Chocolate and Energy
Blog post by Lindsay Mustard, Holistic Nutritionist
Improving your workouts, recovery, and boosting your energy levels with dark chocolate.
The Sweetest of Energy Boosters
Most people think of chocolate when it comes to sweets and treats. You know, Halloween candy, chocolate fondue fountains, chocolate chunk cookies… the good stuff. What if you could eat chocolate every single day (it doesn’t have to be your birthday!) and reap the benefits of long lasting energy? Who wouldn’t want that? Crazy people we tell you - crazy!
In this blog post, we’ll be breaking down the components of what makes dark chocolate the best natural energy booster when it comes to superfoods. Chocolate and an energy boost in a few small squares - bring it on!
The Nutritional Benefits of Chocolate
Caffeine and sugar are usually a match made in heaven if/when we need a short lived boost of energy to help us power through a workout or project. The downside? The crash. The hard and fast crash when you come off of the energy high, only to feel more tired than you did before you took the concoction. Say hello to dark chocolate. The melt in your mouth goodness that can provide you with hours of energy, a sharped focus and a touch of caffeine to keep you buzzing throughout the day!
Dark chocolate contains a healthy amount of caffeine which acts as a central nervous system stimulant. Improved levels of alertness, focus, attention and memory are all commonly reported side effects of caffeine. Dark chocolate contains roughly 12 milligrams of caffeine per ounce. The average sized chocolate bar is 3.5 ounces which would amount to 42 mg of caffeine per bar. An 8-ounce cup of coffee contains roughly 95-100 mg of caffeine. Although it’s not the same amount of caffeine that is consumed, the effects are longer lasting due to the fats found within chocolate. This helps to slow down the rate at which caffeine is metabolized resulting in steady blood sugar and energy levels.
Dark chocolate is also a powerhouse for antioxidants and its abilities to fight free radicals! Chocolate contains flavonoids and polyphenols which help to fight off free radicals that cause oxidative stress on our bodies! In other words, they help our bodies function more efficiently while protecting it against toxins and stressors. So the next time you’re stressing out about a project at work, the kids acting up or your spouse forgetting to take the garbage out - grab yourself some dark chocolate and protect yourself from those dangerous stressors!
Cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, is a superstar when it comes to its ability to help protect our hearts and cells. Cocoa is high in flavonoids which help to increase levels of nitric oxide in our body. Nitric oxide is shown to help lower blood pressure, boost exercise performance, balance blood sugar and decrease muscle soreness. So whether your traps are tight from a workout or from clenching your shoulders all morning at work - grab yourself a few squares and watch the soreness melt away! Another upside of chocolate and its nitric oxide levels, is the vasodilation role that it plays within our bodies. Nitric oxide helps to relax the inner muscles or muscular wall within our blood vessels which causes them to dilate and allow more blood to circulate. This vasodilation increases blood flow to the brain and our muscles, which in turn helps to deliver more nutrients and oxygen to the parts of our body that need it most!
We’re starting to get down to the chemistry and art that goes into making chocolate - that’s how powerful this dark stuff is! Dark chocolate, or cacao specifically, contains a compound called theobromine. The chemical structure of theobromine is similar to caffeine, so it's no surprise that it is a stimulant. Consuming theobromine differs from caffeine as it has a longer-lasting, sustainable effect on both our physical and mental energy levels.
Last but not least, after a long day at work or a tough workout, chocolate can be your best friend in helping your body recover and repair. Dark chocolate is rich in magnesium, which acts as a cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in our bodies, in other words, we need magnesium to do anything! Magnesium also serves to help improve muscle and nerve function, control our blood glucose levels and blood pressure, while also helping us to build muscle and replenish our energy stores.
Dark chocolate is a superfood in and of itself. Whether you need a boost to power you through your workday, a pre-workout to give you the extra edge on your deadlifts or something to help you mellow out after a stressful day - when in doubt, chocolate it out!
Date Squares with Dark Chocolate Drizzle
Ingredients:
Filling:
2 1/2 cups whole pitted dates
1 1/2 cups water
1⁄2 Zazubean Saltry bar, roughly chopped
Crumb Base and Topping:
1 1⁄2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 1⁄2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup natural almond butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup ghee
1⁄2 Zazubean Saltry Bar, melted
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
2. Add the dates and water to a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until the dates have softened. Towards the end of the cook time, start mashing the dates with a fork which helps absorb any remaining liquid. Stir in the chocolate chunks, allowing them to melt into the date mixture. Cover and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon and sea salt.
4. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup and ghee and whisk until smooth. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir until wet and crumbly.
5. Press a little over half of the crumble mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread on the warm date filling.
6. Sprinkle on the remaining crumble mixture and press it lightly into the date filling.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 12-16 squares and drizzle with the melted dark chocolate. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.