This week’s guest writer is Seth Braun, an amazing holistic health practictioner and all around nutrition expert. More can be found from Seth on his website. This week’s topic is the power of raw cocoa or cacao, from which all chocolate is made. In it’s natural raw state, cacao is an amazing health tool:
Raw Cacao: Also known as “cocoa†or theobroma cacao, the seed (often referred to as a bean) of a tropical fruit tree. All chocolate comes from processing cacao.
Who benefits from raw cacao?
Raw Cacao is the most nutrient dense seed in our food supply. While there are some concerns with occasional allergies or sensitivities to stimulants, raw cacao is great for almost everyone. Here are some of the remarkable properties of “raw chocolateâ€:
· Blood Sugar Issues~ wow! Cacao contains 10 times more chromium than whole wheat, this vital trace-mineral benefits blood sugar metabolism.
· Brain Boosting ~ flavanols. . . these plant compounds increase blood flow in the brain, according to research by Dr. Ian Macdonald at The University of Nottingham. Add in some theobromine, a mild stimulant and you have an inexpensive and very enjpyable breain tonic.
· Mood ~ Phenylethylamine. . . or PEA, is the famous, “love chemical†in chocolate. Basically, the body-mind gets really happy from PEA.
· Heart Health ~ compounds in cacao reduce blood pressure, increase flexibility in arteries, reduce bad cholesterol, and open up blood flow in all systems. Magnesium, which cacao has more of than any other food, is in highest concentration in the heart muscle.
· Sexual health ~ lots of things improve when you increase blood flow, add “the love chemical,†phenylethylamine, a big shot of magnesium to relax muscles and nourish the heart, and cocoa butter, which happens to melt at the same temperature as the tongue and you have the world’s best aphrodisiac. *Note: If you really want to know if cacao is an aphrodisiac, try eating 1 ounce of raw cacao or 70% or higher chocolate for two weeks. Yes, is what you will conclude!
· Less Sick Days ~ Well, you can use your sick days for whatever you want, but if you are eating cacao, it won’t be because you are shivering in bed. Cacao contains potent immune system boosting substances (called epicatechins)
WOW facts about cacao:
- Cacao has been consumed for over 4,000 years
- The highest food source of magnesium and chromium in our modern diet, which happen to be the number one mineral and trace mineral deficiencies, respectively.
- Raw Cacao is the number one source of antioxidants in the world. Higher than acai, goji, blueberry, aronia berry, and all of the antioxidant-rich berry drinks on the market!
- It is impossible to make good imitation chocolate flavor because cacao contains over 400 distinct chemical compounds, making it the most chemically complex food on the planet!
What to watch out for:
- Cacao is primarily grown in third world countries that may have low standards for the fermentation process. This could mean that you have a high count of nasty microbes in your raw cacao. Therefore, it is best to order from reputable sellers.
- Cacao (and chocolate by default) can be raised by child labor in Africa. Fair Trade is essential for chocolate. Organic of course.
Recipes for Raw Chocolate:
· Add raw cacao nibs (broken up nuts) to smoothies for all-natural super food chocolate drinks.
· Mix with nuts and dried fruit in a food processor to make raw chocolate bars.
· Toss them into trail mix, especially good with goji berries and pumpkin seeds
Where can I get them?
I order directly from Sunfood Nutrition. David Wolfe’s raw foods distribution company has an excellent reputation for quality and I have been pleased with the products that Sunfood Nutrition produces.
subscribe ( 
9 Responses to “Amazing Cocoa!”
[...] Vote Amazing Cocoa! [...]
appreciation you, lessen location, added to favorites.
Wayne…
This post How Our Primitive Human Desires Cause Social Problems | PickTheBrain … is just the kind of information I am looking for. I am a colon cancer survivor, so all health issues have become of great concern to me. Just so you know, I found it w…
I forever wonder about stuff like this in the gym.. I have great form and I always pay extreme attention to all the exercises to make sure that (to the best of my knowledge) i am doing them to get the best results.. im always concerned though that if i drop my weight a bit that i wont be able to eventually get my weight high and or get bigger (since my body wont think the weight is to much and not seeing a need to grow??)
Is there any body building supplement that you’d recommend? I wanna try one but I do not know which is best.
Hm, I can’t speak to supplements per se, but definitely do lots of good-quality protein and fat.
Good afternoon. I’m having trouble with your blog. I can’t see the images. Is everyone having this problem? I have been having trouble with my computer lately, so I’m not sure if its my computer or if its your blog. Thanks!
Maybe your browser?
Excellent articles. I sometimes find it hard coming up with articles for my website but you did a great job here.
[...] Vote Amazing Cocoa! [...]
Pingback by countries of the world interesting facts | Digg hot tags — December 9, 2008 @ 3:22 pm
appreciation you, lessen location, added to favorites.
Comment by lesataza pornis — December 24, 2008 @ 4:09 am
Wayne…
This post How Our Primitive Human Desires Cause Social Problems | PickTheBrain … is just the kind of information I am looking for. I am a colon cancer survivor, so all health issues have become of great concern to me. Just so you know, I found it w…
Trackback by Wayne — January 11, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
I forever wonder about stuff like this in the gym.. I have great form and I always pay extreme attention to all the exercises to make sure that (to the best of my knowledge) i am doing them to get the best results.. im always concerned though that if i drop my weight a bit that i wont be able to eventually get my weight high and or get bigger (since my body wont think the weight is to much and not seeing a need to grow??)
Comment by Kalie Weir — December 14, 2009 @ 5:21 am
Is there any body building supplement that you’d recommend? I wanna try one but I do not know which is best.
Comment by Donnell Calligan — December 29, 2009 @ 9:40 am
Hm, I can’t speak to supplements per se, but definitely do lots of good-quality protein and fat.
Comment by Stephanie Small — January 4, 2010 @ 8:26 am
Good afternoon. I’m having trouble with your blog. I can’t see the images. Is everyone having this problem? I have been having trouble with my computer lately, so I’m not sure if its my computer or if its your blog. Thanks!
Comment by Agustin Kramper — January 19, 2010 @ 2:25 am
Maybe your browser?
Comment by Stephanie Small — January 19, 2010 @ 8:18 am
Excellent articles. I sometimes find it hard coming up with articles for my website but you did a great job here.
Comment by Aletha Brumbelow — February 4, 2010 @ 12:51 pm