Chocolate. I have never heard of anyone that doesn't like it or love it. Better then sex, they say, an orgasm in their mouth.
Then there is me. I'm allergic, so chocolate tastes like migraines followed by violent vomit. So I avoid it like the plague. But yet, I am fascinated by its aroma (which also smells like headache) and it’s rich texture and why so many people are obsessed with it. Better than sex? Really? I’m not sure about that, but I do know that nutritionally, chocolate has a few nutrient-dense tricks up its sleeve. But I’m not talking about any kind of generic corner store chocolate bar. I’m talking about raw dark chocolate with at least 80 per cent cocoa content, not your run of the mill Oh Henry or Nestlé.
For the record, “cacao” generally refers to the plant or its beans before processing. Once the cacao seeds are dried and fermented, they are known as “cocoa”, and can be processed into cocoa powder and cocoa butter. “Chocolate” refers the candy made from cocoa and dairy products, and is typically sweetened with sugar and often flavoured.
The history of chocolate goes back a long ways, and anthropologists generally agree that evidence goes as far back as 1900 BC in what is present-day Mexico. Known as the food of the gods, cacao seeds were consumed as a bitter beverage for close to 4000 years – much different than the sweet treat wrapped in paper that we have gotten to know. It is believed the Aztec emperor Montezuma drank 50 cups of cacao a day from a golden chalice.
Chocolate was consumed as a liquid, not solid, for 90 per cent of its history. Cacao drink was known as an aphrodisiac, invigorating, mood-enhancing, mystical drink to the Olmec, Mayan and Aztec civilizations. They concluded because of all its health benefits that it possessed magical and spiritual qualities. The Mayans, who were first people to regularly grow cacao trees and drink chocolate, even worshiped a god of cacao, and chocolate was only to be consumed be royalty, nobles and priests. No chocolate for us simple folk, that must of been a bummer.
Random chocolate facts
• It takes a long time for a cocoa tree to produce enough pods to make 10 standard-sized Hershey bars. Like a full year! So it makes sense that chocolate, especially in its raw form, is so darn expensive.
• For all you history buffs out there, did you know that in 1947, hundreds (yes hundreds) of Canadian kids went on strike and boycotted chocolate after the price of a chocolate bar jumped from five to eight cents. And it all started in Ladysmith, Vancouver Island.
• The scientific name for the cacao tree is Theobroma cacao, and means “food of the gods.”
• This one is my favorite: according to the US Food and Drug Administration it’s believed that people who are allergic to chocolate are actually allergic to roaches (and I don’t mean what you find post-party in your ashtray and get excited about). Apparently eight insect parts are typically found in a bar of chocolate. So that’s kind of gross.
Health benefits
Minerals Dark chocolate is full of minerals such as iron, manganese, copper and iron to name a few. It's also high in fibre.
Lowers blood pressure Bioactive compounds in cocoa are known to improve blood flow in the arteries and cause a significant decrease in blood pressure.
Lowers bad cholesterol Chocolate has compounds that lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels while increasing good cholesterol (HDL), making it a great fighter against cardiovascular disease.
Improve brain health Caffeine and theobromine, both natural stimulants, are found in chocolate and produce a boost in both physical and brain energy.
Recipe: Raw cacao protein balls
Ingredients:
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup coconut Oil
1/2 cup raw honey
3/4 coconut flakes, or enough to roll all the balls in
3/4 cup coconut meal
1 tbsp flaxseed
1 tbsp chia seeds
Directions:
1. Mix ingredients together in a bowl (except coconut flakes).
2. Roll mixture into balls.
3. Roll into coconut flakes.
