Chocolate Cravings / was Need help motivating my 11 year old

[Guest guest]

There are a couple of things here: chocolate AND sugar. Cravings come for both.

Added sugar one can and should do without - not just because of the calories.

Kids of course love sweet things, but what's sweeter than raisins and dates,

etc.? As for carob, it's delicious. I recommend it as a nice alternate to

chocolate when chocolate seems like the only possible thing to have in a certain

recipe. Carob-coated raisins? I've not seen them, but they sound great. Just

don't mention to the child that they aren't chocolate. If she can read it on the

pack, fine; she'll still eat them because they taste good. Otherwise chocolate

is not harmful, is even said to be beneficial as is caffeine, in small

quantities - but yes do get the good quality kind. About twice a year I buy a

small bar of an organic fair-trade vegan chocolate to share, over a week or

more, with my dh. That satisfies our " Remember When We Ate Chocolate " nostalgia.

I use carob chips and carob powder

for cooking.

 

I, as many others, have found the best way to get rid of sugar cravings,

however, is to get rid of added sugar. Believe it.

 

A final word on chocolate, at the risk of sounding preachy (who, me?): please

try to buy Fair Trade chocolate if you must buy it. You don't want to KNOW what

an awful business the chocolate trade is, for children especially, and the

biggest chocolate producers are the worst offenders.

 

There was a time when I would have laughed aloud at Pam's statement (which I

have copied in below), but I have found it to be wondrously true. Do try it!

It's worth all those hi-cal low-carb artificially sweetened etc. AND rubbishy

(yup, just because it says 'healthy' doesn't mean it is) bars and 'candies' out

there! And oh yes, it's true of ALL cravings, not just sweets. (Thumbs-up, Pam!)

 

Love and hugs, Pat

 

> I would also highly recommend increasing your intake of

> greens. A lot

> of times, cravings can be signs that you are not getting

> the nutrients

> elsewhere, a danger when you are trying to cut down on

> calories and

> green leafies are very nutrient dense and calorie light.

> The more

> greens, the fewer cravings.

[Guest guest]

I live in south-west Michigan and we can find carob coated raisins, peanuts,

almonds, bridge mix, etc. in most of our local health food stores. Here's a link

to a local distributor who will ship anywhere. www clnf.org

 

Be advised that this site ships stuff in bulk.

 

--- On Sat, 8/9/08, drpatsant <drpatsant wrote:

 

drpatsant <drpatsant

Chocolate Cravings / was Need help motivating my

11 year old

 

Saturday, August 9, 2008, 9:04 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a couple of things here: chocolate AND sugar. Cravings come for both.

Added sugar one can and should do without - not just because of the calories.

Kids of course love sweet things, but what's sweeter than raisins and dates,

etc.? As for carob, it's delicious. I recommend it as a nice alternate to

chocolate when chocolate seems like the only possible thing to have in a certain

recipe. Carob-coated raisins? I've not seen them, but they sound great. Just

don't mention to the child that they aren't chocolate. If she can read it on the

pack, fine; she'll still eat them because they taste good. Otherwise chocolate

is not harmful, is even said to be beneficial as is caffeine, in small

quantities - but yes do get the good quality kind. About twice a year I buy a

small bar of an organic fair-trade vegan chocolate to share, over a week or

more, with my dh. That satisfies our " Remember When We Ate Chocolate " nostalgia.

I use carob chips and carob powder

for cooking.

 

I, as many others, have found the best way to get rid of sugar cravings,

however, is to get rid of added sugar. Believe it.

 

A final word on chocolate, at the risk of sounding preachy (who, me?): please

try to buy Fair Trade chocolate if you must buy it. You don't want to KNOW what

an awful business the chocolate trade is, for children especially, and the

biggest chocolate producers are the worst offenders.

 

There was a time when I would have laughed aloud at Pam's statement (which I

have copied in below), but I have found it to be wondrously true. Do try it!

It's worth all those hi-cal low-carb artificially sweetened etc. AND rubbishy

(yup, just because it says 'healthy' doesn't mean it is) bars and 'candies' out

there! And oh yes, it's true of ALL cravings, not just sweets. (Thumbs-up, Pam!)

 

Love and hugs, Pat

 

> I would also highly recommend increasing your intake of

> greens. A lot

> of times, cravings can be signs that you are not getting

> the nutrients

> elsewhere, a danger when you are trying to cut down on

> calories and

> green leafies are very nutrient dense and calorie light.

> The more

> greens, the fewer cravings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> I live in south-west Michigan and we can find carob coated

> raisins, peanuts, almonds, bridge mix, etc. in most of our

> local health food stores. Here's a link to a local

> distributor who will ship anywhere. www clnf.org

>

> Be advised that this site ships stuff in bulk.

>

 

Very helpful - I am sure that more than one member will really really appreciate

this info!

 

BTW I feel I have to remind (boring woman that I can be over such things): this

is a recommendation for finding sweets / carob sub for chocolate for the

11-yr-old daughter of a member who has chocolate cravings, not - repeat NOT - a

recommendation for finding snacks for overweight vegetarians who are trying to

lose weight LOL

 

Thanks again. Lots of love and hugs, Pat