Benefits of Cacao and why you should consider swapping coffee for this powerful superfood

Cacao is an ancient superfood, used for thousands of years by the Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs. For energy, vitality, currency, ritual, ceremonial and medicinal purposes and even as an aphrodisiac...

Until it was discovered by Europeans, who imported it, roasted it and added sugar amongst other things like milk powder and emulsifiers, to create what we now all know, crave and seem to have an unhealthy relationship with...

CHOCOLATE.

BENEFITS OF CACAO

Top tip - the higher fat content of cacao powder, the better, as a lot of the benefits are in the healthy fats of the cacao butter. That's why we use high % fat cacao only.

Antioxidant Rich

All the benefits of cacao seem to come from the many compounds that it is rich in..

Full of flavonoids and antioxidants thought to have many health boosting properties, like reducing inflammation and improving blood flow.

Cacao is one of the richest sources of antioxidants in the world.

Cacao contains a whopping 40x more antioxidants than blueberries and 4-5x more than goji or Acai

-Antioxidants help to absorb free radicals (that come from pollution and toxins in our environment), which cause cell and tissue damage and can lead to diseases such as cancer.

Improved Mood

Cacao contains 4 feel good compounds - Serotonin, tryptophan, theobromine & phenylalanine

Theobromine, to mention one .. is...

One of the finest members of a class of alkaloids known as xanthines.
Proven to lower blood pressure
Increase serum HDL cholesterol (the good kind)
Enhance lung functioning by opening up air passages via smooth muscle relaxation.
Enhances cognitive function by increasing blood flow and oxygenation to the brain as well as doubles as an antioxidant capable of mitigating oxidative stress and reducing inflammation.
And for those that love to exercise, theobromine also blocks adenosine receptors, enabling a short-term increase in muscular contractility.

Can you guess which food contains the most theobromine in the world?

CACAO.

Did you know that the scientific name for for cacao tree is "Theobromine Cacao"

Which literally translates from Greek to "FOOD OF THE GODS"

Cacao also stimulates dopamine, the pleasure neurotransmitter. It is a natural antidepressant. And has been scientifically proven to boost your mood!

Improved Brain Function

A specific flavonoid in cacao called epicatechin may help with parts of your brain health, including cognition, learning, memory and help with focus, attention and feelings of clarity.

Neuroprotective Properties

The flavonoids also preserve cognitive abilities during ageing, which could lower the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Enhances Performance

Cacao's flavanols may boost your physical performance by influencing how your body uses nitric oxide. A small study showed that cyclists who ate dark chocolate used less oxygen and recovered easier than cyclists who didn't.

Rich in Essential Minerals

Cacao has the highest levels of iron of any plant in the world.

THAT'S RIGHT - THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD

For any vegetarians and vegans out there that probably know the struggle of getting enough iron from quality food sources

GET SOME CACAO IN YOUR DIET.

- At a whopping 13.9 mg per 100g. This compares to beef and lamb at 2.5 mg, and spinach at 3.6 mg.

While you might not eat 100 grams of cacao in one sitting, it still makes it an admirable iron-boosting addition to your diet.

Cacao also contains high levels of essential magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc.

Organic Cacao is one of the highest plant-based sources of magnesium in the world

Magnesium is the most deficient mineral in the western diet
Magnesium is important for a healthy heart, and helps turn glucose into energy enabling your brain to work with laser-sharp clarity and focus.
Vital for over 300 different chemical reactions that happen millions of times in our body every day.

Lower Blood Preassure

Cacao powder is packed with flavonoids, which have been shown to help lower blood pressure, improve blood flow to your brain and heart, and help prevent blood clots.

REDUCES DIABETES RISK

The antioxidants in cacao and cocoa may affect how your body responds to insulin, which could lower your chances of diabetes. Research shows the flavonoids in cacao may also improve your insulin resistance or change the way your body metabolizes glucose if you already have diabetes or prediabetes.

Lower inflamation & heart problems

Studies have linked the flavanols in cacao to higher levels of nitric oxide in your blood. The nitric oxide helps relax your arteries and blood vessels, which helps your blood flow better. Cacao also has been shown to lower your LDL, or "bad," cholesterol and reduce inflammation, both of which may lower your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

Some research suggests that flavanol-rich cacao powder may help reduce inflammation.

If you've read this far and you're not already rushing out the door to your local health food shop or looking for where you can get your hands on some high fat Organic Cacao powder online ...

Cacao vs coffee

Or you're still not convinced that cacao is a viable option to give up that second coffee or perhaps completely...

Did you know - Coffee is a stimulant and a legal drug. The most consumed drug in the world. It is biologically addictive.

Coffee contains high levels of rapidly absorbed caffeine, which can cause havoc on your nervous system.

Not only does caffeine from coffee have the potential to cause headaches, energy crashes, mood swings and can be hard to function without if you're a regular user...

It also causes the release of cortisol and adrenaline, which in turn can lead to more anxiety, stress and fatigue once the caffeine has worn off... That's probably why we're looking for the next pick me up only an hour later.

CACAO TO THE RESCUE!

Mixing Cacao and caffeine has been show to reduce caffeine-related anxiety and increase attention span.

- When cacao and coffee are combined, they seem to work synergistically to balance out the effects of one another, giving you a pleasant and steady buzz throughout the day.

If you’re someone who enjoys a morning pick-me-up but can feel overwhelmed by the effects of coffee, then cacao could be your solution.

TRY OUR CACAO, MCT, ADAPTOGEN & SUPER SHROOM premix powder. A healthy hot chocolate, epic iced choccy, that's nutritious AND delicious or powerful superfood shot that turns your coffee into a miracle mocha and an all day energiser.

At Mr Natural, we have done the hard work for you and created incredible premixed powders so you can have convenience and health foods everyday, on the go, in the office, at home or even camping. Now that's living!

We use only the highest quality Peruvian cacao powder with the highest possible cacao butter content (20-22%) for maximum benefits, mixed with other incredible superfoods like MCT, monk fruit juice, adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms.

To find out more check out our website and our other blogs that go into more detail about the benefits of each ingredient in Mr Natural - Healthy hot chocolate.

REDEFINE YOUR RITUAL.

Stay happy, stay healthy.

Big Love,