If you are not a fan of carbonated and sugary drinks, you are looking for a healthy alternative. This summer, in the viewfinder, cocoa water, full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, steals the show. This refreshing summer drink can be classified as a superfood that regenerates with every sip. What is cocoa water and how do you make it? We looked for guidelines.
Refreshing summer drink or chocolate?
The word cocoa evokes sweet sweet memories of chocolate. Super soft drinks abound, and chocolate is not among them. But there’s a new use that places cocoa in the group of moisturizing, nutrient-dense ingredients that serve as the basis for a refreshing summer drink. What is cocoa water?
It’s as simple as it sounds: water made from different parts of the cacao plant.
The cocoa tree provides beans, powder and butter, which are used for face masks. Most of the plant’s products, and especially those used to make chocolate, come from the beans.
Cocoa water, however, uses up the rest of the plant. Specifically, it is made from the cocoa fruit. The fleshy white fruit that surrounds the beans is usually useless for making chocolate and cocoa. Realizing the waste, we bet on this extract that takes the “meat” of the fruit and turns it into a refreshing liquid that can be consumed as a great summer drink.
What does cocoa water taste like: this sugar-free summer drink?
Since there is no shortage of ideas for cool drinks, the cocoa water must have its own “audience”. Contrary to expectations, the final product does not taste like chocolate. Instead, it’s more like a light lemonade. This summer drink has a unique taste that is a mixture of sweet and sour, but mostly has a refreshing effect.
Cocoa water is very moisturizing and rich in antioxidants. Like other parts of the plant, it is packed with nutrients and health benefits. These antioxidants, which include highly beneficial flavonoids, are so abundant in cocoa and cocoa-based foods that they outshine most other foods. And all these super-healthy features are also present in an aqueous form, a single 300ml bottle of which doubles the antioxidant activity you’d find in 100g of blueberries. So with every sip of cocoa water you get a wealth of antioxidants that fight free radicals.
The moisturizing benefit of cocoa water
Proper hydration is another added benefit. Cocoa water limits natural electrolytes, which help hydrate you more effectively than plain water alone. It offers potassium and magnesium, two essential electrolytes that fuel essential tasks like DNA repair, converting food into energy, and fueling your muscles.
Thanks to these electrolytes, cocoa water is a great substitute for sugary electrolyte-rich sports drinks. Although the drink contains natural sugars (about the same amount as coconut water), it has nothing to do with the same natural and added sugar content of your typical sports drink.
Cocoa water is great for the environment
The mere fact that we use waste from the chocolate industry to produce cocoa water is truly upcycling.
Currently, cocoa water only occurs in the United States. The homemade version is possible slightly modified.
It’s really more of an infusion than an agua fresca. Although very simple to make, its complexity of flavor is incredible, especially for its lightness. While whole cacao beans are ideal (you can find them at a local spice shop or specialty chocolate shop), cacao nibs also work. The important thing is to try to achieve the best possible quality for the cocoa and coconut water.
ingredients
1 cup (130 g) cocoa beans
5 cups (1.2 liters) fresh coconut water or good quality bottled coconut water
Toast the cocoa beans in a small, dry pot or skillet until golden on both sides and fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Combine the cocoa beans and coconut water in a large jug. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days. Pass through a fine sieve, discard the cocoa beans. Serve over ice.
Don’t miss out on trying our mint syrup recipe this summer and a miraculous drink made from noni that also helps with weight loss.