The Facts About Raw Cacao
Q.) What is Raw Cacao?
A.) Raw Cacao comes from the Theobroma Cacao Tree that grows Large Fruit Pods, which house what look like almond sized coffee beans that are Cacao Beans.
Q.) What is the difference between Raw Cacao and Cocoa?
A.) Cocoa is the term coined for the post-processed Cacao Bean. Alkaloids and other substances are added to the Raw Cacao Beans, and heat is used to process them into the powder we call cocoa powder. Unfortunately this process eliminates most of the nutritious properties which are inherent to Cacao in its natural form. Therefore Cacao is the title for the Raw and unprocessed chocolate -cacao Bean that comes straight from the pod in the tree!
Q.) What forms does it come in?
A.) In comes in whole beans, crushed up –NIBS, Cacao Butter, and Cacao Powder, which is non-alkalized and has no additives.
Q.) What do I do with it?
A.) The possibilities are endless! You can eat the beans or nibs whole, straight from a spoon, with raw honey or raw agave cactus nectar on a spoon, put them in shakes, drinks, soups, make candy from the butter, add the butter to smoothies, add the powder to smoothies, freeze or refrigerate it in ice cube trays with other ingredients to make candy, make raw ice cream, make your favorite desserts, add it to trail mixes and the list goes on and on.
Q.) What are some of the health benefits of eating cacao in its unprocessed from?
A.) It is extremely high in antioxidants, and is also known as an aphrodisiac! Cacao is a superfood, and contains an exorbitant amount of minerals, essential and fatty acids; polyphenolês (anti-oxidants), there are tocos or tocotrienols (Vitamin E, antioxidants) in the cacao butter and a massive list more of components that can be found in cacao and its many forms. For an extensive list of properties please see <Naked Chocolate> by David Wolfe and Shazzie.
Processed dark chocolate contains about 132 ORAC units per gram. That isn’t much compared to the 955 units in Raw Cacao Powder. In fact, Cacao Powder has about 723% more (or about 7 times more) antioxidants gram-per-gram than typical dark chocolate.
* Cornell University food scientists say that cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea. With Raw Cacao Powder, it would be 14 times more than Red Wine and 21 times more than Green Tea!
* Italian researchers found eating 100 grams of dark chocolate each day for 15 days lowered blood pressure in the 15-person study. The University of L’Aquila team also found the body’s ability to metabolize sugar – a problem for people with diabetes – was improved. Because the effect was believed to be due to Antioxidant levels, with Raw Cacao Powder we can likely multiply this effect
.
* Dutch researchers indicate that dark chocolate contains four times the amount of catechin antioxidants than black tea, which is suspected of having a protective effect against heart disease and possibly cancer due to its antioxidant properties. With Raw Cacao Powder, it would be 28 times more than Black Tea and potentially 7 times the protection!
* In trials, doctors at Harvard found that Antioxidant compounds called Flavonols in chocolate help the body to produce nitric oxide, a compound essential for proper heart function. (Nitric oxide is also believed by pro bodybuilders to help increase muscularity.) Again, with Raw Cacao Powder, this effect could easily be multiplied.
* The amino acid Tryptophan is found naturally in cacao. Tryptophan enhances relaxation and promotes better sleep.
* Researchers have discovered that phenylethylamine (PEA) has a positive effect in enhancing feelings of love. And Chocolate has been proven to be an excellent source of PEA. Now you can love at least 33% more with Raw Cacao Powder!
* Cacao is the richest food source of magnesium of any common food. Magnesium is the number one mineral that assists and supports healthy heart functioning. Now you get at least 33% more magnesium gram-per-gram with Raw Cacao Powder!
* Raw Cacao Powder has at least 33% more Arginine, the aphrodisiac-like amino acid believed by body builders to build muscle and aid in recovery.
* And much, much more!
Chocolate Nut-Milk Recipe
1 liter (4 cups) of coconut water
20 cacao beans (peeled)
3-5 tablespoons of carob powder and/or maca powder (maca is a powdered root from Peru that is an amazing high-protein superfood aphrodisiac, strengthener, and fertility enhancer)
3-5 tablespoons of <raw honey> and/or <agave cactus nectar >
2 tablespoons of hempseed oil
2 tablespoons of coconut oil/butter
2-3 pinches of sea salt (preferably Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink rock salt)
2-3 sprinkles of cinnamon
Blend all ingredients, drink, and arrive back on Earth in about 2 hours!
