Cardigan weather is officially here so why not make those chilly evenings even cosier with a mug of ZOJO Magic Cocoa? This healthy hot chocolate style drink is a nutritional winter-warmer in more ways than one.
I love discovering healthy alternatives to everyday luxuries and a steaming mug of hot cocoa is the ultimate comforting drink when the weather turns colder. Whilst I enjoy the sugary sweetness of a traditional hot chocolate with all the glorious whipped cream and marshmallow trimmings, I do prefer keeping them to a weekend treat, so when I discovered ZOJO Magic Cocoa, I thought it would be the ideal alternative to sip every day throughout autumn and winter.
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ZOJO Magic Cocoa is a really healthy treat that's described as a 'vegan yogi potion' and as a 'high vibrations chillout cocoa with mushrooms'. To me and you, it's an extremely cocoa-rich infusion with three different types of mushroom extracts and the added bonus of Ashwagandha, one of the most popular and beneficial herbs that's been used in Ayurveda circles for centuries. Comprised of just these five potent and natural ingredients, there's no added sugar or anything else in the formula which makes it suitable for vegans.
The full ingredients are as follows, all of which are from organic farming:-
- Cocoa Powder (70%)
- Lion's Mane Mushrooms Powder (10%)
- Maitake Mushrooms Powder (10%)
- Reishi Mushrooms Powder (5%)
- Ashwagandha Roots Powder (5%)
What are the health benefits?
Mushrooms have become a lot more popular and better researched over the years, and certain varieties are often used in supplements to boost health in a number of ways. Lion's Mane has been proven to be beneficial for supporting gut health in particular and has a host of antioxidant properties that are useful for maintaining a healthy heart and brain. Reishi is famed for its anti-inflammatory benefits and is a credible ingredient to boost your immune system with, whilst the slightly lesser-known Maitake is beneficial for balancing blood sugar levels.
My favourite Ayurvedic herb Ashwagandha is a fascinating adaptogen that works wonders on helping the brain and the body to reduce the damaging symptoms of stress by reducing cortisol levels, so if you suffer from depression and/or anxiety, I highly recommend looking into it. It's also useful for lowering blood sugar levels and it helps to improve memory abilities thanks to its antioxidant profile.
And then we have Cocoa Powder, when in its unadulterated state is packed full of polyphenols which improve blood flow to the brain, helping to boost your mood into a positive state. Cocoa Powder is well researched for being beneficial for lowering blood pressure, improving cholesterol levels and there are some interesting studies which show that it can help to keep your weight in check too.
To try the ZOJO Magic Cocoa for yourself, just add two level tablespoons to hot water or hot milk/milk alternative. Stir well and enjoy. It can be drunk in the morning to give you an energy boost first thing, in the afternoon as a healthy-pick-me-up and also in the evenings to help calm your mind.
What does it taste like?
It tastes like a very rich, high-quality dark chocolate and I couldn't taste any of the other ingredients so don't worry if you don't like the flavour of mushrooms! As there's no sugar added, there is a sharp bitterness which personally I don't mind as I eat a lot of dark chocolate, but you can add a little sweetener to make it more palatable if needed - I'd recommend a little Agave syrup or a pinch of raw Coconut Sugar.
Overall thoughts?
At £29 for a large 150g glass jar, ZOJO Magic Cocoa is a vegan-friendly, organic and luxury elixir that will certainly appeal to the most health-conscious of us, and for me personally, the benefits are certainly worth the indulgent price tag. It truly takes a 'healthy cup of hot chocolate' to a whole new level!
ZOJO Magic Cocoa* (£29, 150g) is available from LoveLula.com
Have you tried anything like this before?
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