Raw Chocolate… a Superfood???

RAW CHOCOLATE… A SUPERFOOD??? Where does chocolate come from? Actually, it DOES grow on trees. It all starts with a small tropical tree, the Theobroma cacao, usually called simply, “cacao.” (Pronounced ka-KOW. Theobroma is Greek for “food of the gods.”) Cacao is native to Central and South America, but it is grown commercially throughout the tropics. About 70% of the world’s cacao is grown in Africa. A cacao tree can produce close to two thousand pods per year. The ridged, football shaped pod, or fruit, of the cacao grows from the branches and, oddly, straight out of the trunk. The pods, which mature throughout the year, encase a sticky white pulp and about 30 or 40 seeds. The pulp is both sweet and tart; it is eaten and used in making drinks. The seeds, were you to bite into one straight out of the pod, are incredibly bitter. Not at all like the chocolate that comes from them. How is the average, high street chocolate bar made? • Beans are fermented, then dried out • Beans are cleaned and roasted – which destroys most of their nutrients • Roasted beans have shells removed and we are left with nibs – broken bits of bean. • Nibs are heated again, so the oils melt to form “chocolate liquor” The cocoa solids are heated again to very high temperatures and mixed with milk, saturated fats, sugar and emulsifiers to make a chocolate bar. Often, the beneficial cocoa butter has been replaced with hydrogenated vegetable oils which have huge implications on our health. The cacao bean therefore goes through three heating processes, has many of its beneficial oils removed, is combined with foods that are not healthy and our high street chocolate experience bears a poor resemblance to the real thing!!! EU regulations state that to be called milk chocolate, a bar must contain at least 14% cocoa solids – which means that only 1/7th of the actual ingredients have to be this denatured form of chocolate and the rest is fattening, bad for your teeth, acidic and unbalancing for our blood sugar. The refined white sugar contained in commercial chocolate depletes the body of vital nutrients including magnesium, vitamin C and B vitamins. So, given the very low chocolate content, chocoholics often eat up to 4 times more of this “chocolate” to satisfy their cravings! Well, we are the bearers of good news… Real/RAW chocolate is a SUPERFOOD!!!! WHY IS RAW CHOCOLATE A SUPERFOOD? In it’s raw, untampered state, the cacao bean is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known to man. It contains over 300 chemical compounds, making it a premium source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, protein and healthy fats. Minerals One of the best known dietary sources of magnesium and sulphur. Magnesium is an essential mineral which many of us are deficient in. Like calcium, it is important for building strong bones and it also assists in converting EFAs in the body. It provides essential support for the heart and helps relieve PMT. Sulphur is known as the beauty mineral as it is beneficial for the hair, eyes, skin and teeth. Cacao also contains significant amounts of iron, phosphorus and the B vitamins. ANTIOXIDANTS It contains nearly twice the amount found in red wine and three times that found in green tea. The antioxidants in cacao and are easily absorbable by the body and have been shown to assist in cardiovascular health and help prevent against cancer. The antioxidant level in raw cacao powder is at least 7 times higher than in normal dark chocolate!! Neurotransmitters/Amino acids Cacao is home to the neurotransmitter anandamide, known as the bliss chemical, naturally found in the human brain. Cacao is the only food other than cannabis to contain this. It also contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid which the brain uses to make the neurotransmitter serotonin; an essential feel-good substance. A lack of serotonin can contribute to irritability, anger and depression. Cacao is also one of the best dietary sources of arginine, an amino acid also known as nature’s Viagra – need we say more…..?! PEA Known as the molecule of JOY – a chemical produced in the brain when we are fully happy and immersed in the moment, especially when involved in creative activities such as painting, dancing or listening to music. Also very good for the brain and improves brain function. We also get high levels of this substance when we are in love. MAO inhibitors These monoamine oxidase inhibitors inhibit monoamine oxidase enzymes, which has the effect of increasing levels of neurotransmitters in the body, therefore having an anti- depressant effect. Stimulants Cacao does contain caffeine and theobromine – both stimulants, but are proving to have far different effects when consumed raw than cooked. We get the benefits of increased focus, alertness and dilated blood vessels, but not the negative effects of caffeine, such as the tense, wired, edgy feelings. RAW Cacao does not elevate blood sugar levels as does cooked/processed cacao. As it is so concentrated, our cravings are satisfied much quicker and so a little goes a long way! WHAT IS IN RAW CHOCOLATE? Cacao Powder Cacao Butter A sweetener of your preference Three basic ingredients which are not damaging to one’s health…in fact, actively HEALTHFUL!!! HOW IS RAW CHOCOLATE MADE? The cacao beans are fermented at low temperatures and sun-dried. Unlike the beans destined for high street chocolate bars, these beans are never roasted so as to preserve as many of the nutrients possible. The fat (cacao butter) is extracted from the nibs (small pieces of bean) by cold-pressing. The remainder is sifted finely and cold ground to make the powder. You can see that it does not go through all the industrial processes of heat treatment and no rubbish is added. RAW CACAO MYLKSHAKE 1-2 cups of plant mylk 1 tbsp cacao powder 1 dsp maca 2 frozen bananas 1 small avocado 2 tsp lecithin Whizz until smooth!.

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