Raw Chocolate Is Powerful... Embrace Its Antioxidant Properties!

Raw Chocolate is Powerful?  Yes this statement is true, but what does it really mean?  First, let’s take a look at what various media such as television, radio, internet, magazines and newspapers are saying about the benefits of antioxidants. Alton Brown of the Food Network often talks about antioxidants during his show Good Eats (now celebrating its 10th season on air) and recently he can be seen in a commercial walking through a field of Concor d grapes talking about polyphenols.  Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants found in plant based foods but what is the big deal about them anyway? Well… recent Polyphenol research reports indicate quite strongly that they help prevent disease and cancer while helping to improve cardio vascular health. Let me explain… Each time we breathe we create free radicals.  Oxidative stress is uncontrollable yet it does damage cells through free radicals.  We can help neutralize free radicals by consuming foods high in antioxidants which help reduce cell damage and oxidative stress.   So it’s nice to see more of these informative commercials and ads using words like antioxidants and polyphenols.  I feel it’s about time people become familiar with important antioxidant terminology! Here are just a few popular polyphenol infused foods: Grapes, Cacao, Legumes, Blueberries, Strawberries, Olive Oil.

Follow the Lead of The Baby Boomers… As baby boomers mature, they are becoming more health conscious.  Most baby boomers want to feel better than they did yesterday or they just want to feel more like the way they ‘used’ to feel when they were younger.  In order to achieve these results, many individuals resort to drastic changes in their diet.  This is one of the primary reasons so many people are now embracing a balanced vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.  These lifestyle changes inherently incorporate high amounts of naturally occurring antioxidants into a person’s daily diet.  As a result, vegetarians and vegans often achieve excellent results with respect to improving their quality of life and extending their individual longevity. Others just can’t wrap their heads around going Vegetarian or Vegan because they love meat and carbohydrates.  As a result, positive dietary changes may never happen until a person is faced with a life threatening illness.  Often time is against these people because too much accumulated damage has been done to their bodies.  My question is, “Why wait until you are dealt that card?”   A more enjoyable quality of life is attainable now by eating better foods and getting as many antioxidants as possible delivered to your body on a daily basis. Antioxidant Foods… The List Is Long, The Choice Is Yours! Ok, this all sounds great but where can I get these nutrients?  Looking at that list above, what item sounds most appealing?  My choice is without a doubt… Cacao! Why? Because it’s chocolate!  More importantly, it’s a great way to add a powerful antioxidant to your diet without having to initially make drastic changes to your daily eating habits. In addition, if you are Vegetarian or Vegan it is a great way to supplement which ever lifestyle you are currently embracing. RAW Cacao… A Wonderful Superfood! Cacao is a very high source of polyphenols and contains the flavoid Epicatechin.  Epicathechin is pronounced ‘epi  CAT a Kin’ and is a powerful antioxidant that helps blood flow by dilation of veins and arteries thus helping with cardiovascular disease.  It also is a great help for those with diabetes. “Studies show that epicatechin and other flavonoids exert a protective role on osmotic fragility of cells, similar to that of insulin.” (Top Cultures) For more information on Epicathechin please visit: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition where you can read many more articles regarding chocolate research findings. Farmers who harvest these giant pods of gold remove the beans and the pulp and let them ferment for a few days in the sun. They then prepare them for shipping to giant chocolate companies.  During the process these beans turn to a wonderful hue of earth tones from brown to red.

Beware of Store Bought Chocolate! Unfortunately, most store bought chocolate loses a significant amount of its potency during processing because the heating process destroys the naturally occurring antioxidants.  You will find the ORAC levels of many mainstream chocolate bars to be significantly lower than what is found in RAW Chocolate.  The important thing here is to remember that you are looking for at least 70% cacao in your chocolate of choice. Read the label and see if you can pronounce every ingredient listed on there and if you can’t then I would have to ask, why put it into your body?  Taking time to find the good stuff will give you these powerful antioxidants that everyone needs every day. Raw chocolate is certainly powerful!   Watch for new studies from the medical world which will certainly be covered by the various media concerning the POWER OF CHOCOLATE! Chocoholics and their friends around the world will now have an excuse to eat raw chocolate and not feel guilty any more. I Love Chocolate…Tell me about your Favorites! I am always interested in learning about people's favorite chocolates. My favorites are called, "Healthy Chocolates!" They are raw cold pressed so I know I am getting 100% of these wonderful nutrients because they are not cooked.  What is your favorite raw chocolate? Your Chocolate Temptress, Jean Kelsey Follow Me On Twitter!