Raw cacao is made by cold-pressing un-roasted cocoa beans. The process keeps the
living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat (cacao butter).
Cocoa looks the same but it�s not. Cocoa powder is raw cacao that�s been roasted
at high temperatures. Sadly, roasting changes the molecular structure of the
cocoa bean, reducing the enzyme content and lowering the overall nutritional
value.
Cacao beans are seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree, a small evergreen tree grown
in Mexico and South America. Cacao beans are roasted and ground to produce cocoa
and, after further processing, are the basis of chocolate. When the beans are
dried at low temperature, however, they are called raw cacao beans, which can be
consumed whole, broken into pieces called nibs or ground to produce raw cocoa
powder. Cacao beans are rich in natural antioxidant compounds with many health
benefits.
Health benefits of Raw Cacao
Lowers insulin resistance.
Protects your nervous system: Cacao is high in resveratrol, a potent
antioxidant also found in red wine, known for its ability to cross your
blood-brain barrier to help protect your nervous system.
Shields nerve cells from damage.
Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Reduces your risk of stroke.
Reduces blood pressure.
Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease: The antioxidants
found in cacao help to maintain healthy levels of nitric oxide (NO) in the
body. Although NO has heart-benefiting qualities, such as relaxing blood
vessels and reducing blood pressure, it also produces toxins. The
antioxidants in cacao neutralise these toxins, protecting your heart and
preventing disease.
Guards against toxins: As a potent antioxidant, cacao can repair
the damage caused by free radicals and may reduce the risk of certain
cancers. In fact, cacao contains far more antioxidants per 100g than acai,
goji berries and blueberries. Antioxidants are responsible for 10% of the
weight of raw cacao.
Boosts your mood: Cacao can increase levels of certain
neurotransmitters that promote a sense of well-being. And the same brain
chemical that is released when we experience deep feelings of love �
phenylethylamine � is found in chocolate.
It is rich in minerals: Magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium,
zinc, copper and manganese.
Cacao Antioxidants
Cacao beans contain natural chemicals called flavonoids, a type of antioxidant
compound that promotes general health and might lower your risk of several
diseases. One type of flavonoid, called anthocyanidin, is especially high in
cacao beans, along with other compounds called epicatechins. These compounds are
powerful antioxidants and, according to a study in the "Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry" published in 2003, are especially concentrated in cocoa, a
product of cacao beans. In that study, researchers compared the antioxidant
capacity of black tea, green tea, red wine and cocoa, concluding that cocoa has
the highest antioxidant activity among the four products and the greatest
potential for health benefits.
Antioxidant Benefits
Antioxidants stabilize and ultimately destroy free radicals in your cells and
tissues. These potentially damaging chemicals are natural by-products of
metabolism. They also form when your body breaks down environmental toxins such
as cigarette smoke and organic solvents. Free radicals can injure your cells by
interfering with cell membranes, damaging DNA and altering other cell
components. Over time, a buildup of free radicals can accelerate aging,
contribute to vascular changes that lead to heart disease and raise your risk of
developing cancer. In addition to removing free radicals, antioxidants also help
decrease inflammation that can contribute to arthritis and other diseases, and
they can prevent changes in platelets that might produce blood clots.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Flavonoid antioxidants in cacao have significant benefits for your
cardiovascular system, according to Silvina Lotito, Ph.D., of the Linus Pauling
Institute. She indicates that proanthocyanidin compounds in cocoa powder can
help decrease oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL. Often called bad
cholesterol, LDL is oxidized and then deposited in plaque. Plaque produces fat
accumulations in arteries that can lead to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the
arteries. Because cacao antioxidants block LDL oxidation, they can prevent
plaque formation, improving circulation and lowering your risk of heart disease.
Cancer
The Linus Pauling Institute indicates that flavonoid antioxidants such as those
found in cacao might interfere with the development of cancer. In one laboratory
study published in 2002 in "Cancer Letters," anthocyanidins from cacao reduced
the incidence of chemically induced pancreatic and breast cancer in laboratory
animals. In a review of evidence from human subjects, published in 2009 in
"Nutrition and Cancer," researchers concluded that compounds in cacao might
prevent cancer or improve the outcome when the disease is already present.
However, they state that more extensive studies with larger populations are
needed to confirm this.
Hope this provides a good resource of knowledge to Women Fitness readers on
health benefits of Raw Cacao.
