BACKGROUND:
The tree from which chocolate is derived is the cacao tree, otherwise known by its species name Theobroma cacao. After the cacao seeds (including the beans, which grow inside the seeds) are dried and fermented, they are known as cocoa. From this point, the beans can be processed into cocoa powder, cocoa butter, or chocolate.
So the tree is cacao, and cocoa is the substance made from the cacao tree. Elements of the cacao tree that have NOT been processed in the manner of cocoa remain cacao.
HEALTH BENEFITS:
There are over 711 identified nutrients and phytochemicals found in cocoa. Cocoa seeds are often considered a “superfruit” because of their nutrition content and they do have a higher ORAC score and flavanoid value compared to acai, blueberry, cranberry and grapes.
Historically, there have been over 150 medicinal uses of cacao, including many heart health benefits. Cultures that live near the equator have been using cocoa for its health benefits such as the Kuna Amerinds. Though they have a very high sodium diet, they don’t experience much high blood pressure. This may be attributed to the average of five cups of a cocoa beverage they consume every day, according to presenter Debra Miller, PhD, director of nutrition at the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition.
Cocoa, the main ingredient of this beverage, contains powerful plant nutrients called flavanols which help cells that make up the inside lining of arteries produce nitric oxide which relaxes the arteries. This allows more blood flow to the heart and the rest of the body, which in turn lowers blood pressure.
More than 250 studies show that natural cocoa and dark chocolate have health benefits, and a recent meta-analysis of research supports that cocoa flavanols not only help lower blood pressure but may help manage cholesterol and improve insulin sensitivity, too. A study in the Netherlands showed that elderly men who consumed chocolate regularly had a 50% reduced risk of developing heart disease and a 47% reduced risk of dying from all causes.
Emerging research suggests that cocoa may also be beneficial in cognition and exercise recovery – especially when combined with milk. One study showed that athletes could do 27% more work after consuming chocolate milk and increased their time to exhaustion by 40%.
WARNINGS:
1) Depending on the product, chocolates can contribute a hefty calorie contribution if you’re not careful about portion sizes. An ounce a day is about the right amount.
2) Since not all chocolate is created equal, make sure to choose
--> a) the darker variety
--> b) one with a higher percentage of cacao (the higher “% cacao” the less added sugar it contains), and
--> c) one that has preferably NOT been alkalized/Dutch processed, which strips the chocolates of its healthy flavanols.
