The Magic Of Cacao
There is something quite magical about Cacao or as it is also known Theobroma Cacao. It has a great history dating back as far as 15,000 years ago. The Aztecs even used the beans as currency, which continued in Mexico until 1887. The cacao beans are the seeds of the fruit, which grows mainly in Africa and South America. The beans are where all chocolate comes from. Through its history, Cacao has always been special, though little do we know just how special this amazing bean really is!
My love of cacao has been going on for over ten years now and has led to the creation of my own raw chocolate brand, ‘Dandy’s Raw Choc,’ which will be launched next month. I am not ashamed to say that I suffer with SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, where I experience low mood and mild depression due to a lack of sunlight. I spent a large part of my life living in sunny Cyprus and at times find the long Winter months here in England quite challenging. To help me out of those wintering low moods, cacao has always been there, like an old trusted and comforting friend. As soon as I have some, I notice the subtle change in my mood from feeling low to feeling okay and then to moving into an elevated state of mind that wanders into bright ideas and endless possibilities. I am more productive physically and mentally after having some raw cacao and my energy levels soar high alongside my uplifted feelings. I have noticed over the years that these subtle sensations are unique to raw chocolate and are not felt by ordinary heat- treated chocolate.
As a nutritionist, I have studied the nutritional profile of cacao and have been amazed at its abundant supply of vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, and neurotransmitters. I find the brain chemicals the most interesting, as I understand that this is what is altering my brain chemistry and helping me to feel a lot better. Cacao releases natural chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters, they transmit nerve impulses across a synapse, effecting chemical reactions in the brain. Anandamide is one neurotransmitter known as ‘the bliss chemical’ found in cacao. Another one is the essential amino acid tryptophan, which is used by the brain to make the neurotransmitter serotonin, our ‘happy’ brain chemical. Both deliver feelings of bliss and euphoria, which could explain why many people enjoy the ‘feel good’ experience of eating chocolate.
Cacao is rich in minerals manganese, sulphur and magnesium. Magnesium is especially important for relaxing our muscles and is constantly required by the body when we experience stress. It is one of the most important minerals for maintaining mental health, bone and heart health.
Speaking of the heart, cacao contains PEA (phenethylamine), a chemical produced in the brain when we feel happy. We produce high levels of PEA when we are experiencing feelings of love, engaged in a creative activity and having fun. It is known to be present in only two foods: cacao and blue-green algae and is nourishing for the brain, helping to improve its function, perhaps explaining why people have so much mental energy after consuming cacao and feel inspired, alert and focused. PEA can produce the same feelings as falling in love, which could be why chocolate has become such a comfort food. There’s so much more to be said about the benefits of cacao and this perhaps makes cacao the ‘food of the gods’ and one of the best superfoods available to us. The nutritional value and brain chemistry are enhanced in raw chocolate, as heat-treated chocolate loses most of its nutritional content through the intensive heat processing. In contrast, raw chocolate is gently heated at 38-40 degrees and retains all of its nutritional benefits for feelings of heightened euphoria.
“In its raw untampered-with state, the cacao bean is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known to man. It contains over 300 chemical compounds, making it one of the most complex and nutritionally significant foods available to us. It is a premium source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein and healthy fats.” Kate Magic Wood
As well as eating cacao, you can also enjoy drinking cacao in a cacao ceremony. Cacao is a sacred food and a cacao ceremony is a beautiful way to enjoy the bliss of this special food and to allow you to tune into its loving vibration. Cacao is used in sacred ceremonies to help open our hearts and dream a more harmonious world into being and we could all do with an abundance of love to help make the world a better place. Drinking a cup of hot cacao and sitting around an open fire, having a guided meditation or sitting together in silence underneath the stars, are all ways to enjoy a cacao ceremony.
Here's wishing you a blissful Easter and the return of the light. Please visit dandysrawchoc.com to learn more about Dandy’s Raw Choc.
Dandy’s Raw Choc comes in seven flavours and is certified organic and vegan and is packaged in home compostable packaging.
