Everyday Systems

A coworker is on some other diet, but she told me she does unsweetened cocoa powder in hot water, and "It takes away my chocolate cravings." I have tried it a few times and it does give that hot chocolate feeling, without the fat and sugar. There are 10 calories per tablespoon, but not much else. It rather tastes like cocoa tea, I guess. What do you think?

Leafygreens, hi! Nice to see you.

Never tried that. I do often put a tablespoon of cocoa powder in my coffee but that also has some kind of creamer and stevia in it. I find that that does not lead me to want chocolate candy or anything later. I keep trying to get used to black coffee or green tea but I have a hard time with bitter things. I do still experiment with them because apparently that bitterness is part of why these things are good for us.

I admit that, as the years have gone on, I've narrowed my range of foods for health reasons and because no matter what I did, it was always too easy for me to eat more of some of them, like sweets and especially chocolate ones, than felt good later. I resisted it for ten years, but I'm glad I gave myself time. I also now eat a bit of dark chocolate sometimes. I never liked it that much and it doesn't give me the thrill milk chocolate did, which is good, I think. But now I enjoy it. Go figure.

Reinhard says in the book that if you want to have chocolate because you think it's good for you, drink it like the Aztecs did. It sounded close to what you're describing. If that does it for you, have at it.

oolala53 wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:22 pm

Leafygreens, hi! Nice to see you.

Thanks for the response. It does taste pretty bitter, but I've gotten into tea, so to me it doesn't taste much different than that. I have also read about health benefits of pure cocoa, so I think drinking it in hot water could be a good distraction from chocolate treats or candy. I do remember Reinhard saying that in the book, but I was curious if he was being sarcastic, because I bet most people probably wouldn't bother drinking it this way!

I have tried to develop a taste for 90% dark chocolate. I actually quite enjoy a square or two from time to time now. My trick is that I eat it with my coffee (which has cream in it). Voila! The cream cuts the bitter of the chocolate and it's a delicious dessert.

Hmmm this sounds interesting. I may have to start putting some cocoa powder in my coffee. *thinking face*

SB, that's basically what mocha is, though I think officially that has some kind of creamer. You'll be likely looking at a doppelganger of me if you ever see me drinking black coffee with or without cocoa. So far, I'd rather suffer the cravings.

oolala53 wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:22 pm

I keep trying to get used to black coffee or green tea but I have a hard time with bitter things.

Tip: if you are finding green tea to be bitter, try steeping it for a shorter time period. I used to steep mine way too long as it would get bitter. Now I steep for 1-2 minutes max and it's much better. Mellow and easy drinking, doesn't need anything added.

Now is it as satisfying as coffee with cream? Of course not.

Alas, even weak tea is unpleasant-I've tried it-, but I remembered something that I've been applying recently. Salt can cut bitterness. In fact, I remembered that when I go to an Asian restaurant where they almost automatically serve tea, I put a little soy sauce in it and kind of like it. I have now started adding a little pink salt to green tea each day. It's almost like a little broth but I keep it mild. Something else is that I didn't know is that its bitterness is part of its value. Bitter foods slightly stress the body similarly to the way exercise stresses it. It gets stronger in overcoming the stress. I'm willing to see it more like medicine and it's a small price for the one or two cups I have. I get so many other delicious things!

But I'll just keep my one big of mug of coffee a day with stevia and creamer. And sometimes cocoa powder.

A tea expert once told me that if you put 1/2 tsp. sugar in your tea, it cuts the bitterness and you don't taste the sugar. Tried it and she's right. It brings out the natural taste of the tea.

If you can drink it without sugar I would do and do but I do add milk.

With you on the dark chocolate Oolala, used to hate it but live a good quality one now and really don't crave milk chocolate anymore.

Jx

I put a spoonful of cacao (processed differently than cocoa) in my tea every morning with a little half and half. Then before I go to work I make another mug only use a peppermint tea bag.

Parenthetically, I started drinking tea because it has a smaller water footprint than coffee. I noticed that my frequent UTIs decreased so win win.

This is all so fascinating! I have never been able to stomach green tea because of its bitterness. I will try steeping it less time. And now I am pondering unsweetened cocoa in my coffee tomorrow. MIght have to try that. Cacao in tea sounds really interesting. Would that supercharge it as far as caffeine? Cacao is really caffeineated right? Or is it not? I am not too familiar with it.