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In my recent copy of Health Keepers Magazine there was an article on the benefits of raw chocolate. I was shocked at how it can help anxiety!
This doesn’t go for Hersey bars or M & M’s though, just the raw cacao. Commercial chocolate has been cooked and is no longer raw, therefore the health effects drastically change and doesn’t have the same positive effect in our body.
If you would like to read the whole article, you can visit the Health Keepers Magazine site for the Winter 2009 / Spring 2010 edition.
These are some direct highlights from the article that I found very exciting and relevant for us!
- Anadamide is called the bliss chemical. This is an endorphin that is created during exercise. It has been studied as a chocolate isolate in a lab. Anandamide has been found so far in only one plant, the cacao tree. The lipid found in anandamide helps release neurotransmitters that create a feeling of elation.
- Cacao is claimed to be the number one source of magnesium of any common food. Magnesium is a major mineral responsible for heart beat rhythm, strong bones and smooth muscle relaxation.
- Cacao is a poor source of caffeine. A sample of raw chocolate will yield anywhere from zero caffeine to 1,000 parts per million of caffeine – less than 1/20th of the caffeine present in coffee.
- Additional minerals found in the cacao bean include potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, and chromium.
- Lastly, cacao contains tryptophan, an essential tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is transformed into important stress-protective neurotransmitters including serotonin and melatonin.
When I was healthy, dried cacao beans did nothing for me. Thought the superfood was a bust so I left it in the cupboard. Months later, I was hit by a major anxiety attack and vomited for 14 days, and still have this ongoing cloudy head feeling and occasional anxiety. So I was looking at tips and found that cocoa increases serotonin.. So I thought, why not Cacao? So I tried a handful and munched them down with water. 15 minutes is all it takes, I start to relax and feel more mellow. It’s quite amazing. Have been using it regularly for quite a few days now and only just now decided to do a little research to see why and if others had similar effects. Unfortunitely there seems to be some articles out there suggesting that cacao gives them negative effects and is toxic blah blah blah. Cacao, working for me so far. Great stuff
Raw cacao works like magic for my anxiety, which I experience very rarely. About a tsp with a little raw honey and coconut oil is all it took. I don’t indulge in cacao regularly otherwise.
Raw cocoa actually gives me nocturnal anxiety, I actually have panic attacks in the night. I don’t suffer from anxiety normally either. It’s the worst thing in the world though, I’ll be drifting off then my head will feel weird, kinda like low blood pressure and then ill jolt awake with my heart racing. Symptoms completely go away if I discontinue eating raw cocoa. I’ve also been checked out for heart and thyroid issues because of this and everything came back clear.