Body and Brain
Your Easter Guide to Mindful Chocolate Choices for You and Your Kids
Aaaah, Easter! Indulging in chocolate has long been a guilty pleasure for many, but what if we told you that there's a way to savour the sweet delight without the guilt?
As you mindfully journey on your WillPowders Way, Easter, much like Christmas, family celebrations or just a Friday night can be anxiety riddling because you have made a conscious decision to feed your body and the bodies of your little ones the good stuff. Telling your offspring that chocolate is off the menu and gorging is forbidden this spring is like telling them the Easter Bunny doesn’t exist, directing them to where you hide the Christmas presents or that you only like them sometimes - you may as well just completely ruin their childhood and all the magic that goes along with it.
A Healthier Easter
As Easter approaches, the lure of sugar-laden chocolates can be overwhelming, especially for parents aiming to promote healthier habits for their children. So how can we maintain our parent of the year status but still avoid insulin spikes, opting for smarter, more nutritious choices, and ensuring that tantrums and meltdowns don’t happen?
Imagine an Easter where you can sit back and feel good about chocolate covered fingers and faces, as you watch your kids revel in their best version of a day! Yes please, sign me up!
Before delving into alternatives, it's crucial to understand how excessive sugar consumption can impact our bodies.
High sugar intake can lead to insulin spikes, energy crashes, witching hours (the thought of this gives me the heebies!) and even long-term health issues. Much like carb heavy food, which turns into glucose aka sugar, the impact of making our kids happy can come at a cost, a cost that we have explored in depth in our Carb blog. Carbs and sugar have ALL the power to send our kids loopy, leaving you regretting all your life choices, including giving them crap chocolate.
So, how do we choose wisely and make smart chocolate choices without derailing all our good work?
Don’t Panic!
Firstly, getting organised and not panic buying is a great way to steer yourself clear of chocolate that is only going to turn your little ones into Tasmanian Devils, ruin their gut, get them hooked on highly processed sugar and help them to avoid future biological chaos. As parents, Easter, birthdays and Christmas can often leave us breathless and time poor as we try and create magical experiences for our children whilst navigating all our other responsibilities that come with adulting and parenting. Chucking chocolate eggs in the trolley as we do the weekly food shop is just so tempting and easy. However, when you fast forward and consider the impact this quick fix and time efficient chocolate haul can have, you may want to think twice.
Big Food Failings
Often, our ‘go to’ supermarkets don’t stock the healthier options, so it might be worth digging around a little bit and sourcing your Easter chocolate online, where you will find a range of healthier chocolate stockists. However, if you find yourself without the brain power or time to scroll and research, simply reading chocolate labels carefully could help you to avoid options with high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colours, and excessive added sugars. Opting for chocolates with minimal ingredients and higher cacao content is one sure way to keep the kids happy and you from falling off the proverbial wagon.
Here are Our Smart Chocolate Choices…
Keep it Raw and Rich in Cacao
Unwrapping the sweet benefits and goodness of unprocessed raw chocolate and cacao, which maintain more of their natural nutrients is a great option. Raw chocolate and cacao often contain less processed sugars, providing a richer and more yum flavour without the unhealthy additives. Whilst high content cacao chocolate might not satisfy kids who are on the hunt for super sweet, there’s always natural ways to sweeten and pimp cacao with natural sweeteners, like we have done in our kid’s chocolate recipes.
Raw Chocolate can do what???
At the end of the day, raw chocolate and cacao are veritable treasure troves of antioxidants, which help combat free radicals in the body, which is why swapping out the usual sugar laced chocolate affairs might just help you rather than hinder you this Easter. The flavonoids present contribute to heart health, reduce inflammation, and may even have anti-cancer properties. So, that blissful chocolatey experience might just be a health boost in disguise. What’s more, you can forget the fleeting joy of a sugar high because cacao contains compounds that stimulate the production of endorphins, the body’s natural mood elevators, which, let’s face it, you’re going to need as your kids race round, hunting for their next chocolate fix. Additionally, the presence of serotonin precursors can contribute to an overall sense of well-being, making your indulgence a recipe for happiness! The Raw Chocolate company is a great option for those who want to keep their Easter deliciously clean.
Cacao is a mineral powerhouse, boasting magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper. Magnesium, in particular, plays a crucial role in muscle and nerve function, making raw chocolate a not-so-guilty pleasure for those looking to enhance their nutrient intake. Not only this, the flavonoids in raw chocolate can contribute to cardiovascular health by improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure. Regular consumption (and by regular, we don’t mean breakfast, lunch and dinner - well, except on Easter Sunday) could be a delicious way to love your heart. Not to mention, the antioxidants and flavonoids found in cacao have been linked to improved cognitive function, keeping your brain sharp and alert, as well as it being a natural source of theobromine, a mild stimulant that can provide a gentle energy boost without the jitters. The antioxidants in raw chocolate can also help you find that gorgeous glow as it contributes to skin health by protecting against UV damage and promoting better hydration. Eating your way to radiant skin? Yes, please!
Organic versus Non-Organic
Being sweetly savvy and opting for chocolates made with organic milk and dairy products can eliminate the harmful effects of synthetic hormones and antibiotics found in conventional dairy, providing a purer indulgence for you and your little ones.
In a world where health-conscious choices are becoming increasingly important, let's put the spotlight on chocolate that not only allows us to find the sweet spot but also a slew of health benefits.
No Nasties
Organic chocolate is crafted from cacao beans grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers. This means you're not only finding some yum; you're savouring purity in every bite, which is free from harmful chemicals that might linger in conventional chocolates. Organic chocolate tends to retain more of its natural nutrients and stays true to its natural flavours compared to its non-organic counterparts, whilst providing your body with essential minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc. Why? Because it hasn’t been put through the overly processed ringer and had its nutrients replaced with chemicals, like artificial flavours, colours, and preservatives, born in the lab.
For those conscious consumers, choosing organic chocolate, from the likes of Cocoloco, is not just a treat for your taste buds; it's a win for the environment too. Organic farming practices promote biodiversity, reduce soil erosion, and minimise the overall ecological impact of cacao cultivation. In addition, organic chocolate producers often prioritise fair trade and work directly with small-scale farmers. By choosing organic, you're supporting sustainable farming practices and contributing to the well-being of the communities involved in the cacao supply chain. So, your sweet tooth can contribute to a healthier planet, one bite at a time.
Rich in cacao, organic chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants, which play a crucial role in giving your immune system a boost and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, as well being produced with greater attention to allergen concerns. With fewer additives and a focus on purity, it can be a safer and a more enjoyable option for those with dietary restrictions or sensitivities.
Dark Chocolate
Beyond its deliciousness, dark chocolate boasts an impressive array of health benefits and adorns a superfood hat and cape to boot.
Dark chocolate is hailed as a heart-healthy delight. Packed with flavonoids, it helps improve blood flow, reduce blood pressure, and may contribute to a lower risk of heart disease. Like raw, organic and high cacao contents, dark chocolate is an antioxidant powerhouse, combating oxidative stress, protecting cells from damage and supporting overall well-being. A powerful mood booster, rich in serotonin precursors and endorphin-releasing compounds, it can help you to find your ‘happy’ and survive the kid’s Easter craze as they use Christianity against you to acquire as much sugar as possible, holding you to the ransom of a chocolate egg!
In addition, your brain will thank you as regular nomming of dark chocolate may enhance memory, increase focus, and even help protect the brain from age-related decline. A delicious way to stay sharp and smart! Rich in cacao, like Cocoloco’s Dark Chocolate Egg, it packs an essential mineral punch and plays a crucial role in keeping your body in fine fettle, benefiting your skin, muscle and nerve function, as well as your immune system.
A DIY Easter
Buying Easter fare can save you precious time, but getting creative in the kitchen with the kids, making homemade Easter treats, can sometimes save you money and health implications. Using sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar and stevia, that derive from nature, can be a great way of avoiding the ultra processed Easter chocolate that has adorned the supermarket shelves since what feels like January. We have a library full of delicious nutrient dense recipes on our website that are kid approved, and which will steer you clear of sugar ladened pitfalls. What’s more, our Chocolate Protein Powders are the perfect ingredient addition to recipes that have been designed to crush those sugary cravings. This Easter, we have made our Protein Powder collection even better, adding the limited edition flavours, Chocolate Orange and Mint Chocolate. Mirroring the Easter fave flavour, our Chocolate Orange Protein is a winner with those chocolate orange lovers, and it is as versatile as our staple chocolate protein powders, adding that extra bit of yum to your favourite chocolate recipes. Our Mint Choc Chip tastes just like your favourite air whipped, bubbly chocolate, but we’ve left the nasties out, focusing on sneaky nutrition whilst tantalising your tastebuds with a chocolatey, light mint flavour. Both of our special edition flavours will transport you right back to munching on your favourite chocolate bars without the risk of insulin spikes and sugar crashes. It’s guilt free, high street chocolate flavours with an added amino acid boost. Nom, nom, nom!
Avoiding Chocolate Altogether
Your willpower might just survive the Easter festivities if you load up on our MCT Oil and MCT Keto Creamer. If you’re determined to stay away from all the temptations that Jesus’ resurrection brings, a WillPowders’ tea or coffee with a drop of stevia might just do the trick. Alternatively, adding our MCT Oil and MCT Keto Creamer to Easter recipes might allow you to just enjoy one treat and not thirty. For Easter food ideas, check out our recipes.
If all else fails and you decide to throw caution to the wind, protect your liver with our Rise & Shine supplement and pop some Insulin Support before you partake in any Easter naughtiness - your body’s insulin responses will thank you for the helping hand. To learn more about how these hero supplements can aid your body’s detox, check out our Love Your Liver blog.
This Easter, empower your family with the knowledge and tools to make mindful chocolate choices. By opting for an informed approach to Easter, you can ensure a celebration that is both joyous and health-conscious. With a little planning and awareness, you can provide your kids with a memorable Easter without the unwanted side effects of excessive sugar consumption.
Relevant Recipes
No Bake Protein Brownies
Whether you need a pre exercise boost or something chocolatey and fudgy to satisfy those cravings, these No Bake Protein Brownies are an absolute winner.
Protein Rich, Homemade Chocolate Spread
A chocolate spread you'll want your kids to eat off a spoon. Rich in protein and highly nutritious, you'll no longer have to police the chocolate pot.