Heart-Healthy Hot Chocolate

There's Health Benefits to Hot Chocolate!?

Yes babe, it's a thing! There’s something deeply comforting about a mug of hot chocolate. But this version is not just cozy; it’s good for your heart and brain, too. I’ve been making this drink for myself pretty much daily lately, because there’s actually solid science showing raw cacao can have protective benefits. And when you add warming spices like cinnamon, turmeric, and a pinch of black pepper it becomes a little ritual of wellness.

I truly believe one cannot make health claims like these without citing the science, so I took the liberty of fully nerding out for you. I hyperlinked my citations directly to the numbers behind the claims, if you care to check them out.

Why Raw Cacao Is a Powerhouse

Raw cacao is packed with flavanols, a type of polyphenol that research has shown helps support cardiovascular health. Epicatechin, the flavanols found in raw cacao help with vasodilation. This is the ability of your blood vessels to relax and widen, which improves circulation and lowers blood pressure. It is a key marker of vascular health and the main reason flavanols in cacao are so highly studied (1, 2, 3).

But it’s not just your heart that may benefit. There’s emerging evidence suggesting flavanol-rich cocoa can boost cognitive function through improved blood flow to the brain, resulting in better processing speed. Even better insulin sensitivity have been observed in older adults after daily flavanol intake (4). A study using fMRI showed that after consuming higher-polyphenol dark chocolate, participants performed cognitive tasks with less effort. Their brains were literally working more efficiently (5).

What the Extra Spices Add

I add this little spice trio to make this hot chocolate a truly functional, wholesome beverage:

• Cinnamon: Truth be told, this spice is primarily for the addition of sweet and warm flavours that I find go so well with the dark, bitter cacao. Though it also has been linked to healthier blood sugar and lipid metabolism. While it’s not a cure-all, some long-term observational studies suggest spice consumption (including cinnamon) may lower cardiovascular risk (6), being a more-than-perfect contribution to this beverage.

• Turmeric: This one is probably nothing new. Turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, is widely known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, lowering risk of cardiovascular disease and inflammation in the brain (7).

• Black pepper: If you're familiar with turmeric's benefits, you probably also know that the piperine in black pepper dramatically improves the absorption of curcumin (the beneficial compound in turmeric). In fact, when used together, piperine can boost curcumin’s bioavailability by up to 2,000% (8).

Heart-Healthy Hot Chocolate Recipe

Here’s how I make my go-to version. It’s super simple, and you can tweak it to your taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 heaping tablespoon raw cacao powder

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon turmeric

• A pinch (just a little) of black pepper

• ½ cup unsweetened soy milk

• ½ cup boiling water

• Optional: sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, stevia, etc.)

Instructions:

1. In a mug, whisk together the cacao, cinnamon, turmeric, and black pepper.

2. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until fully blended — you’re creating a rich, dark base.

3. Add the soy milk, and stir gently until smooth and warm.
   NOTE: If you prefer a creamier, milky drink, simply swap out the water for 1 full cup of warmed soy milk. You’ll get a richer texture and still all the benefits.

4. Taste, and if you want it a bit sweeter, add your sweetener little by little.

Let this be a true hug in a mug for you, especially now that winter is on its way (at least here in Canada). I am happy you are here :)