We’ve always known that fruits and vegetables provide lots of vitamins and minerals; however, not many people realize that fruits and vegetables can also be excellent sources of proteins and fats. Ample amounts of fat and protein can be had by consuming such delicious vegan staples as avocado, olives and a variety of nuts. Generally speaking you can get plenty of minerals and protein from dark green vegetables such as kale, spinach and broccoli, along with various lettuces and dark orange vegetables such as carrots, yams and so forth. Dark green leafy vegetables provide vitamin K for healthy blood clotting and strong healthy bones. The vitamin A found in carrots is essential for good eyesight and healthy skin and hair. Additionally, many vegetables such as carrots and broccoli contain substantial amounts of calcium.
So if you have been putting off trying a raw food vegan diet due to questions about nutrition, now is the time to stop worrying. A well planned and properly conceived vegan diet that includes plants that are high in fat, dark green leafy vegetables, delicious fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds can provide your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of nutrition and then some!

How Will I Know What To Eat?

It’s a good idea to purchase a dependable book and seek out assistance from well-documented, reputable online videos and websites as you embark on the raw food vegan way of life. Depending on your metabolism and your activity levels, the precise foods you will eat with the raw foods vegan diet will vary from person to person. It may take a little trial and error to determine exactly what’s right for you. For example, people who have had issues with their teeth are wise to avoid excessive intake of sweet fruits. People who have problems with dry skin or trouble keeping weight on will want to increase their intake of fatty fruits, veggies and nuts.

There is definitely a learning curve. You must do some studying and determine the best ways to choose and combine raw foods for the best results in your own situation. Of course your own preferences will play a part in these choices; however, once you’ve been on a raw food vegan diet for a while, you’ll find your tastes changing and refining. This will have the result of broadening your food choices within this extraordinarily healthful eating plan.

How Difficult Is The Transition?

When you first began with the raw food vegan way of life, you may have a lot of cravings for cooked foods. In our culture we have been taught to believe that most foods must be cooked to be safe and palatable; however, this is not really the case. Nonetheless, when you leave the world of cooked foods and move into exciting adventure of raw foods you may feel as if you’re going through drug withdrawals! People have actually reported feeling weak, sick, dizzy and disoriented when transitioning from cooked to raw foods. If you find these symptoms particularly vexing, you could begin your transition to raw food veganism with a cooked vegan diet and then transition further to a raw foods vegan diet. By-and-by, your body will adjust as you become more and more used to meeting your nutritional needs with raw foods.

Raw: The Living Food Diet

Everywhere you turn there are diets that will fit almost any lifestyle. All diets have their claims to lose weight or look younger. Unfortunately many of these diets fail in delivering their claims. Most diets are no more than money making schemes that prey on people who want to lose weight or feel better. Other diets are too rigid or too expensive for the average person. The raw food diet is neither rigid nor overly expensive. However, with all the hype of “super foods” and the number of raw food “gurus”, is raw food diet a healthy alternative? or just another diet full of hype to sell products.

What is raw food diet?

The raw food diet is an eating plan that involves fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouts that are not cooked. Eating raw foods in their natural form means retaining all the vital nutrients that the food is designed for. Raw foodists eat foods that are not heated above 120-degrees. Foods that are prepared under this temperature is still considered a ” raw ” food because the nutrients and enzymes have not been disturbed. Cooking food reduces the nutritional value of the vast majority of produce. Cooking also introduces chemicals that are not healthy for the body. Most often foods that are cooked are cooked with oils, fats and preservatives that are not only unhealthy but often they can be toxic to the body.

Benefits of raw foods

The raw food diet paves the way to allow the body to heal itself. The raw food diet contains significantly less trans fats and saturated fats as the typical Standard diet. Eating a raw food diet contains less sodium and more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that are vital for good health and vibrancy. Although few studies have been done to examine the long term benefits of a raw food diet, vegetarians alone tend to have a reduced risk of heart attacks and are less likely to be overweight. A study shows that people who ate a mostly raw plant based diet had a reduced risk of cancer such as bladder cancer. The reason is believed to be due to the fact that raw vegetables retain all of their nutritional value. Cooking reduces the nutritional value and can add harmful non-food chemicals and toxins.

The Drawbacks of a raw food diet

Many opponents point to the lack of Vitamin B12 in a raw plant based diet. However, it has also been found that people who eat a Standard Diet are more likely to suffer from B12 deficiencies. Opponents also will point out deficiencies in iron, calcium and zinc as a reason for not adopting a raw food diet. What is not mentioned is that people that adopt a raw food diet are more apt to know exactly what their body’s needs are and can make adjustments to meet those needs. The Recommended Daily Allowances that we see are inflated numbers based on a person who eats a high cholesterol diet and smokes. There are supplements that can be taken to adjust for an individuals needs.

Superfoods

One way that people make up for any deficiencies is purchasing plant-based superfood powders and supplements. While these can be beneficial and do have their place, they are not absolute necessities to living a healthy raw lifestyle. Through proper research and understanding of nutritional values of different plant foods, an individual can make better “natural” choices to their diet. The “super foods” business has become quite lucrative but the claims of nutritional superiority are often backed up with proven results.

The raw food diet will help a person lose weight, have more energy and live a more vibrant life. A person does not need to be full 100% raw in order to enjoy the many health benefit’s a raw food diet offers. The majority of people on a raw food diet eat 80% raw foods. Also, when adopting a raw food diet you take nothing away without replacing it with raw food nutrition. Instead of a sausage biscuit for breakfast, have a fruit smoothie. The raw food diet is all about adding in the good stuff and providing many choices.

They say that healthy food isn’t something delectable. Most of them are not the kinds of food you want to munch on. How true is that, by the way? Science repeatedly tells you that the only way to be able to live life to the fullest is to have a healthy mind and body, which can be achieved when you make the right choice, especially in terms of the food you take in. With all of these having been said, don’t you want to convert into a healthy eater?

An overused cliché says that your eyes are the windows to your soul, and that you are what you eat. Essentially, the human body itself mirrors the kind of food you take in, and the skin is the one organ that speaks volumes of how fit and healthy you may be. Commonly, dry skin is the result of being dehydrated. And no matter how much you put on moisturizers in the form of topical creams and lotions, they just don’t seem to be enough. Looking deeper into the problem, you will come to analyze that your lifestyle and the food you eat have a direct effect on how your skin appears.

Being Healthy Means being in Control

Little by little, modern-day citizens have come to some point of reflection. That is, they can be in full control over their daily diets, and the status of their overall health. They have somehow learned about ways on how to curb their diets, cut back on processed food products, animal meat, and the like. Instead, they have found ways on overhauling their eating habits, and part of which is to plan their food intake.

Healthy food planning actually starts at home. It basically kicks off as you plan what your shopping list must comprise of. Such a planning stage continues as you make a trip to the grocery store to shop for your provisions. Then, this planning stage is finalized as you prepare the food that you have just bought, and cook it the way any person who wants to be fit and healthy will do.

Making a Healthy Choice

If you want to get healthy, then you must eat healthy. First of all, you should do an inventory of the kinds of foods there are in your home. Check out the fridge, and then the cupboard. Sort out those that contain preservatives and chemicals which clearly make you unhealthy. Thrash those that are full of saturated fats. The key to making healthy choices is that of opting for foods which are in their most natural state. Potatoes, fruits, and vegetables are always in their purest forms. When you go for lean meats, they should be seasoned prior to cooking. These choices are full of healthy benefits, since they are known as whole foods. Yes, you may simply dress them up with spices, fats, or seasonings, but at the very least, they are just what they are: simple foods.

Throw out those old and unidentifiable foods which are most likely thriving your freezer. Open up your cupboards and again, throw out those junk foods.

Another tip is to shop healthier. Again, don’t forget the significance of making your list prior to heading to the grocery store. If you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, then don’t frequent the meat and dairy sections. Aim for the low carbs diet, and always be on the lookout for healthier alternatives.

Then, keep yourself from getting to the middle shelves in the grocery store, where you are likely to find the candies, boxed foods, and fatty products. All of which are unhealthy food options.

Consume more of whole grain breads, whole wheat buns, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and those foods with whole wheat flours. Use the turbinado or brown sugar, which have not been bleached. Instead of the regular cooking oil, it will be better to use the coconut oil, olive oil, or any other form of natural oil.

Hopefully, you have gotten to realize the obvious: when aiming for a healthier way of living, you do away with fatty foods, processed foods, and animal products which only tend to amplify your blood pressure. Take note that not only older adults are prone to heart ailments and the like. The last thing you need is to get sick because of the wrong choices you make. Forget about binging, even after a bad day, or heartbreak. If you love your life, and you want to live it to the fullest, better take in nothing but healthy food.

It is no secret that toxins are all around us. They attack us day by day, to the point of endangering our lives. Toxins are everywhere: in the water we drink, in the food we munch on, in the air that we breathe, and in practically all of the things that we get to use on a daily basis. More than ever, people are on the verge of getting sick since the level of toxins everyone absorbs is higher. As a result, the human body is more likely to suffer.

The human body has been created to do cleansing on its own. But then again, with its overexposure to tantamount toxin and poison levels, it also needs help. When toxins are not excreted, they tend to accumulate. Thus, you feel your muscles sore, you get a terrible headache, suffer from bloating, develop some types of chronic diseases, and fall into depression, and so on. It is for this reason that you should make healthy food choices.

Time and again, you will hear about people who plainly adopt the so-called vegan diet. Others even go to the extent of opting for the raw diet. Medical practitioners likewise educate you on how helpful the vegetarian diet can be. Brochures and other leaflets are distributed on the streets that talk about the importance of picking the types of food you should take in. Simply put, you should not put your health down the danger line.

Detoxification in Today’s Modern World

The modern-day scenario may be filled with tons of innovations, which undoubtedly make life easier and more convenient. However, the sad fact to it is that it also makes us prone to getting sick by the day. Hence, detoxification is something we all need to be mindful of.

As we detoxify, we eliminate those toxic wastes which have accumulated in the organs and tissues. Doing this regularly will make your immunity a lot stronger, you get to watch your weight, you become more energetic, experience fewer muscular soreness, and most of all, you can see healthier nails and hair grow. Furthermore, you can say goodbye to the feeling of being bloated, and have a healthier-looking skin!

The Main Culprits of Toxic Wastes in the Body

You might be wondering where you get all these toxins, despite the supposedly healthy food you take. But are you sure what you are taking in is really good for you? For your better understanding, toxins don’t only come as a result of poor eating habits. They are also brought by the lack of exercise, stress, too much intake of carbonated drink, caffeinated beverages, and frequent consumption of junk foods, salty, sugary, and fat-based foods.

A Look at the Process of Detoxification

Detoxifying your body isn’t that hard or taxing. It also doesn’t need much effort on your part. What it asks of you is some kind of awareness and some initiative to look for proactive solutions. In fact, you should think of detoxification as a daily regimen, just like taking a bath. You should do it as often as you clean your body from outside. You can do it by eating the right kind of food, and with that we mean healthy food choices, along with gulping down a lot of purified water. It is time to thrash those junk foods and give up those which are high in caffeine, fats, alcohol, additives, and food preservatives. Rather, be sure to substitute those intakes with food choices which contain better nourishment and which can boost the elimination of toxic wastes from your excretory and digestive systems.
The following are the foods that help speed up the process of detoxification:

Fiber-rich food

Fiber plays a major role in the entire process of detoxification. It acts like that of a broom placed inside the intestines, which captures and then sweeps off the toxic particles inside the body. It targets those surrounding the colon and the digestive system. Take note that you need loads of fiber to avoid strain in bowel movements, and to save you from feeling bloated and gaseous. Good sources of fiber are pineapple and grapefruits.

Green leafy veggies and fresh fruits

Citrus fruits are not only rich in vitamin C but also in liquid contents, and make flushing out of toxins relatively easy. The green leafy veggies, such as wheatgrass, spinach, and alfalfa sprouts are jam-packed with chlorophyll, which aids in cleansing the body.

Water

Water is great in eliminating body toxins.
Those who go through the detoxification process should do water therapy.

You will notice that most of the foods that help the body detoxify form part of the vegan or raw diet. But if you want to live a healthier life, it is best to kick those toxins out of your system!

Getting to Know its Upside

First things first. Veganism reminds you that basically, you don’t harm animals, or you don’t partake in harming them, just to satiate your craving for any sort of dish. There are obviously a number of concerned organizations that swarm the food industry, with PETA being the most remarkable among them.

Secondly, a vegan diet is nothing but healthy. Such isn’t comprised at all of a ton of fat from any animal product. Neither is there a fraction of processed food too. The entire American continent is basically slumped with one of the major health problems, that is, obesity. And the last thing a person like you who wants to get in top shape need are doses of hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and saturated fats. Indeed, adopting this kind of diet allows you to cut them out from invading your system.

Thirdly, a vegan lifestyle is more cost-effective. You know for certain how meat can be too expensive these days. So if you are up to saving some bucks, patronizing veganism is the way towards keeping hold of your hard-earned cash.

Unraveling the Daunting Process of Getting Vegan

Going vegan is easier said than done. In truth, it isn’t a simple process. You don’t turn into a vegan lifestyle enthusiast overnight. It is just hard to resist that aromatic turkey during Thanksgiving, or restrain yourself from eating some comfort foods such as cupcakes or chicken nuggets after a long and tiring day. The key here is to switch into veganism following a gradual transition. So, how do you do that?

Little by little, cut out meat and fish in your daily diet. Say for example you get to consume a slab of meat for lunch. What you should do is to consume only half of it, until such time that you learn to eat only a little portion, and eventually remove it from your menu. As meat and fish are known sources of protein, you can come up with an alternative: tofu. The tofu, by nature, is able to absorb flavor easily. You can cook it anyway you like your meat to be.

Cut back on cheese. Surely, baked potato is more luscious when there is melted cheese on top. But your way towards a vegan lifestyle is to forget its taste! Your salad can be as delicious as it is without cheese. You can try looking for non-dairy cheese alternatives in the vegan section of the supermarket.

Let go of the butter. Again, while butter may not be easy to give up, you can always go for the dairy butter substitutes.

Forget those eggs. Eggs are generally animal products. If you want to become a vegan, then it is time you quit munching on that omelet for breakfast.

The transition isn’t something you can expect to take place all at once, or in the course of one day. As a rule, always be on the lookout for substitutions. You can try out Tofutti, a notable brand which is known for its non-dairy products: cream cheese, ice cream, pizza, and sour cream. You can always visit the Whole Foods section for better alternatives, whenever you shop for your provisions.

Going fully vegan is essentially tough, and challenging to be exact. You may not be willing to quit eating some animal and processed products, but since you have made up your mind to be one, then you should strive hard to part with the foods you have grown up with, and have made a part of your existence. You said you wanted change, so let it be. Now is the best time to do it.
But then again, adopting the vegan diet means giving up all those animal products.

In all fairness to people who prefer to go vegetarian, it takes a lot of courage and self-control to let go of their food cravings. It is never easy to completely drop the meat and the dairy products out of one’s system, but then these individuals are able to do that.

Who are the vegetarians?

Generally, vegetarians are those individuals whose diet is only comprised of vegetables, pulses, fruits, nuts, and grains. Basically, they consume only plant-based foods. But when you hear the word “vegetarian,” you should understand that this kind of diet also comes in various forms. In fact, the term itself can mean a lot of things. A person who claims he or she is a vegetarian may eat only a couple of food groups, and restrict the others. Some people may be plant-food purists, while the others may include a few meat products in their diet.

What are the categories of vegetarians?

Vegans – People who adopt such a diet eat purely vegetables, and totally do away with all sorts of animal products, as well as the by-products. Among which are honey, eggs, and the dairy products.

Fruitarians – This is the kind of diet of people who just eat fruits, seeds, nuts, and other plant components.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians – These people consume eggs, and several other forms of dairy products. This is the most common category so far.

Lacto-vegetarians – Individuals who adopt this diet eat different dairy products, with the exception of eggs.

Pollo-vegetarians – Those who go for this diet eat turkey and chicken, but not pork and any sort of red meat.

Pesce-vegetarians – People who have this kind of diet only take in fish.

Flexitarians – Those who have this diet consume vegetables primarily, but also eat other food groups from time to time.

How can you change your own diet into being a vegetarian?

Of course, it is possible for you to become a vegetarian. However, the transition itself will take time. You don’t become a vegetarian overnight. Neither can you easily give up those foods that you have loved all your life. All it takes is for you to gradually change your diet. If you want to consume pure plant-based foods, then slowly lessen your consumption of meat products and other related animal by-products. Start by decreasing the quantity, until such time that you can fully eradicate such foods from your daily meal.

What are the benefits of being a vegetarian?

Health-wise, the vegetarian diet can bring loads of benefits. Since such a diet mainly constitutes healthy vegetables and fruits, you also get rid of the bad fat by cutting out the animal products from your food intake. The so-called bad fat is known to be the saturated fat, which is typically contained in meat products. If you devour too much of it, then you are most likely to have high cholesterol that may lead to stroke and other types of heart ailments. So, it is much better to avoid it, right?

Are there any side effects to this kind of diet?

Sadly, being a vegetarian doesn’t mean you become 100% healthy. While this kind of diet basically lessens your risk of developing a couple of deadly diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart ailments, crossing out the meat products means losing access to vitamin B12. Not only that, you can also be prone to calcium, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acid, and iron deficiencies. The good news though is that you can always find meat substitutes in the forms of soya, and a lot other vitamin supplements. That way there is balance, despite you being a vegetarian.

Because a vegetarian mostly consumes plant-based foods only, he sacrifices balanced nutritional intake. Therefore, he must be keen about using meat substitutes. To be able to make up for the lost vitamins and nutrients, a number of foods like legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables, seeds, soy products, and whole grains, to name a few, need to be taken. Add to it the fact that one needs the help of a variety of nutritional supplements as well.

So if you are a real health buff by nature, and are considering the vegetarian diet, better take a look at both the positive and negative sides.

A Brief History Of Chocolates

Chocolates are made from chocolate solids and butter that is a result of processing cacao beans. Cacao was introduced to the world by Mesoamerican tribes, like the Mayans and Aztecs.

The Mayans believed that the cacao is a gift from the gods, giving it the scientific name Theobroma which means “food of the gods”. The Mayans hold a celebration to thank the god of cacao every April. The Aztecs deem the cacao to be a precious necessity, even to the point of using it as a form of currency during the peak of their civilization.

The cacao tree grows to a maximum of 6 meters in height and only grows in tropical countries, like South America, Mexico, Philippines, and so on.

How Chocolates Are Made

Chocolates are made from processed cacao beans. The fruit is harvested when it reaches proper ripeness; the bean is dried, roasted, peeled, and ground, then eventually liquefied to produce chocolate liquor and duly processed to produce the ingredients called chocolate solids and chocolate butter.

Dark unsweetened chocolates are made from these ingredients without the addition of sugar. Milk or white chocolate is made from 100% chocolate butter. Sweetened chocolates today are made from both these ingredients but with the addition of sugar and other additives.

Solution To Mental and Behavioral Problems

Medical studies revealed that chocolates and its raw ingredient, the cacao bean, contains compounds that helps cure mental and behavioral problems, like depression and PMS. These compounds are:

1.   Serotonine

This compound is found in both chocolate and cacao beans. Serotonine is a compound that increases brain activity. Patients that are suffering from depression and PMS patients are often found to have a low level of serotonine.

2.   Phenylethylamine

This compound, according to recent studies, mimics the substances produced by our adrenal glands that increases both brain and body activity. Phenylethylamine is a mild anti-depressant that is a common staple for patients suffering from depression and PMS. This is one reason why a lot of people tend to feel happy and active after eating chocolates.

3.   Anandamide

Another anti-depressant compound found in chocolates and cacao, anandamine often leave a person alert and active. This also used with patients under depression. Along with phenylethylamine, this compound is often termed as “bliss” inducing drug that keeps patients with mental illnesses happy.

Used In Moderation

Aside from treating depression and PMS patients, chocolates must be used in moderation since it can be addictive and may also lead to health-related problems. Unsweetened chocolates are the healthiest among other selections due to its low sugar content and other additives.

However, sweetened chocolates that are a favorite of both young and adults today are known to be more effective cure for depression but must intake must be controlled with the recommendation of your doctor or dietician.

What Is Cacao?

The Theobroma cacao is a small tree with a maximum height of 6 meters. This tree thrives in tropical climate, which is one reason why a majority of their numbers are found in South America. There are 20 countries known to cultivate cacao as a means of supplying chocolate-related business with raw materials for their concoctions.

There are three types of cacaos. Criollo cacaos are said to be of the highest quality and quite rare — equating only to 10% of today’s chocolates. The predominant group is the Forastero. Around 80% of the world’s chocolate is made from this type of cacao. A combination of both Criollo and Forastero is the Trinitario.

Cacao and Chocolates

The most common use of the cacao is to serve as primary ingredient for chocolates. Cacaos are harvested when ripe, dried, cleaned and roasted, removed from the shell, ground then liquefied to become a solution known as the chocolate liquor.

The liquor may then be used as ingredient for cocoa butter or cocoa bars which makes up a complete chocolate. Today’s chocolate includes a healthy portion of sugar as an added ingredient to the mix. White chocolate is made wholly out of cocoa butter.

Another variation of the chocolate mixture is the dark chocolate, which is not a popular choice of today’s younger generation. This chocolate is made from pure cocoa beans without any sugar or milk — commonly termed as unsweetened chocolate. This may either come in the form of cocoa powder or chocolate bars. Health experts all agree that dark chocolates retain most of its nutritional compounds even after processing.

Nutritional Value

Many believe that chocolates are healthy because of the nutritional value common in cacao beans. Well, this is more of a misunderstanding than truth. An average chocolate made with milk and sugar retains only 1% of the nutrients found in cacao beans. Dark chocolates made from pure cocoa contain around 70% of its beneficial compounds so if you’re looking for health benefits from chocolates then you might want to go for those of purer quality.

Nutritional Facts

Cacao is practically one of the healthiest fruit today. There are over 300 compounds in a single cacao bean that is beneficial to the body. Some of them are even used by pharmaceutical companies to developed drugs to combat behavioral and emotional problems or as a stimulant for a more active body.

In most case, magnesium is the predominant compound found to be of most benefit to the human body — especially to Americans who are known to have low magnesium content in their bodies. Magnesium helps strengthen bone structure.

Also, it was found out that chocolates are addictive due to the presence of anandamide and phenylethylamine (PEA). The latter is known to cause an increase in heart rate and boost circulation that often leaves us alert and focused. The former is called chocolate amphetamine that is often used to treat patients that is suffering from depression.

 Difference Between Cacao and Chocolates

 There is a big difference between cacao and chocolates though the former is the main ingredient for the latter. Cacao is harvested, dried, roasted, and ground to produce chocolate solid and butter that is a staple for chocolate concoctions today.

 There are three types of chocolates made from cacao – the sweetened chocolate made from both chocolate butter and solids with sugar; the milk chocolate made from 100% chocolate butter; and the dark chocolate made from both ingredients but without the sugar. The latter is called unsweetened chocolates which is more nutritious that the other two.

 Sugar and Fat

 Many consider chocolates to be unhealthy and can be the cause of many health-related problems, like diabetes or high-blood pressure. Keep in mind, however, that not all chocolates results to these conditions. The main reason why you acquire diabetes or suffer heart problems is due to sugar and other additional ingredients mixed with chocolate butter and solids to produce the favorite sweets of younger generations and adults alike.

 Cacao bean and cocoa powders only have 2% sugar. Sweetened chocolates, however, may have 45% to 50% sugar — that is why it is bad if you eat too much of it. Also, cacao and processed cocoa contains 50% fat — fatty acids and mono-saturated fat. These do not cause your blood pressure to rise. However, other chocolate varieties, like those made with milk and other additives can.

 Antioxidant and Heart-Friendly Properties

 Cacao beans are great antioxidants. The non-fat portion of cacao beans contains polyphenols commonly found in wine. These antioxidant properties are called flavonoids, which include epicatechins, catechins, and procyandins. These compounds reduce the risk of blood clotting that is a great way to avoid heart attack and stroke.

 Another compound found in cacao bean is the Theobromine. It is known as a mild diuretic that increases urine production. Doctors utilize this compound to reduce the possibility of heart attacks caused by increase fluids in the human body.

 Mental and Behavioral Solutions 

There are also compounds in cacao beans that help in relieving mental and behavioral illnesses, like depression. A substance called Serotonine that is found in both chocolate and its raw ingredient is known to increase brain activity. This is often used with patients that are suffering from PMS, depression, or anxiety.

 Also, both chocolates and cacao beans contain phenylethylamine. This compound is a known anti-depressant and acts as a stimulant that mimics those produced by our adrenal glands.

This article aims to provide factual and simple information on the nutritional benefits of raw cacao. Though there are more than 300 compounds in a single cacao bean, we will tackle those that are commonly used in the medical field and beneficial to our bodies.

Difference Between Cacao And Chocolates

Before we delve into the nutritional facts of cacao, we have to understand that there is a big difference between the raw variety and its chocolate counterpart.

For starters, chocolates made from processed cacao along with sugar are said to only have 1 to 5 percent of the nutritional value found in its raw ingredient. Meaning, sweet chocolates aren’t that healthy to begin with; unless of course you go for dark chocolates made from raw cacao retaining a majority of its healthy compounds.

Behavioral And Emotional Effects Of Cacao

There are more than 300 compounds found in raw cacao. Among these includes magnesium that is perfect for developing strong bones — a must for Americans who are said to have low magnesium levels compared to other races.

Also, raw cacao contains compounds that directly affect our emotional and behavioral patterns. The PEA or phenylethylamine is a compound found in cacao that helps increase pulse rate and blood circulation for added alertness and focus. PEA is also released by our adrenal gland but in lesser quantities compared to raw cacao.

Another compound found in cacao that directly affects our emotions is the anandamide. This compound is known to increase our blood pressure and sugar levels that lead to excitement and alertness. This compound is a common ingredient in anti-depression drugs.

Solution To Heart Problems

According to medical research, cacao contains a compound called Theobromine that directly affects our nervous system. There is much debate regarding this compound considering that it is somewhat similar to caffeine in terms of stimulants.

In most cases, Theobromine is a mild diuretic that can help decrease the probability of heart attacks. Through the increase of urination caused by this compound, heart attacked caused by increased in body fluids can be averted.

Other Health Facts

Aside from the health benefits above, cacao is also a great antioxidant that ranked first among the 10 known fruits with antioxidant properties today. It contains 4 times the anti-aging compounds commonly found in a Goji berry which makes it a potent solution for those who wants to get rid of harmful radicals in their body that contributes to wrinkles, scars, weak and pale skin, and so on.

Despite the potency of cacao as a superfood, keep in mind that there is a big difference with raw cacao and chocolates sold in the market today. It all depends on what types of chocolates you eat to get the most benefit out of it. Dark unsweetened chocolates made from raw cacao are the best since most of its compounds are retained even after processing.