Raw Chocolate 

Not just “Food for the Gods” 

      For many of us, the lure of chocolate can be overwhelming. But why is that so?

      Cacao contains certain chemicals and sensory properties that make the product very appealing. The sugar in chocolate releases serotonin (a brain chemical related to a positive sense of well-being). In spite of its physical properties, chocolate is not a physically addictive food. However, some people may find themselves psychologically addicted to chocolate. However, this may not be true for raw cacao.  

      Cacao is in the genus Theobroma and species Cacao. Other common names include Chocolate, Cacao, cacaoyer, cocoa. Cacao beans that are certified organic and raw, dryed at low temperature are difficult to find.

      The plant contains components that include: alanine, alkaloids, alpha-sitosterol, alpha-theosterol, amylase, arginine, ascorbic-acid, ascorbic-acid-oxidase, aspariginase, beta-carotene, calcium, dopamine, fructose, glucose, glutamic-acid, leucine, linoleic-acid, lipase, lysine, niacin, peroxidase, phenylacetic-acid, phenylalanine, phosphorus, riboflavin, rutin, tannins, theobromine, thiamin and many other things.

      . Raw organic cacao is high quality cacao and can be used in raw food treats like smoothies, brownies and pies. The cacao tastes similar to, yet better than, unsweetened bakers chocolate. A sweetener is often used like raw organic agave nectar in conjunction with your raw treat ingredients.  

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      Cacao contains a wide array of unique properties and minerals, including high levels of sulfur and magnesium. Studies show that it may increase your focus and alertness and contains nutrients to keep you happy. It is also known that chocolate and cacao are often associated with love. All this is due to phenylethylamine contained in the cacao. Anandamide can be produced in the brain when we are feeling great, in which cacao makes anandamide stick around longer.

      It also contains theobromine (a chemical related to caffeine)..Theobromine may act as a diuretic, and has a stimulant or exciting action not possessed by chocolate itself. Theobromine and theophylline, like caffeine, all found in this plant are used in modern medicine as antiasthmatic.  
 

      Cornell University food scientists found that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times what is found in green tea. It’s also important to note that the antioxidants in cacao are very stable and easily available to human metabolism.

      The antioxidants in cacao may have these benefits:

• Decrease blood pressure
• Improve circulation
• Promote cardiovascular functions and help fight heart disease
• Improve function of endothelial cells that line the circulatory system
• Provide protection from free radicals, which may trigger cancer, heart disease and stroke
• Improve digestion

      Cacao is found to be one of nature's richest sources of magnesium, which is a heart as well as brain mineral. Magnesium helps relax nerves and muscles, builds and strengthens bones and keeps blood circulating smoothly. It is also a rich source of other essential minerals like calcium, zinc, iron, copper, sulfur and potassium.    

      Of much greater interest in the context of health benefits is the rich flavonoid content of raw cocoa and the relatively rich flavonoid content of some chocolates and cocoas. Flavonoids are part of a large and diverse class of phyto-chemicals called polyphenols. Several thousand flavonoids exist in substantial amounts in common plant-based foods, such as tea, chocolate, cocoa, soybeans and wine. Epidemiological research, which studies the association between diet and health, in the last decade has suggested that some flavonoids might protect against certain chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases.