I am reading Dr S's book, The Lyme Disease Solution. He says that one thing that helps to increase your NK cells (CD57),is to eat sugar-free, organic dark chocolate. The only chocolate bars I am finding out there have maltitiol in them, and I am not sure if this is ok on my Candida diet.
Any ideas?
**edited name of LLMD**
[ 10-02-2011, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: Lymetoo ]
Posted by jlp38 (Member # 27221) on :
I believe that is a sugar alcohol, which should be fine.
You can also buy unsweetened chocolate bars, melt them down and add Stevia or xylitol to taste. I like to mix them and use a little of each. I also add a pile of almonds and sometimes some peanut butter. If you're not used to xylitol, go slow with it as it can be hard to digest until you get used to it.
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
Oops, sorry I didn't reply to this earlier.
jlp - please forgive me for disagreeing with you. All sugar alcohols promote candida growth, except for xylitol.
I tried for a long time to find xylitol chocolates. I thought I had found some, and I purchased them, but they had erythritol in them (another yeast-feeding sugar alcohol).
Please tell us if you end up finding some!
But as a precautionary note: chocolate also has caffeine, which also promotes candida growth. This is something to be watchful for, IMO.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
Try a dark chocolate with a higher % cocoa, generally higher percentage cocoa has less sugar.
I like the Lindt 70% Cocoa dark chocolate bars. They are very rich tasting and satisfying. One square has only about 3 grams of sugar. This is not much sugar when eaten with a meal.
quote:Originally posted by whitmore: I mix organic cocoa powder into kefir. Add stevia to taste. Yum!
Great idea!! Thanks. I gotta try that.
Posted by jlp38 (Member # 27221) on :
All right, all right, I guess I'm outvoted on the sugar alcohols.
I've only used xylitol. I didn't know it was that much different than the other sugar alcohols. I do try to buy birch xylitol, rather than corn. I don't know if it matters or not, but I know corn is so often GMO. Stevia might be the best bet.
Chocolate kefir sounds really good. I'm gonna try it too. Now Ive just gotta scrounge up some kefir grains.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Dekrator has a chocolate yummy that is sugar free. Maybe she will see this.***
When I have to have chocolate, I buy Lindt 85%. You can also buy 90%... less sugar.
Search or call about there 100%, 99% ranges. They contain no sugar or sugar substitutes.
You would want to melt with a bit of stevia (from the plant source, not splenda and not anything else artificial.
If you melt one ounce with a slight touch of stevia - in with NUTS - this will all flavor, texture, fiber, protein and some good fats.
In some stores, you can fine 85% DARK. I would not go lower than that. 85% has about 5 grams of sugar compared to the 15 grams in a 72%.
If eaten with nuts or soon after a meal, the tiny bit of sugar in an 85% bar may have little effect and can actually help prevent a herx-like reaction if toxins have shot porphyrin levels up, as happens a lot for lyme patients.
Still, if you have active candida, you may want to avoid anything but the cocoa powder, mixed with walnut oil - or the 99% - 100% chocolate.
Remember, chocolate, itself contains no sugar. What we often call chocolate is just crappy candy.
Get the real stuff for the full medicinal effect. It can be very good in may ways at just one ounce a day. You can also put cocoa powder in almond milk, with a touch of stevia, hot or cold (just mix the powder first into a paste with a little bit of liquid). -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Be sure to know the SOURCE of the chocolate. Some contains lead. Some cocoa powders may contain aluminum.
Organic, Fair-Trade dark chocolate is what you want to find, ideally. Yes, it costs more but, remember, this is medicine for your brain, your heart, your blood vessels. I figure in the cost for one ounce a day - and make it high priority. It's my anti-depressant, for sure.
Third-party Fair-Trade certification ensures that slave labor is not involved in the process but, also, that the people who do the work are not short changed. Usually, Fair-Trade also implies a kind of environmental stewardship as well.
Gluten-free should also be listed on chocolate that we get.
Mercola's site search: Chocolate - many interesting articles.
You might also search his site for: Cocoa-Cassava bars -
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
Keebler - thanks again for the excellent info. Spectacular. Posted by Kudzuslipper (Member # 31915) on :
for those that want to risk the real thing...dark chocolate with sugar...
Trader Joes, has Belgium Dark chocolate covered almonds ( I believe they are 73%) They are with all their other candies. I figure between the almonds and the dark chocolate you are not getting too much sugar. two or three satisfy me (and believe me I have been known to go through a bag of hershey kisses)
what do you all think about Dr S's claim that Dark Chocolate can increase killer cells?
**edited name of LLMD**
[ 10-02-2011, 09:39 PM: Message edited by: Lymetoo ]
Posted by MannaMe (Member # 33330) on :
I've melted coconut oil & butter & added cocoa powder & a bit of sea salt & honey for a "good for me" chocolate candy. You could use stevia instead of honey.
I poured it into little pie tins & froze it until cool.
If I remember right I also did one without cocoa powder and added pecan meal or was it almond meal. That one was for my hubby.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by MannaMe:
I've melted coconut oil & butter & added cocoa powder & a bit of sea salt & honey for a "good for me" chocolate candy. You could use stevia instead of honey.
- There is a similar recipe posted above. See the link I posted.
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
Thanks for posting the link to my yummy treat, Lymetoo!
I'll repost here if that makes it easier for anyone...
I was amazed how good this tastes...like dark chocolate milk!...
UNSWEETENED coconut milk (I have "SO Delicious" brand with the green label) + carob powder = YUMMY!
Carob contains no caffeine, no chocloate, and no sugar.
Also very good: organic extra virgin coconut oil (melted a little) + carob powder + organic almond butter or other nut butter(optional)...you can even mix in some gluten free oats and it tastes like a dark chocolate no bake cookie! Yum!!
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
Kudzu - Concerning Dr. S's claim about dark chocolate increasing NK cells:
I think that we have to weight the dangers and benefits. There are many benefits of dark chocolate (one of which might be increasing NK cells), but we must not forget that the caffeine and sugar in most forms of dark chocolate will feed the yeast.
If someone was not on abx, I would say: "Eat dark chocolate every day without worrying about a thing!" But personally, now that I'm on abx, I don't think it's in the "100% safe" category, so I don't have it often.
ACTUALLY, the first time I had dark chocolate in the last 5 months was just a few days ago, after reading this thread! I got a little loose. I might have it a few times a month, now that you guys have desensitized me a little.
I so much wanted to have a little wine today, but then I said "that's too much cheating".
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I haven't tried this yet, Dekrator... I can't wait. I just haven't been able to get to the health food store for the carob!
Posted by Kudzuslipper (Member # 31915) on :
Ok...so since you guys persuaded me to cut out the Wine... I had to search for something! expensive... but may be worth it... doesn't say organic... also found this same thing on Amazon.
Keebler, I couldn't find unsweetened organic chocolate on cocosphere to make my own...what do you use?
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kudzuslipper: Ok...so since you guys persuaded me to cut out the Wine... I had to search for something! expensive... but may be worth it... doesn't say organic... also found this same thing on Amazon.
Keebler, I couldn't find unsweetened organic chocolate on cocosphere to make my own...what do you use?
$32 a pound?! #@(*#&$(#@*$&# Too expensive!
Someone please tell me how I can find out what one pound of gold weighs. I wanna compare prices. Posted by Kudzuslipper (Member # 31915) on :
LOL...gold is still more...from Wikianswers.com
"926.34 per ounce x 16 ounces in a pound = 14,821.44 per pound of gold."
but gold will probably increase in value...and chocolate will just get eaten!
but what is $32 after an LLMD visit?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kudzuslipper:
but what is $32 after an LLMD visit?
- Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo:
quote:Originally posted by Kudzuslipper:
but what is $32 after an LLMD visit?
-
I agree, that was a funny statement!
After spending so many hundreds (or rather, thousands) of dollars on this stupid disease, money has a different meaning to me. $500 is what I call "cheap" now, whereas last year I would've been like: "$500?! Why is it so expensive?!"
It's wieid how our perceptions change after being forced to spend so much money.
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