If you are looking for a good reason to eat more chocolate, you’ve got it. Not only is it delicious, chocolate made from raw cacao is incredibly healthy, and specifically supports heart health. February is “Heart Health” month. Just in time, here’s our Easy, Delicious Valentine’s Keto Chocolate Truffles with many chocolate heart health benefits!

Easy, Delicious Valentine’s Keto Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup canned coconut milk cream (dig out solid portion) or organic heavy cream
• 10 oz. dark chocolate, at least 70% cacao, divided (such as Simple Truth Organic)
• 2 tablespoons organic coconut oil OR organic unsalted butter
• ¼-½ teaspoon organic liquid stevia, or to taste
• Pinch sea salt, optional

Optional add-ins:

• 2 teaspoons Keto Zone® MCT Oil Powder (Dutch Chocolate Flavor) 
• 2 teaspoons Keto Zone® Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder (Chocolate Flavor)
• 2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
• 1 teaspoons red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped orange or lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons cocoa nibs
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped nuts or 2 Tbsp nut butter

Instructions:

1. In a heavy pan on the stovetop, bring the coconut milk (or heavy cream) to a boil. Or, using a glass bowl, heat the coconut milk in a microwave for 60 seconds on high.
2. Remove coconut milk from heat.  Stir in 6 ounces of the dark chocolate (should be about ¾ cup or 171 grams). Stir continuously until melted and smooth.  If using a microwave, place the mixture back in the microwave and heat for an additional 15-20 seconds at a time, stirring in between heating, until melted and smooth.
3. If desired, stir in one of the optional add-ins.
4. Cover the mixture tightly and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or freeze for about 20-30 minutes, until firm but not solid.
5. Meanwhile,  place a spoon or melon baller in the freezer for 15 minutes.
6. Once the chocolate and coconut milk mixture is firm, use a spoon or melon baller to create the round truffles. Set aside.
7. Combine the remaining chocolate, coconut oil or butter, and stevia in a saucepan or glass bowl.  Heat and melt mixture over medium heat on stove top, or microwave on high in 15-20 seconds intervals. Stir continuously on stove top or between intervals in the microwave.
8. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or waxed paper. Dip truffles into the melted chocolate mixture using a fork or toothpick. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.  Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, if desired, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to harden.  Enjoy!
9. To get fancy for Valentine’s Day in the name of heart health, make several varieties of the truffles like you’d find in boxed chocolates.  After making the original chocolate and cream  mixture, pour it into greased muffin pan circles and add different “optional add-ins” into each. Be careful to reduce the amount of each add-in according to how much mixture is in each circle. Follow instructions as written otherwise.

Makes ~24 truffles.

Nutrition Information (per truffle without add-ins): 83 calories, 7 gram fat, 4 grams net carbs (6 grams total carbs, 2 grams fiber), 1 gram protein

Science-Backed Chocolate Heart Health and Whole Body Benefits 

First, let’s get through the names and spelling. Chocolate is made from cocoa or cacao beans. These two names are often used interchangeably. However, cacao is processed differently. 

Raw cacao is made from fermented, dried, and unroasted cacao beans. Cocoa beans are roasted at high heat, damaging some of the living nutrient components and reducing the flavanols by up to 60%. While cocoa still provides benefits, cacao is superior for health. (1).

Choose raw cacao and cacao products whenever possible. Here’s why.

Cacao Supports Heart Health and Reduces Inflammation

It starts with nitric oxide. When it increases artery dilation and blood flow, it reduces blood pressure especially in older adults and those with hypertension (2, 3).

What’s more, cacao may reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.  One review of over 157,000 people showed that higher chocolate consumption was associated with a significantly lower risk of heart issues, stroke and death (4).

Reducing inflammation is also important for heart health. Cacao’s flavanols reduce proinflammatory cytokines while increasing anti-inflammatory ones (5).

Lastly, cocoa may reduce bad LDL cholesterol and has a blood thinning effect similar to aspirin.

Beyond Chocolate Heart Health, Cacao Provides More Health Benefits in Addition to Heart Health

1.  Cacao Supports Brain Function and Stress Reduction

Let’s start here.

Cacao contains health-benefiting compounds called flavanols. They cross the blood-brain barrier to affect brain health and mood (6).

One flavanol is phenethylamine (PEA). It has natural pain- and stress-reducing properties. It also increases endorphins to improve focus.

What’s more, cacao improves mood by raising serotonin levels and contains theobromine, a mild stimulant sometimes used in the treatment of depression.

Increased blood flow encourages optimal brain health. Cacao’s flavanols increase blood levels of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide dilates arteries to improve blood flow.

One study resulted in an increase of more than 40% in blood flow in post-menopausal women compared to the control (7). Another study of older adults showed an increase of 10% brain blood flow with just 2 weeks of cacao consumption (8).

There’s more to these keto chocolate truffles.

2. Cacao Promotes Better Energy 

In addition to a small amount of caffeine, cacao delivers anti-fatigue nutrients. These include (9): 

• Iron. Cacao is high in absorbable iron, which increases oxygen delivery to the cells.*
• Magnesium. One serving of cacao provides 100 mg of magnesium, ~25% of daily needs. Magnesium is typically deficient in adults. Adequate magnesium is associated with better energy, better sleep, fewer muscle cramps (including night cramps), and better overall health.*
• Nitric Oxide (NO). When cacao’s flavanols increase NO, they help the body deliver and use oxygen better in the cells, decreasing fatigue.*

A small study from London showed a decrease in fatigue symptoms, in those with conditions involving fatigue, after 8 weeks of cacao treatment (10).

3. Cacao Encourages Insulin Sensitivity

When cells are more sensitive to insulin, they are healthier. They deal with carbohydrates better, require less insulin to store them, and store less fat.

The flavanols encourage insulin sensitivity, and they (8):

• Slow down carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the gut*
• Improve insulin secretion*
• Stimulate the uptake of sugar out of the blood into the muscle*
• Lower risk of unhealthy blood sugars*

4. Cacao Fights Cellular Overgrowth

Individual components of cacao have been shown to induce “harmful cell” death and prevent the spread of these cells in test tube studies (9).

In animal studies, scientists have found that cacao components support breast, pancreatic, prostate, blood, liver and colon cell health (9).

The animal and human studies are promising, but general. More research is needed.

5. Cacao Reduces Free Radical Damage

Sure, free radical damage sounds bad. But what is it and what causes it?

Unfortunately, most everything around you can cause it.

In fact, sun exposure, cigarette smoke, toxic chemicals in the environment and foods, pollution, and even some of our own body’s biochemical reactions can cause free radical damage and its accumulated oxidative stress.

When we consume antioxidants, we consume compounds that neutralize free radicals and work to heal cells.

Cacao has more than 300 different antioxidant chemical compounds and more than 20 times the antioxidant power of blueberries. And while other foods’ antioxidants diminish with time, cacao has demonstrated stability in samples over 75 years old (10)!

Our keto chocolate truffles are just what your heart needs!

Bottom Line

What more could you want this Valentine’s Day? Choose raw cacao and raw cacao products for the most chocolate heart health benefits. Enjoy delicious keto chocolate truffles with loved one’s this month!