CACAO

Is Chocolate good for us? yes and no!

Is Chocolate and Cacao the same? no!

Chocolate begins life as raw cacao (pronounced kah-kow) beans. Loaded with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and plant phenols, cacao is a powerful superfood. The more processed cacao becomes, however—think commercially produced candy bars—the fewer healthy components remain. 

Cacao, the seed/nut of a fruit of an Amazonian tree, is one of the highest antioxidant foods on the planet – higher even than green tea and red wine. Unlike cocoa, cacao is a raw food and retains its enzymatic and vitamin content. Cacao is a great source of antioxidants (particularly flavonoids), magnesium, iron, manganese, and even fiber. 

Raw chocolate improves cardiovascular health, supports strong bones, elevates your mood, and, as such a great source of antioxidants, may help to increase longevity. 

Don’t be afraid of the dark. The darker the chocolate, the more beneficial cacao it contains.
Know your percentages: the number on dark chocolate packaging refers to the percentage of cacao bean in chocolate. For maximum health benefit, look for dark chocolate that has 75% to 85% cacao. 

Go raw—or as unprocessed as possible. 

Caution - Allergies - 

Cacao is not especially acidic; in fact, it is perhaps the least acidic
of all nuts. That said, anything that you react allergically to (even an alkaline herb or vegetable) will create an acidic reaction in your body.