My friend knows I am conscious about my health and what I eat. So she made this amazing dark chocolate mousse dessert that is cholesterol friendly and heart friendly. Imagine decadence that is good for you!It uses avocados instead of butter, oil or eggs. Sounded gross to me, but I tried it and it turns out it tasted delicious and felt silky and smooth on the tongue - fabulous!Why is this so great? Eating one avocado a day as a part of a moderate-fat diet can help lower bad (LDL) cholesterol, while improving total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Moreover dark chocolate helps regulate levels of the stress hormone cortisol, often implicated in heart disease.On top of that, it is incredibly easy to make. If your friends or family are food fussy, don't mention the avocado part. They will never notice and will think you just made them a special treat.Below is the recipe which she sent me and I tried.
Serves 2 to 4
- 1 large ripe avocado (or two small ones) (I used 2 small ones)
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate melted (at least 70%)
- At least ½ cup almond or soy milk (usually need to add more or it will be too thick!)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons (or to your taste) honey. She used Stevia (Truvia actually)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp espresso powder or you can use instant coffee crystals or powder
- In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate over hot water, or in the microwave. Stir until smooth, cool slightly.
- Put remaining ingredients in a food processor bowl or in a blender, and add cooled chocolate mixture. Blend until completely smooth. If it seems too thick, add more milk to get desired consistency. It does get more solidified after you chill it.
- Spoon into dessert cups. Serve well-chilled, with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
So how do you know if the avocado in this recipe and others are really helping your cholesterol and heart? Run your own personal experiment! If you have existing lab results for cholesterol, connect to your clinic using Hello Heart (iOS, Android) so you can review your cholesterol levels and trends on your iPhone or Android device. Start including avocados in your meal plans, like this dessert. Pay attention to your next cholesterol reading and see if the little change of incorporating avocados, has a positive impact.
1. Gazit T, Gutman M, Beatty AL. Assessment of Hypertension Control Among Adults Participating in a Mobile Technology Blood Pressure Self-management Program. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(10):e2127008, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.27008. Accessed October 19, 2022. (Some study authors are employed by Hello Heart. Because of the observational nature of the study, causal conclusions cannot be made. See additional important study limitations in the publication. This study showed that 108 participants with baseline blood pressure over 140/90 who had been enrolled in the program for 3 years and had application activity during weeks 148-163 were able to reduce their blood pressure by 21 mmHg using the Hello Heart program.) (2) Livongo Health, Inc. Form S-1 Registration Statement. https:/www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639225/000119312519185159/d731249ds1.htm. Published June 28, 2019. Accessed October 19, 2022. (In a pilot study that lasted six weeks, individuals starting with a blood pressure of greater than 140/90 mmHg, on average, had a 10 mmHG reduction.) NOTE: This comparison is not based on a head-to-head study, and the difference in results may be due in part to different study protocols.
2. Validation Institute. 2021 Validation Report (Valid Through October 2022). https://validationinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hello_Heart-Savings-2021- Final.pdf. Published October 2021. Accessed October 19, 2022. (This analysis was commissioned by Hello Heart, which provided a summary report of self-fundedemployer client medical claims data for 203 Hello Heart users and 200 non-users from 2017-2020. Findings have not been subjected to peer review.)
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