One of the causes of brain aging is the decreased ability to metabolize glucose for brain conversion; to put it simpler...our cells can’t process as many sugars and carbohydrates (this includes complex carbs, whole grains, and natural sweeteners like honey).
In the past a candy bar was a rare treat, but now, we start the day with a bowl of cereal (Grapenuts = 23 tsp of sugar), which sets us up for sugar cravings at 3pm...hence the candy bar cravings! The daily blood sugar fluctuations cause impairment of glucose metabolism and combined with cell damage leads to dementia.
If you grew up on cereal for breakfast, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch and butter noodles for dinner, this creates an adulthood of insulin sensitivity that can lead to carbohydrate sensitivity and early biological aging. High carbohydrate foods literally age brains at early ages. This is because carbs and sugar increase inflammation and damage cells occur on the inside of the body and brain. Okay, maybe you can't relate to brain issues yet, so here... this inflammation decreases our skin's elasticity and collagen production which increases aging skin and premature wrinkles. (Above chart is from Here)
NESTLE 100 Grand Ingredients = Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Nonfat Milk, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Vanillin-an Artificial Flavor)Corn Syrup, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Nonfat Milk, Crisped Rice (Rice Flour, Sugar, Salt, Barley, Malt, traces of Wheat Gluten)Coconut Oil, Butter, Mono- and Diglycerides, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Artificial and Natural Flavor.
So let's enjoy a treat like this to satisfy those sweet tastes-buds!
*Please click on ingredients to discover where to find them.
Caramel Layer:
1 cup xylitol
6 TBS grass fed butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate Crisp Layer:
2 TBS grass fed butter or coconut oil
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
10 TBS heavy cream
1/4 cup erythritol (or xylitol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite (omit if using xylitol)
1/4 cup vanilla Jay Robb whey protein (or egg white)
1 1/2 cups Chocolate Whey Crisps
Caramel Layer: Before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go - the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. If you don't work fast, the xylitol will burn. You may want to wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water. Heat xylitol on moderately high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan. As it begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. As soon as all of the xylitol crystals have melted (the liquid should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note than when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Place 2 TBS of caramel in each slot of an ice cube tray (lined with foil or plastic wrap so you can remove it easily) and freeze.
Chocolate Crisp Layer: Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler (or in a heat safe dish over a pot of boiling water...see photo). Stir well until just melted (don't burn the chocolate!), add in the cream, sweetener and whey protein. Stir until smooth and thick. Then add the whey crisps.
Remove the caramels from the ice cube trays (twist the tray as if you had ice cubes in it). Dip each caramel into the chocolate to coat completely and then place on waxed paper. Cool until firm in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 hours. Makes 16 mini candybars.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1 mini candy bar)
Nestle 100 Grand = 180 calories, 29 carbs, 0 fiber, 1 g protein
"Healthified" 100 Grand = 165 calories, 3.6 effective carbs, 0 fiber, 6.3 g protein
