Low glycemic, Antioxidant rich and whole food caramel crunch chocolates a.k.a copycat ‘Munchies’
Despite currently being in a water climate myself, I know many of my readers are now moving into autumn and embracing cosy season. For me, at this time of year my thoughts turn to baked goodies and boxes of chocolates whilst watching seasonal movies like You’ve Got Mail and Stepmom.
But whilst I am not adverse to indulging in my favourite chocolate every now and then, as someone whose endo and symptoms worsen with blood sugar dysregulation and processed foods, I always love to give myself alternative, more endo/gut/hormone supportive options to enjoy.
One of my favourite chocolates as a teenager were Munchies. Honestly, I don’t even know if they’re around any more, but you can’t beat a chocolate caramel with a biscuit centre.
I had the idea for this recipe months, maybe years ago, but now felt like the right time to test and release it, with colder weather on the horizon and Christmas in sight. Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a plate of chocolates that you know are good for you on a blustery, rainy evening?
These Caramel Crunch Chocolates are…
Better for blood sugar thanks to the whole food, low glycemic, fibre rich ingredients.
Unfortunately, most store-bought chocolate bars are highly processed and filled with sugar with little nutritional benefit.
High sugar foods and processed foods can potentially contribute to more PMS, menstrual pain and endo pain. Blood sugar spikes increase oxidative stress, which leads to more inflammation in the body and that may trigger further pain and symptoms. In fact, oxidative stress is higher in people with endo, and it’s a key driver of endo growth.
The great news is dark chocolate is lower in sugar (providing you go for 85% or higher), and even has some significant health benefits (more on that below). This recipe utilises dark chocolate to keep the added sugar levels low, and combines it with dates and chickpeas - not just because dates make the perfect chewy caramel and the chickpeas make a the perfect crunchy centre, but because they actually serve a blood sugar supportive role.
A great way to support blood sugar is with lower glycemic index foods, and every ingredient in this recipe is low to moderate on the glycemic index scale (some date types are moderate, others are low, otherwise every ingredient is low glycemic). The glycemic index is a tool that looks at foods and the impact they can have on your blood sugar, on a scale of 0-100. High GI foods are very likely to spike your blood sugar levels and do so quickly, foods with a medium GI rating tend to cause a moderate rise and low GI foods tend to keep blood sugar levels stable and steady over time with a gentle rise. This is because low GI foods break down slowly in the gut because they are rich in fibre and slow release carbohydrates, this means that the release of glucose to the blood stream is slow and gradual, giving you long term energy.
Most dates have a low to moderate glycemic index and are rich in fibre, so they shouldn’t cause a dramatic or quick rise in blood sugar. You can use any dates you like for this recipe, but if you’d like to keep this recipe lower in sugar and lower on the glycemic index scale, smaller dates like deglect noor dates are a good option.
We then have the benefit of chickpeas. Chickpeas are low glycemic, contain fibre and protein, which both slow down the release of carbs to the blood stream. They also contain resistant starch, which breaks down in the large intestine to feed good bacteria, rather than in the small intestine, where starch is absorbed as glucose into the blood stream - this is one of the reasons they’re so beneficial for blood sugar regulation. Research has shown that when compared to other carbohydrates, like white bread, chickpeas not only cause a lesser spike, but a lesser crash as well. When compared to white bread, which created a large spike followed by a more severe crash, chickpeas created a gentler, more even rise in blood sugar that was followed by a gentle return to baseline blood sugar levels pre-meal. What’s even more interesting is that when eaten first, chickpeas reduce blood sugar spikes in the following meal!
So, why else would we want to support blood sugar?
Constant blood sugar swings can take their toll on hormones, leading to issues like elevated androgens (think testosterone), which can affect ovulation and cycle length. Blood sugar swings may also cause oestrogen excess or dominance and low progesterone if ovulation is interrupted or stopped entirely. Both of these imbalances can cause more PMS, heavier periods, and may also exacerbate endometriosis symptoms.
Additionally, these cookies can help us out with luteal phase cravings. When we’re in our luteal phase, we often experience more blood sugar swings because oestrogen, which dominates in our follicular phase, helps us to regulate our blood sugar response, but is lower in the luteal phase. As a result, we tend to get cravings for sweet foods or foods high in starch, such as chocolates! The problem is, these foods keep us on a blood sugar rollercoaster, and raise inflammation levels, resulting in more of those inflammatory symptoms and pain that we’re trying to avoid. These chocolates, being low in sugar and rich in fibre, can help us get our fix without the pain triggering spikes.
Finally, blood sugar swings are linked heavily with mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, so if you struggle with low moods in your luteal phase, supporting blood sugar can actually support your mental health.
Gluten free to help minimise symptoms and reactions in certain endo folk.
Whilst not everyone with endometriosis needs to go gluten free or entirely gluten free (some people feel better just not eating it that often), reducing gluten may help some of us manage our pain and endo belly symptoms. The original Munchies chocolates feature a biscuit centre which is not gluten free, but in this recipe, we use a crunchy baked chickpea, which is!
In a major and recent survey study of 2388 endometriosis patients, out of those who removed or reduced gluten, 45% experienced a reduction in pain. In another study, 75% of patients had a significant reduction in painful symptoms after eliminating gluten for 12 months. There is also a significant association between endometriosis and coeliac disease. And whilst the research on endometriosis and gluten has limitations, I myself experienced improvements by reducing gluten in my diet (in fact, it was one of the key players for helping me live a normal life again no longer ruled by pain and my periods), as have many of my clients (though not all, it’s very individual).
If you’d like to learn more about why gluten may impact some of us with endo and how, my Nutrition Masterclass dives into all the science, and you can also check out my podcast episodes like this one.
Rich in prebiotics and polyphenols from the chocolate, chickpeas and dates to help heal the endo belly and reduce systemic inflammation.
Polyphenols are types of antioxidants found in certain plant foods that not only reduce inflammation levels and improve overall health, but they are also an absolute favourite food for our gut microbiome, which means that can support our good gut bugs to thrive.
Polyphenols can be found in various plant foods, and are in high amounts in cacao and dates. In fact, dark chocolate and olive oil are amongst the top 100 highest polyphenol containing foods.
The dates and chickpeas are also high in fibre, which feeds good gut bugs. In fact, chickpeas contain resistant starch, which is a special type of fibre that increases levels of a short chain fatty acid called butyrate.
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid produced by our gut microbiome, and has been found to be low in people with endo. Butyrate has a range of benefits for endometriosis and gut health (so may help us tackle endo belly) such as reducing intestinal inflammation, improving insulin sensitivity, preventing leaky gut, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. But here’s what I find most interesting. Butyrate inhibits our inflammatory immune response to lipopolysaccharides (LPS). LPS are toxins that come from certain bacteria, and have been shown to be heavily involved in endo pathogenesis.
Additionally, research is finding a strong correlation between microbiome disturbances and endometriosis development, such as reduced levels and variety of good gut bugs and higher levels of pathogenic (bad, infectious), opportunistic (in high numbers, can cause problems like inflammation) gut bugs, as well as gut bugs linked to elevated oestrogen levels. These microbiome differences have also been associated with higher IL-8 levels, a type of inflammatory cytokine shown to be involved in the development of endometriosis.
Polyphenols and fibre are like gut bug boosters - the more we provide to our good gut bugs, the more they grow and outnumber the bad guys. This helps to bring the gut back into harmony, which can improve gut symptoms and intestinal inflammation and whilst we need to do more research, could even help us fight endo.
Supercharged with powerful antioxidants to help lower oxidative stress and inflammation.
Dark chocolate, chickpeas and dates are all significant sources of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are types of plant compounds that fight oxidative stress - in the simplest terms, oxidative stress is a chemical reaction in the body that when high, causes inflammation and significant damage. People with endo have been found to have lower levels and lower intake of certain antioxidants, with higher levels of circulating oxidative stress and oxidative stress markers in the peritoneal fluid (fluid in the pelvic area). In fact, oxidative stress is a key player in endometriosis development and progression, but the good news is, research has shown we can actually modulate these inflammatory markers and pathways through nutrition and food.
Each chocolate contains hormone and endo supportive nutrients like magnesium, iron, zinc and B6.
Research has shown magnesium to be an effective treatment in preventing dysmenorrhea (period pain) because it reduces inflammatory prostaglandins that are the drivers of both endo and period pain. One study showed that six months of magnesium treatment reduced prostaglandin F2a by over half! In fact, in recent research, magnesium is being explored as a dietary treatment for endo and a higher intake of magnesium rich foods was associated with a lower risk of endo. Additionally, magnesium helps to regulate our sex hormones, and as result, is a recognised treatment for preventing PMS.
Low levels of zinc have been linked to endo, and research has shown it can significantly reduce period pain thanks to its anti-inflammatory benefits. It additionally supports follicle development and ovulation, while deficiency has been linked to infertility.
Finally, iron deficiency is extremely common in general, but even more so in people with heavy menstrual bleeding. Iron plays a major role in preventing fatigue, and yet many of the clients who I work with, come to me with significantly low levels due to having SIBO, avoiding red meat, heavy periods or other reasons. Supporting healthy iron absorption and intake is a key part of beating endo fatigue and recovering from heavy blood loss and low levels can cause brain fog, extreme tiredness, heart palpitations, dizziness, muscle weakness and depression to name a few.
B6 is one of the most important B vitamins for balanced hormones as it supports progesterone production and oestrogen metabolism. Many people with endo suffer with depression and anxiety, but also, if you suffer with hormonal imbalances like low progesterone, this can also cause significant mood shifts because our sex hormones support neurotransmitter production and regulation. Research has shown that B6 treatment can help reduce PMS, especially the mood challenges that can come with the syndrome.
Low FODMAP to help reduce IBS and endo belly symptoms.
People with endo can often suffer from bloating, dubbed as the endo belly. This can be caused from numerous factors, but is often linked to small intestine bacterial overgrowth and/or microbiome issues. Research has shown that the low FODMAP diet may help ease symptoms in people with endo who also have gastrointestinal symptoms, such as bloating.
Often fibre rich foods can trigger bloating in sensitive populations, but by keeping the fermentable carbohydrates down (FODMAPS) we can help keep our gut healthy, whilst also reducing endo belly flare ups.
Whilst not everyone needs to go low FODMAP, and to be clear, the low FODMAP diet is a therapeutic diet that should be only be undertaken with the direction of a dietician and/or doctor, keeping this recipe low FODMAP means more readers can enjoy it with fear of triggering IBS/endo belly symptoms.
Important notes to help you tailor this recipe to your own body and needs (and tastebuds!)
Blood sugar considerations
As we discussed earlier, research has shown that individual blood sugar responses vary from person to person, and if you eat a lot of even a low glycemic index food, it may have a greater impact on your blood sugar levels because you’re eating more in one sitting. This is called the glycemic load, which essentially takes into consideration the GI of the food and how many carbohydrates from that food you’re eating in one serving. Unless you’re really struggling with blood sugar or diabetes, you don’t really need to go down this rabbit hole - instead, it’s really just about moderation. I suggest sticking to 2-4 chocolates to keep overall sugar intake low and to help take into account the types of dates you’re using, as some will be lower or higher on the glycemic index, but a 4 chocolates would only be two dates so shouldn’t cause a dramatic impact, but of course, listen to your body and what works well for you, and remember this is general information and education, not tailored nutrition advice.
Keeping this recipe low FODMAP
I’ve used low FODMAP ingredients, but the FODMAPS will add up depending on how many chocolates you eat.
Here’s the low FODMAP serving size for each ingredient:
20g 85% dark chocolate
20g medjool dates (pitted) or 30g dried, pitted dates (generic)
80g canned chickpeas
You’ll reach about 20g medjool dates with about 1-2 dates depending on the size, and a 1/4 of the tray will give you 1/4 of the 100g chocolate (providing you use it all, as ice cube tray sizes vary of course). So roughly, 2-4 chocolates will be low FODMAP.
Further resources
If you’re struggling with your endo nutrition or gut health, you might find my courses and one to one coaching helpful. You can find out more here. I’ve also got endless podcast episodes on endometriosis and SIBO.
caramel crunch chocolates
Ingredients:
100g bar dark chocolate (85% or higher, low sugar)
1/4 can chickpeas
6 dates of choice
1 tsp vanilla extra
makes: 1 ice cube tray or chocolate tray
prep time: 15 mins
bake time: 45 mins
chill time: 15 mins and 30 mins
Method:
Preheat the oven to 176C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Drain the chickpeas but do not rinse, as the aquafaba left on the chickpeas helps them to crisp up and stay light and crunchy, without becoming too hard (p.s. I learnt this from Minimalist Baker and base these roasted chickpeas on her recipe).
Rub them down with a kitchen roll to rough dry and to remove any loose skins (don’t worry if some are left behind).
Transfer to a bowl and add 1 tsp vanilla extract and stir well. Alternatively, put them in a smoothie bottle with the vanilla extract, secure the lid and shake to cover.
Scatter on the baking tray and place on the oven shelf for 45 minutes. Give them a stir halfway through to help even the crisping.
When crisp and crunchy, remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray.
Meanwhile, gently melt the chocolate over a double boiler.
Remove the stones from the dates and cut in half.
Once the chocolate is melted, leave to cool slightly for a few minutes.
Once the chickpeas are cool, place one to two chickpeas inside a date half and fold around the chickpeas to create a ball. I preferred the extra crunch of two chickpeas, but I used smaller dates and couldn’t fully cover two and found that when eating, you missed the full experience if the chickpeas weren’t entirely wrapped in the date - so if you can’t fit in two chickpeas, just use one. The crunch is still soooo good!
Drop 1/2 to 1 tsp of melted chocolate into the bottom of an ice cube tray, then place the rolled dates into each tray. Cover with melted chocolate until the dates are completely covered, though you may see a little bump in the shape, but the date itself should not be exposed.
Pop in the freezer for 30-45 minutes to firm up.
When you want to eat, leave out for 5 minutes to soften up slightly as the chocolate will be very hard!
Tip: If you have any crispy chickpeas left, rolled in any remaining melted chocolate and/or cacao powder, add milk and enjoy as cereal!