This is a super easy, delicious homemade treat!! It's got all the good stuff, whole food ingredients with organic sweetness.
Seriously, it's so easy anybody can make it!
Foodstuff:
Oats, ½ c
Water,1 c
Bananas, 2
Cocoa powder, 2 tbsp
Dates, 5
Dark chocolate chips, ¼ c
Maple syrup, 2 tbsp
Macadamia nuts, 2 tbsp, chopped
Walnuts, 2 tbsp, chopped
Cashews, 2 tbsp
Peanut butter, 2 tbsp
Methods:
Mix oats and water first, then add everything else in except for macadamia nuts and walnuts and blend. Add the rest of the nuts on top, coconut flakes, and freeze for 3 hours.
Now that you know the what and the how, here’s the WHY behind the nutrient-boosting properties of this smart and healthy dessert choice.
Nutrition Facts:
Oats + water create a soluble fiber that forms a gel-like consistency and helps curve blood sugar spikes and move digestion along smoothly.
Banana contains the amino acid l-tryptophan which is a precursor for 5-HTP which makes #serotonin and #melatonin, the hormones that help regulate mood and induce/maintain sleep.
95% of #serotonin is made in the gut, therefore bananas along with other foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan, like salmon, nuts and seeds, eggs, tofu, pineapple can help improve/regulate mood via increasing serotonin production in the gut.
Bananas also contain pectin, another soluble fiber that aids in digestion and keeping the gut bacteria in your microbiome in a happy state that is beneficial to you.
Cocoa powder and cocoa from dark chocolate are extremely rich in flavanols and polyphenols, which upregulate antioxidant activity in the body to help lower inflammation as well as regulate blood sugar levels.
Cocoa also helps in weight loss by increasing production of new mitochondria, which are responsible for providing energy to the cell. An increase in mitochondria means an increase in energy burning capacity.
Cocoa also offers neuroprotection and enhances cognition and mood and enhances the immune cells response to allergens. Too much is not good, though, because cocoa is high in saturated fat which may increase susceptibility to weight gain when you consume too much at once.
Dates are a wonderful source of carbohydrates for energy. They are rich in phosphorus, iron, potassium, calcium, and have antioxidant, anti- inflammatory properties. Below is a graphic derived from Rahmani et al. (2014) on the therapeutic effects of date fruits.
Nut consumption is associated with reduced risk for chronic diseases. They are significant sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and fatty acids.
Walnuts help lower risk for cardiovascular disease, improve blood lipid profile, endothelial function, and omega-3 fatty acids. Adding walnuts to the diet in replacement of less nutritious foods improves overall diet quality and leads to lower daily energy intake.
Peanuts have shown to be a therapeutic food in diabetes and improve glycemic response after eating. Peanuts have an impressive fat profile that supports heart health and contains vitamin E, niacin, and magnesium to help lower inflammation and regulate energy levels.
Macadamia nuts and cashews contain healthy fats that improve cholesterol levels and ratios of good (HDL-C) to bad cholesterol.
References:
de Souza RGM, Schincaglia RM, Pimentel GD, Mota JF. Nuts and Human Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017;9(12):1311. Published 2017 Dec 2. doi:10.3390/nu9121311
Latif R. Health benefits of cocoa. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2013 Nov;16(6):669-74. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0b013e328365a235. PMID: 24100674.
Rahmani AH, Aly SM, Ali H, Babiker AY, Srikar S, Khan AA. Therapeutic effects of date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera) in the prevention of diseases via modulation of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-tumour activity. Int J Clin Exp Med. 2014;7(3):483-491. Published 2014 Mar 15.