Get the Health Benefits of Cocoa Flavanols in Refreshing Drinks

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

September 21, 2017 • 0 comments

Recently I teamed up with the CocoaVia^® brand to educate my readers about the health benefits of cocoa flavanols. Sponsored by my friends at CocoaVia^® brand, written 100% by me.

What are cocoa flavanols?

You’ve probably heard about chocolate, especially dark chocolate, being good for you. This is due to the beneficial plant-based compounds called cocoa flavanols that are found in the cocoa bean.

However, most chocolate bars and candies are processed in a way that destroys these beneficial flavanols so you may not be getting their health benefits. Plus, most chocolate goodies come with an added sugar and calorie price tag. The good news is that there is a way you can get these beneficial cocoa flavanols in a convenient powdered stick pack or capsules—that’s where CocoaVia® supplement comes in!

The benefits of CocoaVia^® supplement

The CocoaVia^® brand figured out a way to gently extract cocoa flavanols from cocoa beans. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that cocoa flavanols work with your body to maintain healthy levels of nitric oxide, which helps promote the healthy flow of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs throughout your body 

CocoaVia^® supplement delivers these cocoa flavanols in convenient stick packs in a variety of tasty flavors, like dark chocolate and cran-raspberry—as well as easy-to-swallow capsules.

This time of year, my favorite way to incorporate CocoaVia^® stick packs into my daily routine is mixing the Cran-raspberry or Original flavors in fruity, refreshing drinks.

Berry Booster Smoothie

Berries are still in season this time of year and smoothies are an easy way to start your day healthy. It is super simple to add a CocoaVia^® stick pack to any smoothie.

This smoothie recipe is bursting with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, CocoaVia^® Cran-Raspberry (my favorite flavor), plus yogurt and milk. Get the full Berry Booster Smoothie recipe here. One CocoaVia^® stick pack delivers the highest concentration of cocoa flavanols in a cocoa extract supplement today.

Cran-Raspberry Sparkler

You won’t believe what the secret ingredient is in this drink that gives it such a light, perky taste—vinegar! That’s right, just a couple teaspoons of red wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar turn this drink into a super delish drink you can stir together in just a minute! This drink also contains one CocoaVia^® stick pack, plus sparkling water. And that’s it. All under 30 calories per serving and with no added sugar. And since I also love a small hit of caffeine in the afternoon, this drink delivers about the same amount that you get from a cup of brewed tea. Get the full Cran-Raspberry Sparkler recipe here.

Or just add water

You can also simply pour a CocoaVia^® Cran-raspberry stick pack into a bottle of water, shake it up, and go.

Find CocoaVia^® supplement at your local Walgreens or CocoaVia.com, where you can get more info about the health benefits and recipes.

You might also enjoy:

My Indy Style segment on smoothies and sparklers

My Indy Style segment on foods with heart-health benefits