Q. I put baking cocoa in my morning coffee instead of eating high-calorie dark chocolate. Is cocoa as good as the chocolate that is touted as beneficial to our health?
A. Cocoa that has been processed with alkali (termed “Dutch process”) is lower in the anti-oxidant cacao flavonoids that offer health benefits. Natural processed cocoa can be rich in these compounds. They help make blood vessels more flexible, lower blood pressure, reduce LDL cholesterol and improve insulin sensitivity.
Adding cocoa to coffee is a classic flavor combination (mocha) and provides the benefits of chocolate without the sugar or fat associated with candy.
