A few years back I had the awesome chance to visit a coffee bean plantation in Costa Rica that also grew Cacao trees. This was such a fun way to learn about the plant we get our chocolate from! Chocolate is probably one of my favourite super foods. Not just because it’s chocolate and delicious, but all the extras it packs nutritionally.
This is a very cool process to check out. The way they broke open these large pods that hid these nut sized seeds, beans, in and surrounded by a little messy goo. It was a truly unique sensation to experience, yes I put that gooey bean in my mouth. Then learning about the fermentation process that they need to undergo before grinding them to create this thick chocolatey paste. From this paste you can extract cocoa butter, delicious for baking and good for the skin. You also get cacao or cocoa powder, chocolate liquor and chocolate!
This ancient food has been known to the Mayan people and other cultures around Mesoamerica for a millennium. Its name comes from Greek and means ‘food of the gods’, theobroma cacao. The Mayan people had cacao as part of their culture the way some treasured gold. It left its mark on numerous artifacts that showed the integral part it played in their society. Traditionally they would harvest, ferment and dry the beans, roast them, remove their shell and then grind them into a paste. This paste would be mixed with water, cornmeal, chili peppers and other spices then mixed between two containers to create a foamy top.
What benefits did the Mayan people enjoy from this plant? They enjoyed good health, as this was part of their healthy diet. Much of this comes from the polyphenols that cacao beans contain. Polyphenols are an antioxidant, which helps fight damage to our cells. Healthy cells, healthy happy body! Other wonderful compounds in chocolate, such as ‘flavanols’ are being researched for their affect to improve nitric oxide in the blood helping reduce blood pressure. It also has an added bonus for the heart by removing ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, balancing blood sugar, and reducing inflammation. Wow! All found in that tiny little delicious bean! The part I find so fascinating is the rich amount of minerals in the cacao bean. It is an amazing source of essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron and zinc.
Those benefits alone have countless positive effects on our health, from your brain function to happier joints and cardiovascular system. The catch, not all chocolate is the same. I’m sure your now excited about a specific chocolate treat or chocolate bar when you started reading how good chocolate is for you. Like most things, not all chocolate is created equal.
To gain all the positive benefits from chocolate, you must start with minimally processed cacao or chocolate ground straight from the cacao beans. Then, it can be sweetened, but the more sugar and additives you add to it, the less you will benefit from the chocolate.
If you are baking at home, I’d encourage you to find a good cacao powder, I like the Organic Traditions one. You can use this anywhere a recipe calls for cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is processed using a higher heat process, and this tends to reduce beneficial compounds in the bean. Craving a delicious chocolate bar? Look for a chocolate bar that is 70% or higher, this ensures that it won’t be filled with extra sugar. It may take a while to adjust to a more bitter chocolate, but once you do, you and your body will be much happier with it. Especially since another benefit of chocolate is increasing serotonin, your happy hormone!
Some of my favourite chocolate bar companies’ right now are Giddy YoYo (local company out of Ontario) and Camino (another Canadian brand). I am always a fan of supporting local companies, but I love that they are working with the farmers to ensure fair trade and the best quality product they can produce. These will cost a little more than your junk chocolate, but I find you don’t need as much to get the satisfaction. They are more something to be savoured than to be devoured quickly.
This is why I am not one to shy away from baking with chocolate. In proportion and using less processed sources, it is a benefit to your healthy diet.
I hope this helps you to enjoy chocolate they way it was intended, as a rich and delicious addition to a healthy diet!
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