“There’s nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate.” – Linda Grayson
Beans, Powder, Butter, Nibs, and Paste
Cacao (chocolate) is one of the most delicious and healthy super foods that exist. It is beneficial for keeping the heart healthy and it also helps as a delivery agent for many other super-foods like mushrooms, goji berries and spirulina. In addition to supporting cardiac health and lifting moods, cacao is well-known to ease symptoms of PMS, enhance glucose metabolism and may even help prevent colon cancer.
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz
In it’s most natural form cacao is a seed. Everything chocolate comes from a seed and is called cocoa beans. Chocolate does not have sugar or dairy not unless you add it. If you want a delicious, high energy weight loss food; chocolate is your bean!
What is in chocolate and what it does
- #1 source of Magnesium
Supports heart, brain, muscle cramping, elimination, alkaline, bone strength - Iron
Enhances blood - Chromium
Balances blood sugar - Copper
Supports blood, immunity - Manganese
Enhances blood - Vitamin C, Zinc
Increases immunity, liver, pancreas, skin functions - Omega-6 Fatty Acids
(Healthy unless chocolate is cooked…then it is a trans-fat) - Phenylethlamine
Increases focus, alertness, appetite suppressant - Anandamide
Produces endorphin (same as what is released after exercising) - Tryptophan
Enhances mood - Seratonin
Produces stress defense, increases mood - Fiber
Supports elimination - Methylxantines
Antibacterial, cardiovascular support - Oxalic Acid
(When cooked is bad for the kidneys)
There are also many good reasons to eat chocolate only when raw. The oxalic acid and omega-6 fatty acids become problematic (trans-fat and oxalates). There are a lot of delicious ways to use raw cacao. You can buy nibs, powder and cacao butter. One of the special qualities cacao has for is to hide the flavor of foods that isn’t’ as pleasant. You can eat spirulina with cacao without even tasting it.
One of my favorite foods with raw cacao is so easy and healthy and delicious that you won’t believe it! This protein immunity pudding can be added to or subtracted from and you can’t mess it up.
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 little chunk of cocoa butter
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 3 tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ cup cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon reishi mushroom
- 1 teaspoon chaga mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon spirulina
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1 handful frozen strawberries
- 1 handful goji berries
- a very small pinch of raw vanilla
- In mixer, soak chia seeds with coconut milk for 30 minutes.
- Then add in the rest and blend.
- Sprinkle with cocoa nibs or bee pollen.
Another treat is raw cacao, maca, maple syrup, macadamia nuts, coconut…delicious! They make a delicious (and good for you) treat.
You can make protein bars with raw cacao and hemp protein and a few other wonderful ingredients including coconut oil.
There are so many raw goodies you can make with cacao that are really healthy. The one feeling I think I can say that I consistently get when eating chocolate is “decadence”; a frivolous indulgence of the sweetest and healthiest kind. I make smoothies with cacao, coconut milk, banana, spinach and that is it. It is healthy as can be and it tastes delicious!
David Wolfe recommends moderate daily intake is 1 cacao bean per 11-17 pounds of body weight. If you weigh 150 pounds you would eat about 10 cacao beans a day.
What is your favorite chocolate food? Please share!
This looks like a fantastic recipe – and a good excuse to eat more chocolate!