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Time to change your ideas about chocolate?
Certain types of cocoa and chocolate that are low in sugar and high in flavanoids seem to have remarkable health benefits and can improve memory, focus, moods and cognition ,help stabilize blood sugar. improve blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular disease…..
Cocoa drinking Kunas started the chocolate investigation
Off the coast of Panama on the San Blas islands a group of native people-Kuna tribe drink 40-45 ozs of raw unprocessed cocoa beverage each day. Despite their poverty level, lack of modern medical care and very simple hygiene…..the Kunas enjoy the world’s lowest rates of cardiovascular disease , reduced cancer levels, normal blood pressure and have almost no metabolic- blood sugar problems. (1)
They make their daily cocoa drink by boiling a banana in water with a large amount of raw unprocessed cocoa powder for a long period of time. The startling health differences between the Kunas who drink their daily cocoa and their relatives who do not use the cocoa-led Harvard researchers to analyse hundreds of research papers on cocoa flavanoids.
Memory,cognition and blood sugar metabolism -improved by high quality flavanoids from raw cocoa
In 2011 the Harvard team published a very large meta analysis of hundreds of research articles which examined the health benefits of cocoa. (2) This year a smaller double blind study was published. Conducted on 90 elderly individuals over an 8 week period it was determined that consuming 993 mgs of flavanoids from high quality raw cocoa per day improves cognitive function, lowers blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity. (3) Perhaps something as simple as a strong, raw cocoa drink can help to preserve cognitive function for people struggling with early stages of Alzheimer's, dementia or memory problems.
Along with researches around the world large candy companies like Mars and Hershey are are also investigating how to improve the quality of their chocolate products to bring improved benefits.
Only raw unprocessed cocoa has remarkable properties
Inside the cacao pod are the cacao beans. Roast these beans, grind them up, drain off the cocoa butter fat and solids and what is left behind is cocoa powder. Raw unprocessed cocoa powder contains the highest amount of biologically active compounds called flavanoids which provide the greatest health benefits. Almost all fruits and vegetables contain flavanoids which is why these foods are so healthy for us.
Raw unprocessed cocoa powder tastes bitter.... but adding a lot of sugar stresses your body’s blood sugar metabolism and can lead to weight gain and high cholesterol. Healthy raw unprocessed chocolate that brings these benefits with high flavanol content will never taste like the chocolate candy from your local store.
A process known as alkalinization reduces cocoa's bitter taste, makes the cocoa blend easily with sugar and improves its taste when it is cooked or baked. With this procedure raw cocoa is washed with sodium or potassium bicarbonate (baking soda).
Unfortunately alkalinization washes out the flavanols-the most active health building ingredients in raw cocoa.
Where to find high flavanoid raw unprocessed cocoa
Cocoavia , a subsidiary of Mars is one company that uses a patented high flavanoid producing process for their cocoa powders and candies. Cocoavia and other companies have isolated the flavanoids in capsule and tablet form. Local health food stores and online stores like Amazon offer a variety of raw cocoa powders and raw cocoa products.
How much do you need?
The ideal daily amount would be about 1000 mgs of raw cocoa flavanols.
Look for sweetening ingredients like stevia, maca, monk fruit, morinda fruit or yacon. These natural sweetners will not affect your blood sugar levels.
New chocolate :
These are two chocolate bars that I like:
The Ultra Calm Bar: Dark chocolate mixed with coconut, rice protein, rosemary extract and L-theanine and an amino acid from sunflower provides a profound sense of relaxation, well being and a lovely feeling of calmness within about 30 minutes after eating.(4)
Improve memory, focus and mental clarity with Karma Melowl Bar: Dark chocolate mixed with lion’s mane mushroom extract, ginko, turmeric and bacopa (ayurvedic herb). (5)
Another way to increase the flavanoid content is to mix raw cocoa with cranberry, acai, pomegranate, rosemary etc. The naturally high flavanoid levels of these fruits and herbs can also enhance the flavanoid content in raw cocoa products.
What if chocolate is not right for you?
Some people are allergic to chocolate. Young people may feel it makes their skin break out. Because it has a natural amount of caffeine it even can keep some people awake at night. So if you want to give raw unprocessed cocoa start out by eating it earlier in the day-not at bedtime.
Just as the world’s ideas about chocolate are changing….
You can change your health and vitality- whether or not you eat raw cocoa products.
Take a few minutes each day to sit in silence away from the cares of your day, breathe deeply and repeat this healing treatment:
Every aspect of me is aligned with the Wholeness of all Life and Healing. New vibrancy, balance and radiant health are restored and renewed in me. I heal fully and permanently now. Every day I am guided to easily make healthy food choices and it becomes more enjoyable to move my
body as I become more fit.
Repeat this to yourself in quiet moments once or twice a day for one month. It usually takes about this long for positive healing changes to occur from this practice.
References:
1.Cocoa and the Kuna indians
2,Flavanoid rich cocoa consumption affects multiple cardiovascular risk factors
3.Improved cognitive function from cocoa flavanol consumption
4.The Ultra Calm Bar
5.The Karma Melowl Bar
I'd love to hear your about your experiences and healing journeys. You might also enjoy:
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