Xocai solid chocolates include plain nuggets, omega-enriched squares, probiotic-enriched chocolates and a peanut butter--flavored chocolate. Xocai also makes chocolate beverages, such as protein shakes. All Xocai chocolates are high in antioxidants, and the company claims that they are healthy for your heart. Xocai chocolates contain many more ingredients than just chocolate, so read the label before you eat them. Remember that they may contain allergens, such as soy and milk.
Chocolate
Xocai solid chocolates and chocolate drinks contain dark chocolate, cocoa or both. Dark chocolate is a natural source of iron, which you need for healthy red blood cells, and magnesium, an essential mineral for proper muscle function and a healthy blood pressure. Dark chocolate is high in calories and saturated fat, and a 36 g serving of Xocai nuggets, for example, provides 210 calories and 9 g saturated fat, or 42 percent of the daily value. Cocoa does not contain fat, and Xocai beverages are lower in fat than is solid chocolate.
Sweeteners
Sweeteners in Xocai products include a variety of added sugars, such as glucose, raw cane juice crystals and crystalline fructose. Some Xocai products contain sugar substitutes, such as xylitol and erythritol. These sugar alcohols do not spike your blood sugar levels as much as do added sugars; however, eat them only in moderation because consuming too much can lead to diarrhea, according to the Mayo Clinic. The protein shake from Xocai contains sucralose, a non-nutritive artificial sweetener.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants in Xocai chocolate come from flavonoids in dark chocolate, as well as from the powder of blueberry and acai berry. These flavonoids contribute to the high oxygen radical absorbance capacity, or ORAC, value of Xocai products. Other sources of flavonoids in some varieties of Xocai chocolate include grape concentrate and orange peel. Antioxidants from your diet may reduce cell-damaging activities of chemicals called free radicals in your body, and a higher intake may lower your risk for heart disease, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.
Other Ingredients
Xocai Omega Squares contain ground flaxseed and algae oil, and these ingredients provide heart-healthy, omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the solid chocolates and chocolate beverages contain maltodextrin, which is a type of functional fiber that is added to food, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Xobiotic Xocai chocolate contains probiotics, which are healthy bacteria that can live in your gut. The protein shake contains whey protein isolate. Flavorings in Xocai chocolate include cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
References
- Xocai
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Flavonoids; Jane Higdon; April 2005
- Mayo Clinic: Artificial Sweeteners: Understanding These and Other Sugar Substitutes
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- Xocai: X Protein Shake
- Xocai: Omega Squares
Member Comments