Who’s ready for some piping hot Jamaican chocolate tea? Can’t say I blame you! This awesome drink is yet another of our traditional drinks that forms a part of our heritage. This is also called cocoa tea in Jamaica. And what makes it so awesome? Apart from its great taste, it is also packed with nutrients that provide major health benefits. So what makes up this great tea? Let’s take a look. From a simple recipe, you would need the actual chocolate sticks or balls, (processed from the cocoa bean) if you’re making the traditional tea or the store-bought cocoa or chocolate powder, along with nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, sugar, milk, and of course water. Some persons also add a little vanilla. So much greatness in one cup!
So what is it about this delicious hot beverage that has got Jamaicans sipping? Let’s look at 10 health benefits of drinking Jamaican Chocolate Tea.
It Improves Brain Function - Cocoa may improve the function of your brain. As we know, an under-performing brain can significantly affect any quality of life such as memory, sleep, mood and just your general well-being. However, with regular consumption of chocolate tea, you can remove these. It contains polyphenol which is known to improve blood flow within the body.
It Elevates The Mood - The cocoa in chocolate tea can increase feelings of happiness. A happy feeling is an essential part of our lives. A lack of happiness can drastically affect all aspects of our lives negatively. Fortunately for you, cocoa holds the power to elevate or improve feelings of happiness and joy due to the flavanols it contains. These are considered to be responsible for the positive effect on our mood.
It Helps To Boost Sexual Function - The cocoa in the chocolate tea is known to help with boosting or enhancing sexual performance.
It Improves Heart Health - Who doesn’t want a healthy heart? The epicatechin, procyanidin, and other flavonoids found in cocoa help to relax blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow to the heart and the arteries while at the same time lowering high blood pressure for those who suffer from hypertension.
It Provides Protection From Cancer - This is another big one. Cocoa may protect you from developing cancer! The flavanols found in cocoa not only produce mood-enhancing effects as I mentioned earlier, but they also help to ensure all the cells of the body are correctly formed. As a result, it lowers your overall risk of developing cancer (the cells in your body are identically replaced every second when this does not happen, a cancer is formed).
The cinnamon which is included in the tea also helps to reduce your risk of developing cancer. It is packed with antioxidants which are incredibly beneficial to the body. Among the numerous tasks, that antioxidants assist with, it also helps the body to effectively formulate and maintain cell production, thus reducing your overall risk of developing cancer.
Photo: Homemade Jamaican Chocolate Tea Sticks
It Reduces Inflammation - The cinnamon contained in the tea helps to lower inflammation in the body. Inflammation usually occurs through injury, illness and or poor dietary conditions. In cases where chronic inflammation is detected, consuming this spice in your diet such as in chocolate tea will help to reduce your overall symptoms, helping you have a more pain-free life.
It Helps To Prevent Diabetes - Again, cinnamon can help to prevent diabetes. Diabetes is a lifelong illness that happens when the body either stops producing insulin or it becomes resistant to its effects. This condition is known as insulin resistance. This wonder spice called cinnamon can help prevent this by improving the sensitivity of your cells towards the hormone. Again consuming this regularly in your chocolate tea amplifies your chances of being diabetes-free.
It Helps To Detoxify The Body - The nutmeg used in chocolate tea is fantastic for detoxifier for the body. On a daily basis, the body is continuously infested with harmful substances and toxins. These toxins are located in the air, in our foods and even in our drinks. Fortunately, the powerful antioxidants that are found in nutmeg help the body to remove these toxins.
It Helps With Pain Relief - The nutmeg contains pain-relieving properties and when used in the chocolate tea, helps those who are suffering from chronic pain as a natural remedy for pain reduction and relief.
It Helps With Insomnia - Once again, the nutmeg in your chocolate tea may relieve the symptoms of insomnia. You can expect to get a good night’s rest when you drink your hot chocolate tea with nutmeg in the mix as it produces a calming effect on both your mind and body before sleep.
Well, there’s your answer. I don’t know how else to say it so I will ask a question. Is there any reason why you would not want to have a hot cup of chocolate tea after seeing all of these amazing health benefits? I think not (unless you are pregnant – only consume a small amount as it could cause complications and even a miscarriage). As a matter of fact, I’m gonna get some right now, lol. You should too!
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