Monday, May 16, 2011

Cocao cravings offer health benefits too….

Cocao cravings offer health benefits too…

Crave Cocoa? Now know the health benefits…

Chocolate and Cocoa are referred to as the most craved food known to man. This being so, I decided to investigate their use as ahealth food both traditionally and today.

They are powerful anti-oxidants and are believed to help the body’s cells resist damage by free radicals, which are formed by numerous processes including when the body’s cells utilize oxygen for energy.

Laboratory and human studies have indicated that cocoa flavonoids can inhibit the oxidation of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL-cholesterol) associated with heart disease.

Best of all, cacao beans, cocoa powder and chocolate contains anandamide, a neurotransmitter which is also produced naturally in the brain. It is known as the “Bliss- amide” , responsible for the satisfaction we feel, when eating chocolate. Cacao contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease our bodies’ ability to breakdown anandamide. This means after eating chocolate, thenatural anandamide and/or the cocoa infused anandamide stays longer in our body making us feel good for a longer period of time.

Now – that you know this, there is no excuse to “not” adding this amazing food into your diet

Here are a few ideas to get you started:
  • Add cocoa powder to your favorite rubs.
  • Add dark chocolate to homemade mole sauce.
  • Add a touch of cocoa powder to stews, soups or casseroles.
  • Add dark cocoa powder as a garnish on top of desserts.
  • Add cocoa and chocolate to your coffee.
The health benefits of chocolate—particularly dark chocolate, and dark cocoa has been the subject of many health studies of late, and could help draw more consumers to the concept of “healthy indulgence” when it comes time for dessert.

Recently, more and more research has been conducted on the health and nutritional attributes of cocoa and chocolate.

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