The Ultimate Feel Good Superfood by Maddy Trueman

Could raw cacao be the ultimate feel good food?

There is no denying that chocolate is one of the most popular foods in the world, but did you know that some dark chocolate products are actually superfoods? Cacao has been used for centuries to bring health, nourishment, joy and vibrancy to the lives of many. Cacao has been used in ceremonies across many traditions. Raw cacao products, including cacao nibs, cacao powder, cacao butter and cacao beans are rich in minerals and all of the feel-good, mood elevating chemical compounds. These products can be a useful tool for elevating our health in many different ways.

mood:

Cacao is high in tryptophan, an amino acid that assists our body in promoting serotonin. Serotonin is involved in mood regulation, sleep, digestion, memory and more. Cacao also been shown to increase cognitive performance and fight mental fatigue. In addition to this, cacao has been shown to lower levels of our stress hormone, cortisol.

skin:

Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any other food source. These antioxidants can help fight skin-damaging free radicals. Gram for gram, cacao contains higher level of antioxidants than blueberries, goji berries and pomegranates.

love:

Cacao is widely known as a natural aphrodisiac. It is believed that the combination of theobromine and phenylethylamine (PEA) is what may link cacao to the increase in both male and female sexual arousal.

minerals:

Cacao is naturally high in magnesium. Magnesium is responsible for hundreds of biochemical processes in the body. Some of magnesium’s main roles include regulating the nervous system, relaxing our muscles and improving heart health. There is even some scientific evidence that the reason we crave chocolate during our menstrual cycle is because our bodies are really craving the important minerals that cacao can provide. Cacao also contains more calcium per gram than cows milk, plus a large amount of potassium, iron and chromium.

tips:

Always opt for raw cacao. Raw cacao is made by cold-pressing cocoa beans. During this process, the fat is removed while the living enzymes remain. Cocoa is roasted at high temps and therefore the molecular structure is changed and the nutritional value is lowered.

If you are buying raw cacao in chocolate form - opt for high quality products with a 70% cacao percentage or higher. Look for bars that only contain cacao solids, cacao butter and sweetener as the primary ingredients.

CACAO RECIPES