Hot cacao is a great way to consume something decadent with the added bonus of potent nutrients. It is important however, to consume it in its raw state and not the supermarket type drinking chocolate. Gaining an increasing popularity, this raw form of chocolate is not just a typical nutritionally dense food, it is a phenomenal one!
Cacao pods grow on trees and originated in Central and South America. The ancient South American civilisations cherished them for their medicinal properties. They thought of them as such an esteemed product, they even used them as currency.
Benefits: Being a food of high nutritional benefit, cacao is a must in your pantry.
- Vitamins and Minerals. Cacao is one of the most mineral-rich foods
- Magnesium: Magnesium is a mineral that is needed for over 300 biochemical reaction in your body, including muscle and nerve function
- Iron: This important mineral is essential for red blood cell production and the prevention of iron deficient anaemia
- Calcium. This is an important mineral that is necessary to support bone health.
- Antioxidants: Antioxidants are important for health. This is due to the fact that they destroy the free radicals that cause damage to the cells in your body. Cacao is considered to be one of the most richly dense food suppliers of antioxidants. Studies show that antioxidants when consumed in the diet, can protect you against many disease
- Heart Health: A study published in 2006 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that subjects who consumed cacao had lower blood pressure than those who didn’t consume cacao;1
- Fibre: Cacao is a great source of fibre. Fibre prevents spikes in blood sugar thus sustaining your body’s energy levels and preventing mood fluctuations. Fibre also promotes a regular digestive system and slows digestion for promote satiety thus helping with weight management.
