CACAO
This irresistibly delicious food, also known as one of “Super Foods,”
will not only satisfy your taste buds but also your well-being.
~ The Food of the Goods ~
The cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, is grown
in the tropical rainforest of mainly in
South American and African regions.
The roots “Theo” means the god, and
“broma” means the food; thus, cacao is
also called the food of the gods.
Cacao has a long history of
domestication about 3000 years in
Mesoamerica, Peru and Mexico area. It
was so valued that cacao beans are used
as currency and seen as the sign of
wealth, power, and rulership by Mayan
culture.
Containing more than 300 compounds,
cacao has many health benefiting
properties, such as for hypertension, heart
health, cognitive function, mood
regulation, cirrhosis, and possibly exercise
recovery. Not only cacao is rich in flavor,
it is also rich in nutrients! Especially for
dark chocolate, it is well-known for high
flavanoids contents as well as trace
minerals including potassium,
magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper. It is
also high in fiber and serotonin making
amino acid, called tryptophan.
SPICED HOT COCO
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
★ 2 cups milk or soy/nut milk (organic if available)
★ 1/2 cup (raw) cacao powder
★ 1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
★ 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
★ 2-3 Tbsp local honey
★ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (option)
Directions:
In a small sauce pan, pour milk and start heating over
medium-low heat. In a small mixing bowl, add cacao,
spices and 4 Tbsp of milk from the pan. Mix well to
make a nice paste (it will be easy when mixing with
milk). Then add the paste into the pan. Scoop few table
spoon worth of milk into the mixing bowl to clean all
cacao/spice paste, then pour it back. Add honey and
vanilla. Once the mixture is nice and warm, pour into
your favorite up.
Enjoy!
CACAO!
~How to Choose Cacao~
Here are few tips to choose higher quality cacao:
NUTRIENTS OF CACAO
FLAVANOIDS
There are many kids of flavanoids. Cacao is
especially high in epicatechin, catechin, and
procyanidins. Those flavanoids are powerful
antioxidants that can protect tissues and cells
from oxidative damage or free radicals.
Flavanoids not only protect cells but also lowdensity-lipoproteins (LDL) from being oxidized.
Oxidized LDL particles can increase the risk of
cardiovascular diseases. They are also antiinflammatory and have anti-platelets activity,
thus, protecting the heart and other
vasculartory systems. Flavanoids are also
known to improve endothelial functions, which
is another vascular and circulatory protecting
property.
Flavanoids can also increase bioavailability and
bioactivity of nitric oxide which is a vasodilator,
reducing the blood pressure. This can also
increase the blood flow of the brain, improving
alertness and brain cell functions.
FIBER
High fiber food is known to be healthy.
Insoluble (stringy) fibers can help excreting the
large intestine contents and cleaning the
system. Soluble fiber (high in seeds, like cacao
beans) are also known to decrease serum
cholesterol level by binding to bile acids.
1) Dark chocolate, >70% (higher the
percentage, the more flavanoid-rich cacao
content will be)
2) Stay away from the “Dutch Process” or
“alkaline treated” product. Dutch process uses
alkaline compounds to lessen bitter taste and
give darker color, but reduces flavanoids contents
significantly.
3) Fair-trade certified products. As much as we
love our cacao products, we should love and
appreciate people who carefully care for cacao.
Fair-trade assures the social justice and high
quality standards for the products and life of
farmers.
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is required for many physiological
reactions in the body. Deficiency of this
nutrient may cause headaches and migraines,
muscle cramps, heart irregularity, and sleeping
problems. Magnesium also assists conversion of
5-HTP to serotonin, the happy hormones.
TRYPTOPHAN
Tryptophan is a amino acid and a precursor for
the compound called 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP), which is then further converted to
serotonin with a help of magnesium. Increased
serotonin level is associated with improved
moods.
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
Cacao is known to increase secretion of
endorphins and dopamine. Endorphin is
known for its euphoric feelings associated with
secretion; therefore, it is apparent that the
mood can be enhanced. Dopamine can be
activated by cacao consumptions which can
further improve the feelings of high-energy and
alertness. Caffeine is one of the component of
cacao which act as stimulant to increase
alertness.
Sources:
Natural Standard
http://
www.naturalstandard.co
m/
International Cocoa
Organization
http://www.icco.org/
The Superfood: The
Food and Medicines of
the Future, (2009) by
David Wolfe
Parker et. al., (2006).
Mood State: Effects of
chocolate, Journal of
Affective Disorders, 92;
149-159