cacao tree
Did you know that cocoa is actually a FRUIT - and even more surprised to learn that it is actually one of the most healthy fruits commonly eaten, and that it grows in Hawaii?
The Aztecs thought it gave their warriors strength. Early doctors used to prescribe it to cure ailments. Throughout history, chocolate has been revered more for its medicinal qualities than its delicious taste.
"Chocolate nourishes and preserves health entire, yet causes a pleasant and natural sleep and rest," wrote Dr. William Hughes, an English physician in 1672. "Drunk twice a day, a man may very well subsist therewith, not taking anything else at all."
From a delicacy for kings to a favorite treat, from a sacred and revered health food to a modern scientific wonder, the history of chocolate is rich, varied, and never boring.
Recent research studies have shown a link between cocoa and cardiovascular health, with reduced risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
Cornell University food scientists discovered that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea.
Raw cocoa has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world!
The ORAC score per 100 grams of unprocessed raw cacao is 28,000, compared to 18,500 for Acai Berries, 1,540 for Strawberries, and only 1,260 for raw Spinach. The ORAC score for a typical manufactured Dark Chocolate is an impressive 13,120 - although one unique, organic, and non-roasted brand of Dark Chocolate has a much higher ORAC score. But for Milk Chocolate the ORAC score is much lower at 6,740.
Cocoa also appears to have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. And cocoa is a good source of the minerals magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese; plus some of the B Vitamins.
When heart problems occur, magnesium is the most likely mineral to be missing in the person's diet.
Cocoa has a high content of the "beauty" mineral, sulfur. Sulfur helps build strong nails and hair, promotes healthy and beautiful skin, helps detoxify the liver, and supports healthy functioning of the pancreas.
Fresh cocoa beans are super-rich in the type of bioflavonoid called flavanols which are strong antioxidants that help maintain healthy blood flow and blood pressure. The heart-healthy flavanols in cocoa, especially the epicatechins, prevent fatty substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and then clogging the arteries.
Flavanols help make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes - without the negative side effects associated with the use of aspirin (ASA) and other pharmaceutical blood-thinners.
Cocoa beans contain 10,000 milligrams (10 grams) of flavanol antioxidants per 100 grams - or an amazing 10% antioxidant concentration level! When it comes to supplying your body with effective antioxidants, no other natural food can even come close. No exotic super-fruit like Acai berries, no high-antioxidant fruits like prunes or blueberries, and no vegetables. The antioxidants in cocoa are easily absorbed by the human body, and are more stable and long-lasting than those in any other foods.
Cocoa also contains the amino acid Tryptophan which makes the neurotransmitter known as serotonin, which promotes positive feelings and helps keep us from feeling depressed. Cocoa contains the neurotransmitters dopamine, and phenylethylamine (PEA), and contains anandamide and MAO Inhibitors - which make this heart-healthy food a healthy food for the brain too.
Phenylethylamine (PEA) helps promote mental alertness and the ability to concentrate. The PEA in healthy chocolate can be of help to students taking tests, and to senior citizens who want to retain the mental capacity of a younger person and postpone the onset of dementia.
Studies have indicated that consuming dark chocolate produced an increased sensitivity to insulin (which indicates a protective effect against diabetes).
While you may have believed that cocoa and chocolate were "bad for you", the truth is that THE RIGHT KIND OF CHOCOLATE provides many health benefits that make it not only "good for you" but better for your body than most of the fruits and vegetables your mother made you eat when you were a child.
Chocolate is made from Cacao.
The term cacao, essentially a botanical name, refers to the tree, the pods and the unfermented beans found in the pods. The word cocoa, by contrast, refers to the fermented cocoa beans in bulk, and also to the manufactured powdered product used for drinks and in food manufacturing.
The cocoa beans are the seeds of the cacao tree species Theobroma cacao L., and the genus Theobroma. Theobroma cacao is the only species of commercial value and is divided into four distinct varieties: Hawaiian, Criollo, Trinitario, and Forastero.
Except for in Hawaii, the growing conditions required by the cacao tree are fairly precise with the usual areas of cultivation lying within 20 degrees latitude of the equator. Within these latitudes a temperature range of 21 to 32 degrees Centigrade (70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit) is required. Soil conditions can vary considerably, but a firm roothold and moisture retention are necessary.
Traditionally, cacao trees are grown under shade trees to resemble their natural habitat, however, high yields have been obtained from trees growing in non-shaded areas when sufficient moisture and nutrients are made available to the trees. Cocoa trees, which begin bearing fruits after the age of five, generally live up to 100 years and are in their prime 30 to 40 years after maturity.
Can d dark chocolate can help you lose weight? Because it has appetite-suppressant properties, cocoa is often added to weight loss products to help control hunger.
While chocolate deserts may be "fattening", the truth is that the fats found in cocoa butter are actually healthy fats! Cacao contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat which is also found in olive oil and is believed to raise the level of the "good cholesterol" known as HDL cholesterol (the acronym HDL stands for "High Density Lipid").
Healthy chocolate can be of great benefit to tobacco smokers - but not just because they need lots of the antioxidants which neutralize the free radicals generated by the toxic compounds in tobacco smoke. A recent study in Switzerland indicated that dark chocolate may help prevent hardening of the arteries.
A 2006 clinical study by Swiss researchers found that within minutes of consuming dark chocolate, their test group of 20 smokers experienced a significant improvement in the function of the endothelial cells which line the artery walls. Smoking tobacco has long been linked to hardening of the arteries and an increase in the production of clot-forming platelets in the blood.
Raw cocoa beans contain over 300 chemically identifiable compounds. This makes cocoa one of the most complex food substances on Earth!
SIMPLE CACAO TRUFFLES:
In its raw form, cacao contains many beneficial rejuvenating and anti-aging elements, including antioxidants, magnesium. Coconut butter is a cold pressed, cholesterol-free oil that stimulates thyroid function, increases metabolism and promotes weight loss. Support Hawaiian grown cacao too!
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup raw cacao powder (available at health stores)
2 cups ground raw almonds
¾ cup raw agave nectar (a low-glycemic plant sweetener)
1 Tbs. organic coconut butter (sometimes called oil)
Pinch of Hawaiian sea salt
1 cup shredded, dried unsweetened coconut flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all the ingredients except for the coconut flakes in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Remove a small amount of the mixture, and roll small balls between your palms. Roll each ball in a separate smaller bowl containing the coconut flakes.
Freeze overnight to harden the truffles- In Hawaii, keep them frozen until ready to serve. Enjoy!"
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