The Health Benefits of a Keto Chocolate Shake

Did you know that you could incorporate chocolate into your keto diet? For most diets, consuming chocolate is prohibited, and that is what makes the keto diet easy to work with.

However, it is advisable that you use only dark chocolate that has a minimum of 70% cocoa solids or more. Cacao is considered as a super fruit since it provides as many antioxidant properties to the body as acai berries, blueberries.

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What Does Chocolate Contain?

Dark chocolate contains, among other things, flavanols that are linked to reducing the risk of heart disease by keeping arteries healthy and thus reducing blood pressure.

An ounce of unsweetened chocolate, which is 100% cacao, has 3 grams of net carbs, while a similar amount of 70-85% dark chocolate (processed cacao) contains as much as 10 grams of net carbs.

Over the years, nutritionists, and individuals have looked for ways that they can incorporate chocolate in their daily diet and a shake is one of the best ways of consuming chocolate.

Best Chocolate Shake Recipe for a Keto Diet

The health benefits of a keto chocolate shake will depend on the ingredients added. You will find hundreds of keto chocolate shake recipes on the internet, but the recipe below is the best one that will meet the needs of your macronutrients.

This recipe is packed with healthy fats, a variety of nutrients, and it is dairy free.

Ingredients

• ½ cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
• 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt of choice
• ½ medium avocado to taste
• 2-4 tablespoons erythritol or sweetener of choice
• ½ cup as needed
• Water as needed

You can also add other ingredients to your keto chocolate shake such as MCT oil, ground chia seeds, hemp hearts, mint extract, collagen peptides.

Instructions

• Add coconut milk, cacao powder, avocado, salt, vanilla extract, and optional ingredients into a blender
• Using the bullet setting, blend until creamy smooth and add water to reach the desired thickness
• Add the ice and blend until creamy and thick.

Avoid over blending, as the shake will become warm and lose the thickness.

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Health Benefits of the Chocolate Shake

As said before, chocolate is one of the best sources of antioxidants, but it has more benefits to the body, including:

Highly Nutritious

100 grams of dark chocolate that has a high cocoa content, say between 70 and 85% contains the following nutrients:

• 98% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of manganese
• 89% of the RDI for copper
• 67% of the RDI for iron
• 58% of the RDI for magnesium
• 11 grams of fiber

However, 100 grams of dark chocolate has 600 calories, and a moderate amount of sugar. For this reason, you should consume the keto chocolate shake in moderation.

Improved Blood Flow and Reduced Blood Pressure

Dark chocolate contains flavanols that stimulate the production of nitric oxide in the artery lining. The nitric oxide relaxes the artery and this lowers the blood flow resistance, which then leads to a drop in the pressure.

May Reduce Heart Disease Risk

, Several studies indicate that chocolate will reduce the amount of cholesterol lodged in the arteries, in the long term. This lowers the risk of heart disease.

Protects the Skin from UV Radiation

Dark chocolate contains bioactive compounds proven to protect the skin from UV radiation of the sun. The flavanols in the dark chocolate also improve blood flow to the skin; improve skin hydration, as well as the skin density.

It Could Improve Brain Function

One NCBI study found that eating high-flavanol chocolate for five days improves blood flow to the brain. Cacao could also improve the cognitive function in older adults with mental impairment.

Avocado and Vanilla Extract

Avocados have a host of benefits including:

• Heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids
• Fiber
• It can lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels
• High in potassium
• Healthy fats for ketosis

Vanilla extract, on the other hand, offers health benefits such as treating acne, improved hair growth, reduced inflammation, protects the heart, prevents chronic diseases, and much more.

Conclusion

The health benefits you will get from a keto chocolate shake will depend on the extra ingredients you add to the shake. However, the above recipe will give you the nutrients you need to keep your body in ketosis. The trick, however, is to use dark chocolate with a high cocoa content or use 100% cacao powder.