100% except for...

[fairygirl]

Chocolate!!!!!!!! Augh...im all raw except for chocolate. now its not every day...but it is often enough that i crave and then cave and eat it. usually dark chocolate with or without nuts.

has anyone else experienced this? and any suggestions on how to rid myself?

the simple thing would be to just eat a raw chocolate dessert, and trust me, ive tried. it doesnt doesnt have the same effect as the chocolate.

please help!

[salsababy]

I totally understand your struggle. This has been mine since I started this 30 day challenge. Nothing but a vegan chocolate bar can fix this itch. I end up eating more raw sweets trying to get that moment, but it doesn't satisfy.

One thing I am trying to do is get a slice of raw carob pie when I feel that way. That's the only raw dessert I found that helps. I have always been a milk chocolate lover. Thought dark chocolate was bitter. I switched to dark chocolate and although hard at first I now LOVE dark chocolate and find milk chocolate and the cheap stuff to be gross. I can't eat much of it. So, I know that if I try to replace dark chocolate with the carbo pie it just may work- it did for switching milk to dark.

Let me see if I can find the ingredient list for the carob pie. I get it at a cafe so I don't know measurements, but you are a chef and I've seen pictures of your raw creations. You'll amaze us all! :)

[juliebove]

I used to crave chocolate sometimes but not any more. I was recently diagnosed with GERD and my friend who also suffers from this said chocolate was one of the worst things for it because it relaxes some muscle and allows more acid to creep up.

Well, I took one bite of chocolate after that and boy did what she said seem right. No more for me. Seems all it takes for me is one or two bad reactions to put me right off of a food.

[michigan roman]

pitted (dry) dates are very sweet .

maybe also a recipe containing the dates blended into a liquid , in water , with carob powder or raw cocoa mixed in then frozen to a chewy texture .

with almond slices froze in , yummmm :D

[JinxieKat]

If you like chocolate shakes try the recipie for the chocolate banana shake over a www.gliving.tv Oh my goodness.. that fixes the need for chocolate for me right away. Hmmm.. delish. Don't make it as a dessert, try it as a meal first. It is pretty filling!

Jinx

[Gwena]

Try raw vegan chocolate Ladies. It's da bomb!!!

I make it professionally, as I have a raw chocolate business so it does exist.

You can buy raw cacao butter from various places including Nature's First Law. Slowly melt it down, add some cacao powder and agave nectar and you have real living chocolate.

Now some folks are not for raw chocolate, but I love it, obviously. I enjoy the wonderful superfood benefits from eating it, but even it it had minimal nutrition (which it doesn't) it's still better than eating regular chocolate that's heated to extreme temps and filled with sugar and dairy.

Try making some. You won't regret it. It's sooooooo yummy. :p

[trinity082482]

I dont like coconut oil cause it melts fast, but I still have some so can I substitue the cocao butter with the coconut oil.. or anything else? :cool:

[fairygirl]

thanks everyone...

yeah...i find it easy to come up with raw chocolate desserts...ive tried it all. im wondering if its an emotional thing...or a habitual thing? because i love all the raw chocolate stuff, but i still end up eating dark chocolate.
like tonite....i had to make a bunch of chocolate truffles and ended up eating some.

i find if its not around i dont search it out...but im a chef and its my job to work with chocolate at times, so being around it gets me eating the stuff. pooooey!!!

[Jen Rose]

Raw Chocolate Pudding is the shiznit!! Cure's my craving anytime!!

[Indi]

hey fairygirl,

I totally understand!
It has to be dark chocolate!
I am in exactly the same position as you, Raw apart from dark vegan chocolate.

I started this thread about this very issue a couple of days ago.
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23917

I think my cravings may be hormone related.
I try all sorts of substitutes, but only the chocolate hits the spot!

I took a magnesium supplement for a couple of months to see if that made any difference but it didn't.

I don't have an answer to this yet but I do understand what you are experiencing!

I would love to get to the bottom of this issue
Its been a real sticking point for me, hope we can find a solution soon!

[Ariannah]

I eat plenty of raw chocolate without coconut oil in it. I use RP's brownie recipe and give the food processor a workout making fudgy, delicious chocolate for myself. I just mix the dates, pecans or walnuts, and raw organic cocoa powder together, and for me it satisfies the cocoa craving.

I'm out of raw cocoa and am going to be going to the Health Food Store today so that when everyone else is eating their traditional desserts this weekend, and such, I'll have plenty of delicious chocolate to feast on.

[fairygirl]

Indi,

im sooo glad there is someone else experiencing the same thing as me!!!!!! LOL

I honestly dont know the cause, BUT im thinking about doing some hypnotherapy because my mom is a hypnotherapist and she's helped people break smoking and drug addictions...so i thought "why not chocolate addictions too?!" im going to give it a whirl and see what happens. ill keep ya posted!

take care

[Raw Mom]

I just recently read an article written by Brian Clements, Hippocrates, about all chocolate containing a certain amount of bug parts. Put me off chocolate for about a month. But it is Christmas....Had way too much the other night and got a stomach ache I haven;t had since going raw. Again...off the chocolate. Chocolate sets off endorphins. It's a fix. I just have to keep it out of my face.... Good luck....It's all a healing process.... :)

[Ariannah]

Coffee took me years to come off, especially since my DH roasts his own beans and they smell so good.

I wanted to keep something for the time being, and I'm such a "simple food" purist when it comes to everything else, that I figure the occasional indulge into chocolate (of which all ingredients are organic and raw: dates, pecans, raw cocoa powder) isn't too bad.

So, when chocolate goes, it'll be gone... I'd rather have the above concoction from time to time than the chocolate bars I used to eat (and sneak, and lie about sneaking).

Oddly enough, while I enjoy my little mixture a LOT, it's not nearly as addictive as what I used to eat. I don't often think of it because I am so busy enjoying my fruit.

When I was raw a year and a half ago for a good 8 months, I had no access to raw cocoa, and didn't eat any chocolate of any kind, but went for it when the HFS started selling raw cocoa.

[Indi]

Indi,

im sooo glad there is someone else experiencing the same thing as me!!!!!! LOL

I honestly dont know the cause, BUT im thinking about doing some hypnotherapy because my mom is a hypnotherapist and she's helped people break smoking and drug addictions...so i thought "why not chocolate addictions too?!" im going to give it a whirl and see what happens. ill keep ya posted!

take care

Please do, keep me posted.
I would love to know if the hypnotherapy works!!!!
I'm ok at the moment, i don't crave it at all, but about five days before my period is due i just cant leave chocolate alone!

Over the last two years i have been totally raw three times.
The last two times (that lasted 6 and 8 months) i never craved chocolate, but thinking about it, i did eat more dehydrated foods, nuts and avocados.
Maybe i need to add more fat.
I kept food diaries the last two times i went raw.
This time around i didnt bother because it wasnt an effort for me, i just naturally fell back into raw.
Hmm maybe its worth reading the diaries to compare the difference in food intake.
Anyway, good luck, i will let you know if i find a solution! :)

[meinleben]

i am in a battle with my chai tea that i buy at smart and final.....its a powder and i just add water....i really love it....yet i know it is not going to bring me optimal health...

have tried to stop many times....have not been successful....