SIBO Chocolate: Peppermint Bark
SIBO & Low FODMAP Friendly
Having SIBO during the holidays can be tough!
I went through 2 Christmas’s where all my favourite holiday meals and desserts made me feel like absolute garbage.
So I started experimenting.
SIBO chocolate recipes were my go to since a good quality, clean chocoalte is usually dairy, gluten and soy free naturally which falls in line with the SIBO diet restrictions….and I mean who doesn’t love chocolate?!
The quality of chocolate is really important in this recipe as most standard poor quality chocolate is sweetened, milk and processed alkaline chocolate has most of the beneficial components from the cacao plant removed during processing. Look for an unsweetened chocolate that is pure and doesn’t have any additives in it. My go to is the brand Camino.
Traditional peppermint bark also has Candy canes are filled with artificial dyes and flavouring, glucose syrup and sugar which all wreak havoc on your intestinal lining- not a good idea to consume these when your body is already struggling to properly digest and absorb beneficial nutrients from your food. Choose a natural peppermint extract instead of artificial flavouring. Simply Organic makes a natural peppermint extract that I suggest using.
SIBO Supportive Meal: SIBO Chocolate-Peppermint Bark
In this recipe I use real, pure dark chocolate that is unsweetened. Dark chocolate cotnains many flavonols and polyphenols which have many benefits including lowering inflammation (which is important during a SIBO protocol!). It’s also a prebiotic which feeds the good gut bacteria, supporting microbiome diversity and positively impact mood¹.
Unsweetened dark chocolate is a great option becuase it’s refined sugar free to minimize inflammation associated with regular sugar containing chocolate. By using a natural sweetener like honey you get all the beneficial nutrients from honey including lowering inflammation, prebiotic supporting gut microbe diversity and antibacterial to support immune function.
Honey is used as it’s allowed in small amounts during the elimination phase of the SIBO diet.
Important Note: everyone’s body is unique and each person can experience different symptoms as a result of SIBO. If one of your symptoms is heartburn you may want to leave the peppermint out as it can make heartburn worse due to it’s relaxing nature, keeping the lower esophageal sphincter between your esophagus and your stomach open, allowing more acid to flow upward.
As a digestive health holistic nutritionist who specializes in SIBO/IBS and heartburn, it’s my goal to help you you navigate your diagnosis and the key role that food plays in helping you overcome it. Learn more about my 3 month SIBO Program here.
Recipe:
1 cup of unsweetened chocolate chips (my fav is Camino brand) or 1 bar of unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (avoid artificial flavouring. Simply Organic brand suggested)
2-4 tbsp honey
Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Add a small pot to the stove and turn on your lowest heat setting. Add the chocolate to the pot. Use a spatula and stir continuously until chocolate has melted (you want to avoid it burning).
Once melted, add 2 tbps of honey and peppermint extract and mix. Taste the mixture and add more honey or peppermint according to how sweet or minty you prefer your bark.
Pour the melted chocolate onto the baking sheet. Smooth the chocolate with a spatula into an even layer, about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick.
Transfer to freezer for 30 minutes or until firm.
Remove from the freezer and break the chocolate with a knife into smaller pieces. Enjoy!
Food Storage Tip: Store in the freezer for up to a month.
Sources:
Hee Shin, Ji et all. Consumption of 85% coca dark chocolate improves mood in assocation with gut microbial changes in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. June 3, 2021. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955286321002746