CHOCOLATE... the very word evokes euphoric feelings of bliss for this melt in your mouth little taste of heavenly yummy goodness. Mmmm...mmmm...mmm... I LOVE CHOCOLATE!
So what is it about this mouth watering delightful indulgence that makes us feel so GOOD? One is an adrenal-related chemical called Phenylethylamine (PEA). This chemical is created within the brain and released when we are in love. This is one of the reasons why LOVE and CHOCOLATE are so intertwined. PEA also plays a role in increasing focus and alertness. Researchers have discovered that phenylethylamine (PEA) has a positive effect in enhancing feelings of love.
Secondly, chocolate also contains a neurotransmitter called anandamide. Anandamide is known as "The Bliss Chemical" because it is released while we are feeling great. Cacao contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease our bodies' ability to breakdown anandamide. This means that natural anandamide and/or cacao anandamide may stick around longer, making us feel good longer, when we eat cacao.
It also contains Tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is transformed into important stress-protective neurotransmitters including serotonin and melatonin.
Chocolate as a SUPERFOOD?
Yes, chocolate is actually healthy for us. It contains the following important nutrients:
Chromium - the cacao bean is the number one source of any major food. Chromium balances blood sugar. Very important for hypoglycemia and other blood sugar imbalances.
Manganese: Manganese is an essential trace mineral. Manganese helps assist iron in the oxygenation of the blood and formation of hemoglobin. Important mineral for enzymatic reactions of our cells, our immune system and the overall proper functioning of our nervous system.
Chromium - the cacao bean is the number one source of any major food. Chromium balances blood sugar. Very important for hypoglycemia and other blood sugar imbalances.
Manganese: Manganese is an essential trace mineral. Manganese helps assist iron in the oxygenation of the blood and formation of hemoglobin. Important mineral for enzymatic reactions of our cells, our immune system and the overall proper functioning of our nervous system.
Magnesium: chocolate is the number one natural source of magnesium of any major food in the world. Coincidentally, this is the number one mineral deficiency in the western world. Magnesium deficiency is linked with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, joint problems and pre-menstrual tension (PMS).
Zinc: Zinc is an essential trace mineral. Zinc plays a critical role in the immune system, liver, pancreas, and skin. Additionally, zinc is involved in thousands of enzymatic reactions throughout the human body.
Copper: Copper is an essential trace mineral. Copper is found naturally in plants with vitamin C. In the human body, copper helps to build healthy blood.
Vitamin C: Cacao must be raw to contain vitamin C. All cooked and processed chocolate has no vitamin C. A one ounce (28 gram) serving of Cacao Nibs supplies 21% of the U.S. RDA of Vitamin C.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids: Cacao contains essential omega 6 fatty acids. All COOKED and processed chocolate contains rancid omega 6 fatty acids (trans-fat) that can cause an inflammatory reaction when one eats cooked chocolate.
Iron: According to the website, Nutritiondata.com, a one ounce serving of dark chocolate contains 19 percent of the US RDA for iron. Yet an ounce of beef only contains 3 percent. According to Mr. Wolfe, you'd be hard pressed to find any nut or seed or vegetable, anything that has as much iron as CACAO has. Hmm....
Zinc: Zinc is an essential trace mineral. Zinc plays a critical role in the immune system, liver, pancreas, and skin. Additionally, zinc is involved in thousands of enzymatic reactions throughout the human body.
Copper: Copper is an essential trace mineral. Copper is found naturally in plants with vitamin C. In the human body, copper helps to build healthy blood.
Vitamin C: Cacao must be raw to contain vitamin C. All cooked and processed chocolate has no vitamin C. A one ounce (28 gram) serving of Cacao Nibs supplies 21% of the U.S. RDA of Vitamin C.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids: Cacao contains essential omega 6 fatty acids. All COOKED and processed chocolate contains rancid omega 6 fatty acids (trans-fat) that can cause an inflammatory reaction when one eats cooked chocolate.
Iron: According to the website, Nutritiondata.com, a one ounce serving of dark chocolate contains 19 percent of the US RDA for iron. Yet an ounce of beef only contains 3 percent. According to Mr. Wolfe, you'd be hard pressed to find any nut or seed or vegetable, anything that has as much iron as CACAO has. Hmm....
According to David Wolfe, author of Naked Chocolate, chocolate is the number one WEIGHT LOSS FOOD. It's the number one appetite suppressant. Now that's a big one to swallow. Chocolate and Weight Loss? According to David, it's absolutely true. In his opinion, the cacao bean (where chocolate comes from) is the most NUTRITIOUS food in the world.
It is The ULTIMATE antioxidant treat. Antioxidants are intimately involved in the prevention of cellular damage. Unprocessed Chocolate has one of the highest antioxidant concentrations of any food!
A piece of chocolate a day, just might keep the doctor away.
In fact, one of the oldest thriving Raw Foodists, Bernardo LaPallo, recently celebrated his 109th birthday. When asked what were the five foods that kept him going, this is what he said: "Garlic, olive oil, cinnamon, CHOCOLATE and honey. Eat honey, you'll never get sick."
LaPallo hopes to live until he's at least 125-years old!
Ok, so you might be wondering where you might get your hands on some of this delicious goodness. Well, your local health food store probably has some good choices, OR you can buy some raw cacao nibs or powder and make your own. I like to order mine from The Raw Food World. However, I've found that making that perfect "snappy" texture of a raw chocolate bar is not always easy. I've attempted it many times and succeeded only a few. I recently tried making some chocolate candy treats for Halloween. They were a DISASTER! My partner actually said it was the WORST chocolate he's tasted in his life! OUCH! But, I redeemed myself the next day by turning them into a RAW CHOCOLATE ALMOND MOUSSE PIE (see recipe below) that was OUT OF THIS WORLD!
After that fiasco, I've decided to stick to the yummy recipes I know and enjoy, such as raw chocolate pies, cookies, elixirs, puddings and ice creams and leave the candy bars to the experts. My absolute FAVORITE is SACRED CHOCOLATE. Seriously friends, you HAVE to try this CHOCOLATE at least ONCE in your lifetime. It is ultimately the BEST I have ever tasted. I am confident you will agree. It is OUT OF THIS WORLD. Hard to believe it's good for you too. My favorite so far is the Sacred Mylk. It's so SMOOTH, CREAMY and DELICIOUS! Ooo, don't forget about the TRUFFLES too. I'm afraid once you try these, you will never go back to your old Hershey bar again. So, why not give it a try. All it takes is replacing something you already enjoy, with a healthier, good-for-you version.
Chocolate Recipes
The "Best" Smoothie Ever
(Juaquin invented this delicious smoothie. He drinks one every single day. Kids love this one also!)
2 cups water, rice milk or almond milk
1/2 cup ice
1 avocado
1 TBS coconut oil
1 frozen banana
1-2 scoops Sun Warrior Protein
1 TBS raw cacao powder
1 tsp hemp oil
1/2 tsp. ashwaghanda (opt)
1/2 tsp. shilajit (opt)
Blend well and ENJOY!
From "Raw Food Real World" by Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenney
2 1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cup carob powder or cacao powder
1 cup coconut oil
Blend until smooth.
NOTE: I found this a little too sweet for my taste, so I only used 2 cups maple syrup.
Pour into your favorite nut/date crust (I used walnuts, raw cacao powder, dates and coconut oil. Tasted just like a brownie!) I used a springform pan. Chill in fridge for 2 hours.
Chewy Chocolate Freezer Fudge
From "Raw Food Real World" by Sarma Melngilis and Matthew Kenny
2 cups almond butter (one 16-ounce jar)
¼ cup raw cocoa powder (or use raw carob powder, or a combination of both)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 heaping tablespoon coconut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
In a large bowl, combine the ingredients and stir well. You can also use a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, but it's more fun to do by hand.
Spoon the mixture into little candy molds, flatten with a spoon, and cover with parchment or wax paper. Or line a square baking pan with parchment or plastic. Place the fudge into the pan and cover the surface with parchment or wax paper, pressing down evenly to flatten. Place in the freezer to chill. If using the pan, remove from the freezer after an hour or so, flip it out of the pan onto a flat surface and cut into squares or rectangles. These should be stored, covered, in the freezer.
