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a homeschooling mom of four who used to blog about food, has a book about sourdough, and who is now walking through the grief of losing my dad.
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The Best Sourdough Glazed Donuts

I have been meaning to post about Crio Bru for a while now. Even though we’re in the heat of summer, this amazing hot drink should be added to everyone’s routine. I first tasted it after my sister recommended it back in February. I bought myself a bag and also purchased a french press. The first time I made it, I just added a little bit of cream and some honey. My husband guzzled it. I choked it down (we’re all about honesty on this blog, remember?). I had to learn how to prepare it in a way that I liked, and honey definitely wasn’t it. Also, I realized later that the “flavor” that I bought was one of the most bitter that they offer (Vega Real). Since then, I have learned that Coca River is my favorite kind of Crio Bru (Cavalla is also really good), and I love it with a splash of milk/cream, a tiny bit of vanilla, and some coconut sugar. It’s delicious. This isn’t hot chocolate, there is no sugar in it. It isn’t more bitter than sweet (how I imagine black coffee would be), but you can add some natural sweetener if you want. Some people add creamers to theirs, but I think that defeats the purpose of having a healthy drink by adding all that sugar/chemicals to it.
 
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Now let me tell you exactly what it is. Crio Bru is made from Cacao beans, one of the best super foods in the world. The beans are harvested from different areas of the world, which results in their different “flavors.” There is actually no flavoring in the Crio Bru, the hints of flavor come from the regions in which those particular beans are grown. Crio Bru is 100% cacao beans that have been ground so they can be brewed into a hot drink.
Some of the amazing benefits of cacoa beans:
Naturally increase energy 
    • Cacao beans contain theobromine which is a relative of caffeine. Unlike caffeine, however, theobromine is mild, has a slow onset, is long lasting, and non-addictive. Caffeine is harsh, has a fast onset, doesn’t last long, and is highly addictive. Theobromine won’t make you feel nervous or jittery, either.

Boost your immune system

    •  Cacao has the highest concentration of antioxidants of any other substance in the world.

Reduces cravings and helps you lose weight

    •  Cacao contains the minerals and molecules that help curb your appetite, which helps you lose weight.

Dr. Oz had Crio Bru on his show several months ago: 

“I think this is something really worth trying. Here’s what I love about it. It’s why it can help you burn fat faster. It has a natural stimulant, not caffeine, called theobromine that can boost your metabolism. It’s very safe. It also has a fat blocker. It helps get rid of the fat in your body by blocking an enzyme you need to digest fat, so you never absorb the fat into your body.”

Supports the heart, digestive system, brain, and bones

    • Cacao has more magnesium than any other food. Magnesium supports all of the above systems.
    • Crio Bru is 100% fat free, sugar free, gluten free, and dairy free.

Oxygenate the blood and retain healthy blood sugar levels

Feel great, sleep better, reduce stress, and increase focus

    • the same endorphin released by the body after exercise is contained in one plant: cacao.
    • Phenylethylamine is the hormone released from the body when we fall in love. It is also responsible for keeping us more alert and focused. It is found abundantly in cacao.
    • Seratonin is also found in cacao. This chemical helps protect us against stress.
    • The natural anti-depressant, tryptophan, also promotes better sleep and relaxation and is found in cacao.

I have also tried Crio Beans, which are whole cacao beans covered in dark chocolate. I have never been a huge dark chocolate fan. The first one I tried was super weird. Then I tried a few more, and actually didn’t mind them at all. If you’re off of refined sugar, they taste amazing. If you like dark chocolate, you’ll like them. They have a different texture, kind of soft but fibrous. 

Crio Bru encourages a 10 day challenge when you buy the product. The idea is to drink Crio Bru every day/evening for 10 days straight and see the difference it makes. I tried this, and let me be perfectly honest. It was incredible. Each evening I made the Bru and I never opened my cupboards once to scrounge for snacks. I didn’t even feel the urge to eat during the evening, and went to bed completely satisfied. It was such a huge change for me. I’m usually starving in the evening and just eat what I can find. My husband and I enjoy our Crio Bru almost every night, and not only are we preventing ourselves from excessive snacking, but we sleep a lot better as well. Try it!

Update:

After years of drinking Crio Bru, I have perfected how I like it. I add coconut sugar, a little coconut milk, and some natural flavorings. The flavorings I got from a company called “>coconut and mint and they are both awesome. I alternate between the two. This is my favorite way to drink my Bru!

 *** This post contains affiliate links. I only promote and endorse products that I use and love myself. Thanks for your support!

Comments +

  1. Mandy says:

    So I just need to come hang out with you for a day and have a class and taste testing with you! This criobru sounds interesting but I need to try it before I bought it. 🙂

  2. kelsey says:

    Mandy, get over here! I love your blog too, and have a lot of questions! It's super cute and your pictures are amazing. Seriously, we need to chat MORE.

  3. Caylee says:

    Crio Bru is deeeelish! Thanks for the informative post!

  4. Mackenzie says:

    Awesome post Kelsey, thanks a million!!

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about me

Hey, I'm Kels!

a homeschooling mom of four who used to blog about food, has a book about sourdough, and who is now walking through the grief of losing my dad.

I have lots of recipes and resources, but now it's just about me being real, walking through the messy and beautiful parts of life.

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