#rawlife

I recently picked up a tin of pure organic unsweetened cocoa powder so I could make one of my favorite go to winter beverages: Hot Cocoa. And then I noticed the nutrition label bursting with magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus.

Which got me thinking. . . .

You’d think all chocolate was the same, considering both cacao & cocoa come from the cacao bean of the Theobroma cacao tree. But it turns out there are some nutritional differences between cacao and cocoa, how they’re processed, and where you use them.

Superfood Chef Julie Morris writes, “In their purest forms, both cacao powder & unsweetened cocoa powder taste similar: like unsweetened chocolate. Their health benefits are where the biggest variances occur. Minimally processed cacao powder is an abundant source of minerals (iron, magnesium and potassium), fiber and those unique antioxidants called flavanols, which support cardiovascular and brain health. After cacao has been heated at high temperatures (to become cocoa powder), many of these beneficial nutrients degrade and are no longer significantly present in the powder.”

So what can Cacao do for us?

Lowers insulin resistance

Protects your nervous system: Cacao is high in resveratrol, a potent antioxidant also found in red wine, known for its ability to cross your blood-brain barrier to help protect your nervous system

Shields nerve cells from damage

Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease

Reduces your risk of stroke

Reduces blood pressure

Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease: The antioxidants found in cacao help to maintain healthy levels of Nitric Oxide (NO) in the body. Although NO has heart benefiting qualities, such as relaxing blood vessels and reducing blood pressure, it also produces toxins. The antioxidants in cacao neutralize these toxins, protecting your heart and preventing against disease.

Guards against toxins: as a potent antioxidant, cacao can repair the damage caused by free radicals and may reduce the risk of certain cancers. In fact, cacao contains far more antioxidants per 100g than acai, goji berries, and blueberries. Antioxidants are responsible for 10% of the weight of raw cacao.

Boosts your mood: Cacao can increase levels of certain neurotransmitters that promote a sense of well-being. And the same brain chemical that is released when we experience deep feelings of love – phenylethylamine – is found in chocolate.

It is rich in minerals: magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese.

Want more information? Here’s a scientific study called Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease

Sounds great, but how do I ingest it, you ask?