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Raw cacao (not to be confused with regular cocoa) comes from the Theobroma cacao tree. A small tree native to Central and South America, the cacao tree grows throughout the tropics, mainly in Africa. The tree produces egg-shaped fruits known as pods, each containing brown seeds surrounded by white edible pulp that tastes sweet and tart. Fermenting and roasting these cacao seeds is the first step in making chocolate.
The antioxidants and flavanols in regular cocoa powder and chocolate have been chemically treated and roasted, destroying a significant portion of the antioxidants and flavanols (which keep you young and healthy). According to a recent study, ordinary “Dutch processing” loses between 60 and 90% of the inherent antioxidants in cacao.
Dutch processing was created in the early 1800s to minimize bitterness, darken the color, and create a more mellow flavor in chocolate, but sadly, it also removed a lot of the goodness. In addition, non-organic cocoa (and non-organic chocolate) has also been intensively treated with hazardous pesticides and fumigation chemicals.
In contrast, raw cacao is made by cold-pressing unroasted cacao beans ensuring that no nutrients are lost by heat treating. As a result, raw cacao maintains its high nutritional profile, making it a “superfood” loaded with minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, including flavonoids and magnesium.
Cacao is ideal when you’re craving chocolate but don’t want to overload your body with processed sugar. Consuming raw cacao offers several fantastic health benefits, including the following:
Raw Organic Cacao contains over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries. Yes, 40 times! It has an impressive ORAC score of 98,000 per 100g, compared to blueberries at only 2,400.
ORAC scores measure the antioxidants’ ability to absorb free radicals (that come from toxins and pollution in our environment), which cause tissue and cell damage and can lead to diseases such as cancer.
The antioxidant content of raw organic cacao is more than 40 times that of blueberries. As a result, it boasts a whopping ORAC value of 98,000 per 100g, compared to only 2,400 for blueberries. ORAC scores measure an antioxidant’s ability to absorb free radicals, which cause cell and tissue damage and can lead to diseases like cancer.
Cacao beans, as previously stated, are high in antioxidants. “Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which inhibits their activity,” notes registered dietitian Annamaria Louloudis, M.S., R.D.N., founder of Louloudi Nutrition. High quantities of free radicals can induce cell damage and oxidative stress, which plays a critical role in developing chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease. According to Louloudis, cacao includes “antioxidants such as epicatechin, catechin, and procyanidins,” which are polyphenols, a group of plant components. These chemicals have been shown in cancer lab experiments to have anti-cancer properties. Epicatechin, for example, was discovered to be able to kill breast cancer cells in a lab study in 2020, while cacao procyanidins were found to kill ovarian cancer cells in a lab study in 2016.
According to an article in Pain and Therapy, the antioxidants in cocoa beans can also help regulate inflammation. Because oxidative stress causes chronic inflammation, it raises the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. As a result, because cacao’s antioxidants fight oxidative stress, they can also help to reduce inflammation.
Furthermore, according to Bansari Acharya, M.A., R.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist at Food Love, these antioxidants can reduce the production of pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines, lowering your risk of inflammation in the first place.
Serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylethylamine are four pleasure chemicals found in cacao. These neurotransmitters are linked to feelings of well-being, pleasure, and happiness. Therefore, raw cacao can help you reduce stress, boost your well-being, fight mood swings, and get rid of sadness.
Cacao contains the most iron of any plant, at 7.3mg per 100g. Beef and lamb have 2.5mg, while spinach has 3.6mg. Because cacao’s iron is non-heme (as is all plant-based iron), you’ll want to pair it with vitamin C to get the most out of it. Consider oranges, kiwifruit, and superfoods such as gubinge or Camu camu (which contains 40x more vitamin C than oranges).
Raw Cacao is also one of the best plant-based sources of magnesium, which is one of the most deficient minerals in Europe, North America, and Australasia. Magnesium aids in the conversion of glucose into energy, allowing your brain to work with razor-sharp clarity and attention.
If you are feeling exceptionally exhausted after getting a good night’s rest, there is a chance that your magnesium levels are too low. Raw cacao can help you overcome fatigue since it’s an incredible source of magnesium that significantly boosts your energy levels.
The antioxidants in cocoa beans release nitric oxide, which promotes vasodilation (or widening) of your blood vessels, according to Sandy Younan Brikho, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and founder of The Dish on Nutrition.
As a result, blood flows more freely, lowering high blood pressure (also known as hypertension), a key risk factor for heart disease. In addition, in a 2017 study, researchers found that eating six cups of chocolate per week can help prevent heart disease and stroke. (One serving in the study was 30 grams of chocolate, which is around two teaspoons of chocolate chips.) There’s more, though: Louloudis claims that magnesium, copper, and potassium, all of which are contained in cacao, can help prevent hypertension and atherosclerosis or plaque accumulation in the arteries that can obstruct blood flow.
Furthermore, the Amazonian superfood can lower LDL, or bad cholesterol, and enhance HDL, or good cholesterol, due to the large amounts of antioxidants in cocoa that protect lipoproteins from oxidizing or reacting with free radicals. This is significant since high cholesterol levels raise the risk of heart disease.
Cacao includes flavonoids, which stimulate blood flow to the skin’s surface, making it ideal for glowing, healthy skin. Increased blood flow promotes cell renewal, which is essential for healthy skin.
Raw cacao not only improves the quality of your skin but can also help you avoid premature aging. This is due to the antioxidants in cocoa, which prevent these cells from further degradation and keep the skin looking fresh, healthy, and young for longer!
Scientists have been conducting tests that suggest theobromine, a component found in cacao beans, may be more efficient than fluoride in preventing cavities and tooth decay. This is due to the antibacterial properties of these chemicals. These chemicals battle plaque while also hardening tooth enamel, reducing the risk of tooth decay. Try snacking on cacao nibs instead of possibly toxic fluoride for strong, healthy teeth.
Theobromine, found in cacao beans, was highly efficient in treating persistent coughs in a recent UK study conducted by the British Lung Foundation. Theobromine is thought to perform better than codeine because it acts on the vagus nerve, which is responsible for coughing fits.
Try drinking a cup of hot chocolate made with nutrient-rich cacao before reaching for a bottle of cough medication the next time you’re feeling under the weather to see if it helps!
Raw organic cacao contains more calcium than cow’s milk, with 160mg per 100g compared to only 125mg per 100ml of milk. So it’s time to ditch the skinny latte in favor of a couple of dairy-free raw chocolate squares.
Grab a cacao product like dark chocolate the next time your brain needs a boost. According to research in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, cacao beans are one of the most significant sources of theobromine, a chemical that activates the central nervous system (BJCP). Meanwhile, in a 2019 study, dark chocolate (containing 50 to 90% cacao) boosted cognitive function. The researchers suspect that this was due to the psychostimulant theobromine in the chocolate.
Cacao’s epicatechin could also aid. According to a study in Molecular Neurobiology, oxidative stress can harm nerve cells, contributing to the development of neurodegenerative illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease. Epicatechin (an antioxidant), according to a study published in the journal BJCP, may protect nerve cells from oxidative destruction, thus lowering the risk of neurodegenerative disease and promoting brain health.
When you eat cacao, flavanols are taken into your bloodstream and accumulate in the hippocampus, which is vital for memory and learning. These flavanols then operate to generate new neurons, improve their functionality, and protect them from free radical damage, thus improving cognitive capacities.
According to the 2017 study mentioned above, the antioxidants in cacao beans, and thus chocolate, can reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes. In addition, in another study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers found that cacao flavanols (a type of polyphenol) stimulate insulin release, the hormone that transports glucose into your cells. This stabilizes your blood sugar and prevents it from increasing.
This is significant since having high blood sugar levels for an extended period can put you at risk for diabetes. In addition, cacao also contains fiber, which “slows carbohydrate absorption, regulating blood sugar levels and [giving] you with a more consistent stream of energy throughout the day,” explained Louloudis. According to the USDA, one tablespoon of cacao nibs has roughly 2 grams of fiber, nearly the same fiber as one medium banana (3 grams). Therefore, the lower your chance of acquiring diabetes, the better your blood sugar is managed and maintained (thanks to the fiber and antioxidants in cacao in this scenario).
According to an article in Nutrients, the polyphenols in cocoa beans are prebiotics. This means they “feed” the beneficial bacteria in your gut, allowing them to grow and thrive, which can help you avoid both temporary and long-term digestive problems. Simultaneously, polyphenols may fight against the nasty bacteria in your gut by preventing them from multiplying. These actions work together to keep microbial balance in the gut, which is essential for basic activities, including immunity and metabolism.
There are countless ways to consume cacao because it comes in many forms. Raw cacao can be used in a variety of ways, including the following six: