A Nighttime Treat

I enjoy reading diet and food related books. While I tend to dislike most uses of the word “diet”, over the years I’ve developed my own health philosophy by taking bits and pieces from the different things I read. I rarely agree with everything in a single book, but there is usually something even in the most farfetched that I can gain from.

A few years ago I read The Good Mood Diet by Dr. Susan Kleiner, a sports nutritionist, modern dancer who used her knowledge to examine the links between food, mood and weight loss.

I am a big believer that the foods we eat directly affect our mood and mental wellbeing so I found many parts of the book interesting.

There was one particular practice she spoke of in the book that stuck with me. I have incorporated it into most of my days – nightly hot chocolate.

In the book Dr. Kleiner recommends a nightly cup of homemade hot chocolate for a few reasons.

- The whey protein in milk contains tryptophan which raises serotonin levels and can help relax you.

- The cocoa is a treat and has natural phytochemicals.

- Drinking the hot chocolate creates a bedtime ritual.

The book recommends non-dutched cocoa powder and sweetener. You know how I feel about artificial sweeteners so I simply use sugar. I’m sure any other natural sweetener would work too.

I take the easy route and put about 2 T of cocoa in a mug with about ½ t sugar. I add a little milk and mix it well, creating a paste. A milk frother works great for this. I have the Aerolatte Milk Frother and it is one of my most used kitchen gadgets.

I then heat up the rest of my milk, about 1 cup in the microwave. I add it to my mug and mix well.

This is an especially great treat during the winter when I tend to drink it more. It really does have a calming effect and I am glad to know what ingredients are in it as opposed to when using a packaged mix.

Have you picked up any good habits from the health/nutrition books you’ve come across?

Photo by Chance Agrella, www.freerangestock.com