Posts Tagged Health Food
The Truth About Cacao!
The king of the superfoods in publicity terms. Cacao has an entire book written about it by David Wolfe called Naked Chocolate. Cacao is actually a nut of a fruit, but the way most Americans know it is nothing like its natural form. Raw cacao actually has zero caffeine in it, unlike all of the other chocolate products in America. Cacao is an absolute amazing source of magnesium which about all of Americans are deficient in.
Along with that cacao is high in vitamin C which no nut is known for, and it is the leading food in a trace mineral called chromium which most Americans also happen to be deficient in. Raw cacao is one of the most antioxidant dense foods ever. It has about 10-15 times more antioxidants then blueberries, and even three times more antioxidants than the popular fad supplements that contain acai berries. I wonder why they do not just market raw cacao instead of acai berries? Raw cacao actually used to be used as one of the first heart medicine because it contains 1-2% Theobromine. This is why many people complain cacao makes their heart race.
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Benefits Of Dark Chocolate – Does It Outweigh The Costs?
If you happen to be a “chocoholic,” there is some good news for you: some chocolate is not only not as unhealthy as previously thought, but many doctors now actually encourage the public to consume it. One particular type of chocolate can be beneficial to your gums, eyes, heart, arteries and even your entire immune system. It can also help lower cholesterol levels and balance both blood pressure and blood sugar. However, before you run out to buy candy bars in bulk, know that not just any kind of chocolate will provide such benefits.
Dark chocolate, created from natural cocoa beans, has been recommended for consumption even up to three times a day. This is because the cocoa bean is the food with the highest levels of antioxidants ever, which protect the body from oxidative stress involved with aging. Other foods, such as red wine, tea, and select few fruits and vegetables also offer similar health benefits, but cocoa still tops them all when it comes to the sheer number of antioxidants. These antioxidant compounds are called flavanols, which presumably supply dark chocolate its health benefits.
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Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter, also called cacao butter, is the cream-colored fat extracted from cacao seeds (cocoa beans) and used to add flavor, scent, and smoothness to chocolate, cosmetics, tanning oil, soap, and a multitude of topical lotions and creams. Cocoa butter has been called the ultimate moisturizer, and has been used to keep skin soft and supple for centuries. It is one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats known, and melts at body temperature so that it is readily absorbed into the skin. Cocoa butter is often recommended for treatment of skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. When applied topically, it creates a barrier between sensitive skin and the environment and also helps retain moisture. In addition, cocoa butter contains cocoa mass polyphenol (CMP), a substance that inhibits the production of the immuno globulin IgE. IgE is known to aggravate symptoms of both dermatitis and asthma.
Pregnant women have long used to cocoa butter formulations to prevent and treat stretch marks, but this pleasant-smelling substance is added to countless other topical preparations as well. Lotions and oils containing cocoa butter are often used in aromatherapy massages to promote feelings of relaxation and well-being. Recent research indicates that massaging the skin with cocoa butter may help relieve stress, boost the immune system, and even prevent cancer. This is because cocoa butter, like chocolate, contains a lot of CMP. Researchers in Japan reported that CMP inhibits the growth of cancerous cells and tumors by reducing active oxygen levels in the body, and concluded that CMP inhibits the oxidation of LDL (good) cholesterol and the production of inflammatory cells; there is some evidence that the CMP in cocoa butter may also help prevent heart disease and ease arthritic symptoms.
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