Click here to view Chocolate Cake recipe. Who can resist the temptation of sinking their teeth into a soft, rich and gooey chocolate cake? An all-time favourite, the Chocolate Cake fits perfectly into any occasion , and is a must-add to everybody’s cooking folders.
This intensely-flavoured eggless chocolate cake is surprisingly easy to make and hardly requires any complex preparations.
Made with an ideal combination of flour, butter and condensed milk, this cake has a wonderfully rich texture – not to forget the memorable flavour derived from cocoa and vanilla. A recipe that is definitely worth trying!
Is Chocolate Cake healthy?
No, this is not healthy. Let's see why.
Let's understand the Ingredients.
What's good.
1. Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened : Cocoa is rich in polyphenols like flavonoids, catechins and epicatechins. These show anti-inflammatory effect as well help the body get rid of harmful free radicals and thus reduce the onset of various chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Small amounts of cocoa powder have been proven to reduce insulin sensitivity and improve blood sugar control and benefit diabetics. Some random trials with cocoa powder have exhibited reduction in the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body making it good for heart and good for weight loss. See detailed benefits of cocoa powder.
2. Butter : Butter contains 80% fats and it comprises of many types of fatty acids. Butter has short chain fatty acids and medium chain fatty acids which are broken down and absorbed into the body directly and go straight to the liver and get converted to fuel to be used by the muscles. Due to this anti-inflammatory effect, it is said to have a positive effect in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Recent research shows that small amounts of butter has positive effects on heart health. So diabetics too can have small quantity of butter and balance it with other types of fats they consume. A tbsp. of butter fulfils 8% of your days requirement of vitamin A. This Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant which is essential for glowing skin health and immune function. We suggest you read about butter the super food.
3. Condensed Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk: Condensed Milk – itself is very high in energy (513 calories from ½ cup). That’s a lot! This is of most concern especially when most of it is because of the added sugar, which does not offer any benefit in reality. So weight watchers and those suffering from diabetes and heart disease as well as those aiming a healthy lifestyle need to definitely stay steer of this ingredient, though rich in taste. Condensed milk is a dairy product, so it is a concentrated source of protein and calcium, which are necessary to build strong bones. It does provide some B vitamins and potassium also. So condensed milk should be the preferred choice over plain sugar. Read is condensed milk healthy?Cocoa Power : Extermely healthy to have.
4. Milk and Low Fat Milk : 1 cup of milk provides 70% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Calcium. Milk promotes strong bones. The Calcium in Milk helps to protect your teeth against gum disease and keeps your jaw bone strong and healthy. Milk is low in carbs and therefore does not raise blood glucose levels. However diabetics must consider including low fat milk as advised by their dietitian only so as to avoid any fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Protein is another key nutrient which milk is rich in - 8.6 g from a cup. So all those looking to build protein stores can add milk and its products like curd and paneer to their diet. One cup of Milk gives 10 grams of carbs. Low fat milk has lower fat and the same benefits of milk.
What's the problem?
1. Plain flour (maida) : This recipe uses plain flour or maida which is refined carb not suitable for healthy lifestyle. Maida consumption in any food should be totally avoided or just a little bit of usage as any consumption of this will cause a larger spike in blood levels which is not good for diabetics, heart patients. Read is maida good for you to understand fully.
Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have ?
No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss.
Can healthy individuals have ?
3 main ingredients of Chocolate Cake which are issues
1. Plain flour (maida) : This recipe uses plain flour or maida which is refined carb not suitable for healthy lifestyle. Maida consumption in any food should be totally avoided or just a little bit of usage as any consumption of this will cause a larger spike in blood levels which is not good for diabetics, heart patients. Read is maida good for you to understand fully.
2. Sugar : Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. To live a healthy life, try and cut sugar which from your diet. It requires a slow and deliberate attempt to do it. Find hidden sugar in packaged foods and drinks and stop having those products. Did you know that a can of your favourite soft drink is estimated to have 1/2 cup of sugar. Refinded carbohydrates like maida, sugar, bread, pasta, noodles and sugar on consumption get stored as unhealthy fat in the body.
3. Condensed Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk: Condensed Milk – itself is very high in energy (513 calories from ½ cup). That’s a lot! This is of most concern especially when most of it is because of the added sugar, which does not offer any benefit in reality. So weight watchers and those suffering from diabetes and heart disease as well as those aiming a healthy lifestyle need to definitely stay steer of this ingredient, though rich in taste. Condensed milk is a dairy product, so it is a concentrated source of protein and calcium, which are necessary to build strong bones. It does provide some B vitamins and potassium also. So condensed milk should be the preferred choice over plain sugar. Read is condensed milk healthy?Cocoa Power : Extermely healthy to have.
Can i eat Chocolate Cake occasionally ?
The fact is that this cake is unhealthy as its made of refined ingredients and not suitable for daibetics and healthy life style. Sugar is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. This recipe uses plain flour or maida which is refined carb not suitable for healthy lifestyle. Maida consumption in any food should be totally avoided or just a little bit of usage as any consumption of this will cause a larger spike in blood levels which is not good for diabetics, heart patients.
What is a healthier Cake option or dessert option?
We suggest Almond Berry Coconut Cake though it does contain some honey but is far healthier as it is made from almond flour. An amazing dessert is the Chocolate Coconut Vegan Dessert made with healthy ingredients.
Almond Berry and Coconut Cake, For Fitness and Weight Loss
8 Pointers to get healthy on a Indian diet
1. Eat healthy and say yes to good home cooked food. Prefer whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and healthy flours like bajra flour, jowar flour, quinoa flour, wheat flour etc. rather than refined ones like maida. Have healthy Indian fats like ghee, coconut, coconut oil in your diet.
2. Opt out of junk food, packaged food, deep fried foods. Prefer steamed snacks and other non-fried snacks. Check out some Healthy Indian Snacks. Remember to eat small frequent meals through the day as that will keep you always full and prevent your blood sugar from dropping. By starving your body through some diet, will not help you one bit. In fact, dieting will make you binge on 2 to 3 meals which is not good.
3. Have 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit is a must. Follow the logic of a vegetable in each main meal of the day and a fruit in-between meals. Check out a few Healthy Indian Soups and Healthy Indian Salads recipes using this food group.
4. Cut down on sugar and salt in your diet and pick honey ( very small amounts) or dates to sweeten your food. Slowly cut the sugar habit as this is not going to happen over night. Sugar is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage.
Salt and blood pressure. Apart from stress and obesity, one of the main reasons for high blood pressure is excessive sodium and salt intake. Most people find it difficult to limit the amount of salt in their cooking, thinking it will affect the taste of their favourite dishes.
This is not true. Bajra and jowar are rich in potassium and critical for those with High Blood Pressure as it lessens the impact of sodium. Eating more Potassium Rich Foods will remove more sodium from your body through urine. So include the basic bajra roti and jowar roti in your daily diet to have with Lower Blood Pressure Subzis Recipes.
5. Befriend a few healthy seeds and nuts like chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds.
6. Sprouts are called ‘living food’. They are high is most nutrients and easy to digest as well. Let them feature in your meals at least thrice a week. Also Read : All Benefits about Sprouts.
7. Exercise 45 minutes every day. No excuse. You can walk fast, run, do weights, play your favourite sport or go to the gym.
8. Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover.
Chocolate Cake is high in
1. Vitamin B1 : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells.
Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
How to burn 283 calories that come from Chocolate Cake?
Walking (6 kmph) = 1hr 25 mins
Running (11 kmph) = 28 mins
Cycling (30 kmph) = 38 mins
Swimming (2 kmph) = 49 mins
Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.