavours using different types of milk - whole milk, almond milk, soy milk, depending on your preference. If you’re lactose intolerant or vegan, almond milk or oat milk can be an excellent alternative for cow’s milk. Add it to pancake batter for chocolate pancakes, use it as an ingredient in cookies or sprinkle it on top of oatmeal for a chocolaty breakfast treat. One of the common caveats about eating chocolate bars is that they typically contain considerable amounts of sugar, fat, and calories. The potential health-promoting compounds found in chocolate include flavanols. These compounds are abundant in many plants, including cocoa beans, which are the seeds of the cacao tree. Diets high in flavanols have been linked to improved cardiovascular health, possibly by relaxing

Love chocolate? Healthiest options