All you chocolate freaks out there...there's good news! Eating raw, unprocessed chocolate has many nutritional benefits! All chocolate comes from a huge berry (cacao pod) which is what grows on the cacao tree. The pods contain about 30 beans or seeds called cacao beans, which are made up of tiny cacao nibs.
You can purchase and eat the cacao beans, nibs and powder. Cacao is considered a superfood! The powder has the fat removed and is usually raw. Cacao powder (not to be confused with cocoa powder - the processed, less nutritional form) can be used in many ways and offers a host of benefits to your health. Cacao is full of powerful antioxidants (more than blueberries, red wine and green tea), which fight free radicals and the effects of aging. Cacao is also rich in magnesium, a micronutrient many Americans are missing in their diets. The health benefits go on from there!
Cacao can be incorporated into your diet in many delicious ways! Adding a spoonful to a smoothie or making a chocolate sauce are two easy ways to add cacao. Next time you are having a big chocolate craving, instead of reaching for a candy bar, opt for sweets made up of this amazing superfood!
In the next couple months, I will be offering a chocolate class, all about cacaco - why it's so good, where to find it and how to prepare it for some yummy, healthy eating! To receive updates on the chocolate class and others like this, be sure to sign up for the Kendall Scott Wellness e-newsletter by clicking here.
