The other day, I had the most undeniable craving for chocolate at breakfast.
When I asked Leo if that sounded good to him, he got the most adorable look of awe on his face. Right then and there I started pilfering through the pantry and this Cacao Crunch Breakfast Cereal was underway. And wow, did it hit the spot. (Leo obviously agrees.)
This might sound like a wild and weird thing for a holistic nutritionist to crave at breakfast, but there’s real wisdom in enjoying this superpowered ingredient to start the day. Especially in the summer.
Cacao (note that I didn’t say ‘chocolate,’) contains several properties that make it a super-balancer for pitta dosha and an exceptional superfood. This applies specifically to cacao that is raw, unprocessed and unsweetened or sweetened with unrefined sugars. In this form, cacao is inherently bitter, which is one of the six Ayurvedic tastes that cools and clears excess Pitta – the dosha typically highest for most of us who love moving, shaking, doing and achieving. Further, summer is pitta season—when the hot, intense, sharp, oily qualities are most elevated. And, bitter foods help to reduce pitta, cleansing the blood, cooling the liver, and calming inflammation. Think of cacao like nature’s edible shade tree for your overheated body-mind.
For a sophisticated palate, accustomed to bitter cacao flavors, the craving to eat chocolate is absolutely associated with this bitter flavor and the desire to balance pitta fire.
In the case that you’re enjoying a semi-sweet chocolate (there is a quantity of semi-sweet called for in this recipe,) you’re also benefitting from the sweetness of cacao and it’s complimentary ingredients. While cacao itself is bitter/astringent, most chocolate combinations (specifically this breakfast cereal) are paired with naturally sweet, creamy, or unctuous elements. In the case of this breakfast cereal, we’ve got coconut, almonds, and hopefully milk! The sweet flavor is the primary pacifier of Pitta, offering the cool, stable, nourishing vibe that brings balance to summer’s drive and heat. And, if you find yourself enjoying a cacao that is both bitter and sweet (most of them are) you’re benefitting from the sweet components of the chocolate as well.
Lastly, cacao is an unsuspectingly excellent source of magnesium—a mineral known in Ayurveda to soothe the nervous system and support muscle recovery (relevant for hot, active bodies in summer). Magnesium balances both Vata and Pitta—especially if your summer lifestyle involves travel, training, or irregular meals. And as always, eating it instead of supplementing it is preferable.
If the exceptional nutritional reasons to have chocolate for breakfast aren’t compelling enough for you, the sheer joy of eating it is a massive benefit too. Chocolate boosts anandamide (the “bliss molecule”) and serotonin. Boosts in serotonin are synonymous with the Ayurvedic principle of Sattva—the energy of clarity, joy, and harmony central to Ayurvedic philosophy that energizes, and empowers the entire mind body . Cacao can subtly elevate mood and stabilize energy—supporting mental cool-headedness and emotional spaciousness in the heat of summer.
So chocolate for breakfast everyday then?
…ok not so fast. There are some conditions that make eating chocolate and cacao for breakfast NOT ideal.
If you’re already inflamed, irritable, breaking out, or dealing with acid reflux, cacao (especially in processed, high-oxalate, or sugary form) can ignite Pitta further. Use discretion—and always choose high-quality, minimally processed forms like raw cacao nibs, paste, or ceremonial cacao in small amounts. (Luckily, this cereal calls for three of these!)
Is quite the breakfast ceremony. Crunchy puffed cereal, bitter and deep cacao, crunchy almonds and cacao, and little chunks of chocolate woven through. Divine. The addition of cinnamon helps keep this gorgeous, special breakfast treat easy to digest, and I strongly recommend enjoying it with coconut or almond milk to balance the flavor and keep things cool, sweet and balanced. Leo has been loving it as a little topping on his morning quinoa porridge, and I’ve been occasionally having bowls of it as a post-run snack when lunch isn’t far off.
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