Coffee Alternatives

Cocoa powder, cocoa or cacao is the nonfat part of chocolate, the other part being cocoa butter. It is derived by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the cocoa solids.  It’s bitter in taste and depending on which press method is used, it can taste somewhat acidic.  It’s a relatively inexpensive alternative to coffee. Hot cocoa powder is generally bitter but can be blended with milk and sugar.

Benefits of cocoa powder:

• Contains a high level of flavonoids
• Helps cardiovascular health
• Can help LDL cholesterol levels in the short term
• Improves blood flow
• Enhances memory and learning abilities
• High antioxidant concentration
• Rich source of magnesium

Negatives of cocoa powder:

• Contains caffeine, although this can be very low (from 0.1 to 0.5%)
• Contains sugar