http://www.care2.com/greenliving/chocolate-as-medicine.html
Chocolate as Medicine
By Mary Beth Janssen, Organic Spa Magazine
To paraphrase Kramer talking to George on Seinfeld, “Oh you may stray, but you’ll always return to your dark master, the cocoa bean…and only the purest can satisfy you.” Amen to that! The cocoa bean, that is. I always welcome the chance to talk about chocolate–both its pleasurable and healing aspects. As a matter of fact my hubby is fond of saying that if he could come up with some combo-lombo sort of chocolate-cheese foodstuff recipe, he would do quite well with this in Holland (and with me!). You see, I’m 100 percent Dutch, and what is Holland known for? Why, cheese and chocolate of course. But, I digress.
Now most of us can relate to “the dark master’s” pleasure quotient, so let’s look at the healing part here–chocolate as medicine that is! From enhancing one’s mood to protecting the heart to getting an ample amount of antioxidants to neutralize free-radical damage to improving glucose metabolism (diabetic control), and so much more–a daily bit of high quality raw or dark chocolate has now been proven to have tremendous health benefits. The cocoa bean is well known for its high level of antioxidants, specifically resveratrol (part of the family called polyphenols). Resveratrol can cross the blood-brain barrier to help protect your brain and nervous system and has been found to protect cells from free-radical damage, keep your heart healthy, lower blood pressure, inhibit the spread of cancer (especially prostrate cancer) and normalize our body’s anti-inflammatory response. There’s also evidence that resveratrol can slow down the signs of aging and help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
The cocoa bean also contains up to 2.2 percent phenylethylamine, the “love drug,” and is one reason chocolate is thought to be an aphrodisiac. It’s believed to work by making the brain release b-endorphins, an opioid peptide which is the driving force behind chocolate’s pleasurable effect. Or the pain-relieving, mood-enhancing, joy-inducing, effects, if you will! There area also a number of neurotransmitters and other compounds–like theobromine, tryptophan, and anandamide that enhance one’s mood, as well as calm us down and boost creativity. Then there’s the high level of potassium and magnesium, a natural muscle relaxant, as well the “good” fats that can enhance brain function, help prevent cardiovascular disease, suppres appetite, stimulate metabolism, and boost immunity. All combined, thee ingredients are what create the well-known chocolate effect.
Now mind you, we’re not speaking of the typical commercial candy bar here–highly processed with heat as well as large amounts od refined sugar, processed dairy, chemicals, waxes, an such. We’re speaking of raw, organic, unprocessed chocolate (and sustainable, please!) made from the cocoa bean. The closer the chocolate is to its original state, the better it is for you. With the news of dark chocolate’s health benefits, 70 percent or higher cocoa bars have swept the marketplace, be aware that many of these are still heavily processed–and with this lose a large amount of their beneficial constituents. Some are better than others. Become a discerning label reader.
So how much chocolate should we eat for its healthful benefits? Here’s a perfect example of “less is more.” Researchers recommend eating a precise amount of chocolate –6.7 grams a day–for the best health benefits, especially its protective effect against inflammation and cardiovascular disease. This amounts to a small square of chocolate per day. I don’t know about you, my friends, but I may need to spring for extra square every now and then. But of course, this is an excellent lesson in “all things in moderation,” especially when it’s the most delicious, nutritious, organic raw chocolate possible. And you can involve all the senses for the incredible pleasure! Smell the chocolate’s aroma before putting in your mouth, then let it slowly melt in your mouth, chewing as needed, tasting the exquisite flavor across the broad expanse of your tongue and its 10,000 taste buds before letting it float down your throat into your tummy where your GI system will send the beneficial parts of the chocolate to your mind-body physiology. Chocolate love at it’s best!
Organic Spa Magazine is a national consumer lifestyle magazine about bringing spa wisdom into the modern green lifestyle. For a free digital subscription, click here.
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20 comments
add your comment »Hi everyone. For anyone readers visiting who don't really know, raw cacao is simply chocolate in its original state; uncooked, untampered with and naturally packed with 367% more antioxidants than the currently celebrated and 2nd highest antioxidant food, the Açai berry! Problem is, it is far too bitter to consume as it is. What would happen if the two collided? You would get the world's most healthy dark chocolate, sweetented with one of the healthiest fruits and resulting in a chocolate that tastes fantastic, not bitter. What used to be considered candy, not healthy and to be consumed in seriously small quantities can now be touted as a health food with some of the most amazing natural health benefits on the planet! Visit http://www.theworldsgreatestchocolate.com for more information or to order some chocolate to try for yourself. Email chocolate@theworldsgreatestchocolate.com.
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FYI Heini's Cheese Chalet, Millersberg, OH in the heart of Amish country http://www.heinis.com/. Makes a chocolate fudge cheese. Enjoy!
~;^}>
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I am a writer myself and have written many articles about the benefits of chocolate and cacao. On and BTW Sharon I checked out this video you mentioned and thanks for pointing it out, I am going to do more research for my next article on baldness
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Resveratrol seems to be one potent dude. Thank you for the insight.
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Melissa, you must be in love right now because your wonderful post, as usual, has typos that you never seem to have. Are you spending too much time dreaming of chocolate today? I am right now, so don't take everything I say to heart, especially if I don't have typos. Then you know I'm messing up somewhere because I'm dreaming of a romantic night with chocolate myself.
But first, I can't get past the socially responsible thing. UGH! I've got to mention about fair trade, as it's not only doing good in many ways, it also has to be top quality in order to earn that label. I take the cost divided by the cheap choco-wanna'-be, and buy it that much less. Unless I can afford it. I find I eat less of quality stuff too. I no longer can stand the cheap stuff. Also, Trader Joe's is ranked 2nd to Wal-Mart as a bad company in so many ways. But both Cadbury & M&M Mars are going to fair trade. WooHoo! Of course they'll still be laden w/other crap, but it's a step.
I love cacao nibs! They're not sweet, but they curb my desires & are good for us just as choc is, but less processed.
As a girl, we went to a specialty cheese shop. They had chocolate cheese. It was mildly sweet, & soft, but not as much as cream cheese, like regular cheese. And we totally LOVED it.
They've got cheese making books. You might try checking one out from the library to see if you like any of them for purchase, or just for fun. But either way, it would be a fun search to find, & plenty of info fro
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In my fridge: a bar of Trader Joe's Swiss 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate. Vegan, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium, lots of iron. Not overly-sweet.
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I was at Brisbanes GreenFest this year & they were selling organic raw dark chocolate which hasn't been heated so as to retain all the nutritional elements found in chocolate. The store bought chocolate has so much sugar in it that I don't think it is healhty, but the darker chocolate (Greens Organic here in Australia) is really lovely ! I am going to try the raw version of dark chocolate (not sure where to buy it - will ask at the health food store) & try to make some myself using freshly ground cocao beans.
Anything though in moderation. I don't think it is the chocolate that is addictive but the white sugar laden in store bought chocolate.
Thankyou for the article. It is interesting to know the many benefits.
If anyone could message me with a good RAW CHOCOLATE to buy - preferrably a brand here in Australia ?
Thanks & blessings of good health to everyone.
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Thanks Sharon, your recipe certainly sounds very easy. My mum used to make her own chocolate, which was delicious, but I never got the recipe. Would be very gratefull if you could give us the amounts of the ingrediants, I would give it a try asap, thanks so much :D
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I came across the most fantastic hand scooped Austrian Chocolate, organic fair trade from Zotter. They have the most interesting compositions, and taste just out of this world
http://www.zotter.at/standardassortments.html
They also have a Cheese - Walnut - Grapes chocolate, A harmonious combination: Austrian mountain cheese, walnuts, grapes, almonds and a touch of balsamic apple vinegar, altogether dipped in dark alp milk chocolate. Its one you either love or hate, and I love it - they export world wide, I can only urge you to try them, absolutely delicious
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This is an hour long video mainly about cacao:
http://tinyurl.com/l9mca3
At the very end he talks about male pattern baldness! Very interesting stuff from David Wolfe, the king of cacao!
I make my own chocolate:
-raw cacao powder
-coconut oil
-agave
mix together. Add nuts if you like. Put it in the fridge for a few minutes to harden up. I put chunks of this into blended fruit "ice cream". Delish!
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