Saturday Share - Easy Hot Cocoa vs. Instant Mix
On dreary cold, rainy days I like to indulge with a cup of hot cocoa. In the past, I would buy the large canister of (name removed since I don’t want to get sued). In reading labels on several of these mixes, I learned that the ingredients are about the same on all of them.
This started as a short post to give you my healthy, delicious recipe for a cup of hot cocoa that’s an alternative to the mixes you buy at the store.
That recipe is at the end of this post if you want to skip the research I did on these instant hot chocolate mixes.
Since I’m all about staying healthy, I think it’s important to share with you what I discovered about the questionable ingredients in instant cocoa mixes so you can make an informed decision before consuming them.
Questionable? OMG. This led me down a rabbit hole, and I learned far more about the ingredients that convinced me I didn’t want them in anything I consumed. Those ingredients begin with sugar and corn syrup (2 forms of sugar!!)
This is what I learned about the ingredients that are listed after the sugars and what can be surprising side effects from them. Here’s what I learned about those ingredients in order of prominence.Modified whey—a form of whey protein that has been altered through chemical, physical, or enzymatic processes.
Coca processed with alkali—this is what is called “Dutch-processed” cocoa which means the cocoa beans are treated with an alkaline solution like potassium carbonate.
This neutralizes their natural acidity and results in a milder taste, darker color, and improved solubility. Unfortunately, it also reduces the beneficial antioxidant content (the flavanols) which is the main health benefit of cocoa.
Hydrogenated coconut oil—coconut oil that has had hydrogen added to it to make it more solid and extend its shelf life. This hydrogenation process creates trans fats, which can increase one’s risk of heart disease.
Nonfat milk—milk that has had all of its fat removed. This is a good source of the benefits from milk, but the problem is that the fat was removed and replaced by the hydrogenated cocnut oil.
Salt—1 serving gives 170mg sodium which is 7% of the daily value. To give you an idea of what amount that might be, 1/4 teaspoon is 575 milligrams so I guess 170mg isn’t too much.
Dipotassium phosphate—can cause side effects like muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, and gastrointestinal issues as well as allergic reactions like itching, swelling, rash, and difficulty breathing.
Mono-and dyglycerides—a type of food additive classified as emulsifiers. They help mix oil and water together and are typically derived from vegetable oils. They are considered generally safe if consumed in normal amounts.
Problems arise when someone consuming them are also eating a diet high in saturated fats. (I imagine since these ingredients are in many food products people can consume too much without realizing it.) Potential side effects can include increased risk of heart disease if consumed in large quantities.
Natural flavor—Wow. This one is really problematic because food manufacturers are not required to tell consumers the source of the natural flavor.
You should know that “natural flavors” may come from plant or animal sources, but the process of extracting and manipulating the flavor compounds happens in a lab.
I think the “generally considered safe” label probably doesn’t mean anything because the potential for allergic reaction is real since the consumer doesn’t know the source of the flavor. Where’s the transparency regarding souce, processing, etc.?
MY RECIPE FOR EASY HOT COCOA
Joan Reeves aka SlingWords: The Word Slinging Adventures of Joan Reeves
Source: https://slingwords.blogspot.com/2025/02/saturday-share-easy-hot-cocoa-vs-instant mix.html
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