WHAT IS CHOCOLATE???
If you are like most Americans, you consume about 12 pounds of it each year! We have a love affair with this bean, and for good reason. Take a look at the energy coming off that one bean. It measures 6 feet out from the bean itself, (shown via Kirlian photography) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirlian_photography
Come along with me now to explore the wonderful world of the herb “Raw Chocolate”.
Wikipedia shares:
Cacao bean (also Anglicized as cocoa bean,[1] often simply cocoa /ˈkoʊ.koʊ/ and cacao/kəˈkaʊ/; Mayan: kakaw; Nahuatl: cacahuatl [kaˈkawat͡ɬ]) is the dried and fully fermented fatty bean of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted.[2] They are the basis of chocolate, as well as many Mesoamerican foods such as mole sauce and tejate.
A cocoa pod (fruit) comes from a small tree which has a nearly-year-round growing season. It is filled with sweet pulp enclosing 30 to 50 large seeds that are fairly soft and white to a pale lavender color. While seeds are usually white, they become violet or reddish brown during the drying process.
HISTORICAL FACTS:
- Evidence has been found of the use of cacao in South American civilizations predating Christ.
- The cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before the Spanish conquest.
- It was documented by Hernan Cortes that Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, drank 60 servings per day of his chocolate beverage, served in a golden goblet.
- The trees grow in a limited geographical zone of approximately 20 degrees to the north and south of the Equator. Nearly 70% of the world crop is grown in West Africa.
- The cacao plant was first given its botanical name by Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus in his original classification of the plant kingdom, who called it Theobroma (“food of the gods”) cacao.
9 HEALTH BENEFITS (and there are many more…)
In our clinic, we often use Herbs, natural remedies which work with the body to heal itself. The overall effects attributed to the cacao herb (there are over 6000 science studies!) could all be considered “anti-aging” because they nourish the body. They slow aging and disease processes… and even reverse them.
WHERE’S THE “PROOF”?
It is critical that you note this:
The science studies (just a few of the thousands are listed below) use RAW cacao, not the processed, fire-roasted, heated, treated chocolate you buy commercially. That’s mostly dead cacao, and much of it contains more bad than good nutrition.
Hat’s off to you Raw Cacao for being such an excellent example of one of our favorite concepts: FOOD IS YOUR MEDICINE!
- Cardiovascular Health & Blood Flow (including extremities & eyes)
Do I hear a request for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol?
Our patients usually have good results with neuropathy too.
Check the research: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/119/10/1433.short
- Cognitive Health & Brain Function We see good results with Parkinson’s patients with one particular product.
- Inflammation This is the cause of so much pain and disease. We see healings in many, many chronic conditions… even in trauma-induced inflammation.
Research: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16794453
- Oral Health We have seen infections vanish and gums heal in our community
Research & Info
(Contains research presented to the American Dental Association annual meeting in 2013): http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/19/chocolate-vs-fluoride-toothpaste.aspx
- Skin Health (We use both internal and an external neuro-cosmetic product at the clinic which takes years off faces and even stops the pain of Shingles. It helps various skin conditions. Bonus: It is my primary sunscreen too.)
Research: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16702322
- Exercise Performance Note: Japan’s Olympic Ice Skating team is rumored to be consuming Xocai Healthy Chocolate.
Research: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7738348
- Diabetes Yes, it is safe—even healing—for diabetics!)
Research: (http://www.confectionerynews.com/R-D/Cocoa-may-help-diabetics-regulate-insulin-says-study
- Cancer Prevention (Note: I no longer experience sun-damage-related cancerous skin issues on my face)
Research: http://pmcc.web-t.cisti.nrc.ca/articlerender.cgi?artid=145805
- Weight Loss So successful that the cacao-based protocol was highlighted in a well-respected medical journal and 100% of the study participants stayed onboard for 90 days, and they all continued onboard for an additional year!
Research: http://thefivereasons.com/uploads/Bariatric_Article_PDF-1.pdf
For more specific info see: www.trimdownwithchocolate.com
WHY IS CHOCOLATE SO POWERFUL?
In general, chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants such as procyanidins and flavanoids, which can impart anti aging properties, perform well as an anti-inflammatory (the best we’ve seen in natural medicine), and impart a high level of nutrition due to the over 300 chemically-identifiable compounds (minerals, enzymes, vitamins, histamines and more). Chocolate and cocoa also contain a high level of flavonoids, specifically epicatechin, which have shown beneficial cardiovascular and cancer prevention effects.
LONGEST STUDY
Hollenberg and colleagues of Harvard Medical School studied the effects of cocoa and flavanols on Panama’s Kuna people, who are heavy consumers of cocoa. The researchers found that the Kuna Indians living on the islands had significantly lower rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer compared to those on the mainland who do not drink the cocoa beverage. It is believed that the improved blood flow after consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa may help to achieve health benefits in hearts and other organs. In particular, the benefits may extend to the brain and have important implications for learning and memory.
Just a few of our many personal results which we attribute to cacao:
- Dr. David no longer has high-altitude issues/sickness.
- Dr. David’s cat allergy is nearly gone.
- My 30-year chronic neck issue completely disappeared. It was due to major inflammation from a traumatic injury, and all I can say is that it “melted”.
- Odd and concerning skin growths disappeared.
- My receded gum grew back.
NOT ALL CHOCOLATE IS CREATED EQUAL:
While there are many chocolate options on the market, the ones which do offer any medicinal value are certainly more expensive than your average candy bar but are typically less expensive than a Whole Foods “better” chocolate bar. The $2.00 to $3.00 basic daily cost may pay you back in “ten additional years of healthy life,” according to one researcher from UCLA.
Contact us for additional info on raw cacao products…or come in and sample a few during regular business hours!