Benefits of Cacao

There’s so much to say about cacao that it’s hard to know where to begin. Although, I think as good a place as any is to confirm that what you’ve heard about chocolate being good for you is absolutely true. It is incredibly good for your health on so many levels. However, before you go out and buy yourself a large mars bar quoting that you saw it written somewhere that chocolate is great for your health!, you might like to read the rest of this post to find out exactly the chocolate I’m talking about. Although, I’d say that if you’re any way savvy or like to read a little, you had your doubts about it being the convenience store variety.

So, which chocolate does have these amazing health giving properties? Well, it is the actual cacao bean that chocolate is derived from. The one that is grown in the regions of central and south America, before it meets our processing plants. I can understand that when people hear that chocolate is good for them, they are delighted, and can’t wait to nip off to tescos to top up on a few bars. The thing is, even if you do buy 70% cacao which is a whole lot better for your than milk or white, it still contains quite a lot of refined sugar. It was the Europeans who first combined the cacao bean with sugar to form something similar to what we find in our stores today, but luckily the raw version is beginning to show its face again, in select outlets throughout the world.

We now know that the refined sugar that is in most chocolate bars draws minerals out of the body and causes blood sugar problems and is highly addictive. This added refined sugar also lowers the healing quality of the cacao which is so rich in nutrients but it is the more bitter variety that we need. The chocolate that is sweetened with agave, yacon or stevia, even zylitol retains more of the health giving properties, particularly if it is in raw form, but ou may find these hard to locate in your local shop.

Cacao starts off life, after it has been pollinated, as a green pod-like fruit. It changes colour green to red, orange and even yellow as it begins to ripen. It takes approximately 5 to 6 months for each pod to ripen. Each fruit contains anywhere from 20 to 50 almond shaped beans or seeds that we know as the cacao bean. This is also what is known as the raw or natural form of chocolate and it is this “chocolate” that is exceedingly good for you.

Top 5 Reasons for Eating More Chocolate

According to David Wolfe, Superfood Expert Cacao is the best natural food source of the following nutrients:

1. Antioxidants
Cacao contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world. By weight, cacao has more antioxidants than red wine, blueberries, acai, pomegranates and goji berries.

2. Magnesium
Magnesium is one of the most deficient major minerals for those on the Standard American Diet. Magnesium is an essential mineral for heart health, causes strong bowel movements, helps build strong bones, it also is one of the few alkalising minerals that our body needs in order to maintain a healthy PH. Cacao also seems to be the number one food source of this macro nutrient also.

3. Iorn
A low iron count is experienced by people suffering from anaemia. If you’ve ever experienced a low iron count, you will know how important this nutrient is to maintain good health. It keeps our blood healthy. Cacao is high in iron too.

4. Chromium
Is very helpful for balancing blood sugars. Cacao contains enough of this nutrient to reverse a chromium a deficiency.

6. Zinc
Zinc is a trace mineral that we only need small amounts of. Zinc plays a critical role in supporting the immune system, liver, pancreas, sexual fluids and skin. It is also involved in thousands of enzymatic reactions through the body.

So, now, if you've managed to get through this blog, you totally deserve to go out and eat lots and lots of chocolate!

Loving, delicious, chocolate filled moments!

Kitchen Greenie.

Ps: I will post up a recipe for a simple, cacao smoothie in the next few days.

Pss: Now you know how good the guilt free, raw cacao macroons are for you.