When we think of Valentine’s Day, we immediately begin visualizing images of hearts, Cupid, and of course…. chocolate. What I find interesting about this is that there is also a very strong sense of guilt associated with eating chocolate. And rightfully so. 
The sweet, milky chocolate we all know is likely one of the reasons our society is faced with multiple health epidemics, including obesity, diabetes and much more.
What if I were to tell you that you could eat some types of chocolate and actually experience incredible health benefits such as reducing your risk of cancers? Wouldn’t Valentine’s Day be amazing if we could give chocolates to the person we love knowing that we were also giving them something good for their health?
Chocolate has been around for millions of years. Yet it is only recently that we have learned to process it so extensively that it has become nearly unrecognizable from its original form and is a contributing factor to a plethora of diseases. Chocolate is derived from the cacao (pronounced kuh-kow) which is native to the South American Amazon rain forests. Cacao in its raw form has the highest concentration of anti-oxidant (cancer-fighting) properties than any other food on the planet. This bitter delicacy was so valuable to ancient cultures that the Mayan people even used it as a form of currency.
Cacao is also a significant source of magnesium. This mineral is vitally important to various metabolic functions, cardiovascular health, nutrient and oxygen transport, muscle relaxation, peristalsis and strong bone development. You will also find chromium, iron, manganese and zinc in raw cacao. All of these play critical roles in maintaining our well-being, such as balancing blood sugar, immune system and sexual organ function, just to name a few.
If that’s not enough, cacao also contains various chemicals, endorphins and amino acids that can boost our mood, relax us, and even offer us some slight euphoric sensations similar to love.
The reason chocolate today does not hold these same benefits is that manufacturers add many substances to the cacao to make it more visually, texturally and tastefully appealing. Most ‘milk’ chocolate doesn’t even have real milk in it. More often than not, manufacturers have added things like heavily processed skim milk powder and emulsifiers, such as soy lecithin. And of course, refined sugar. Cacao is quite bitter, so sugar or other sweeteners are almost always used to make the chocolate more palatable. Don’t let fancy ingredient lists fool you, either. Companies are starting to include things like ‘evaporated cane juice’, which is just another name for refined sugar. Agave is another alternative sweetener to be cautious of. If you read my article about agave, you may remember that the processing of agave is being compared to that of high fructose corn syrup. There is still a lot of controversy around this topic, so in the meantime, I try to avoid consuming agave.
The ethical harvesting practices of cacao is another subject, altogether. However, it is also one that should be considered. Not only should we think about the forests from which the cacao is taken, but the treatment of the workers who make it possible to enjoy this delicacy around the globe. There are many environmental and humanitarian issues one must think about with regards to chocolate production.
So it’s easy to see why there is a common belief that chocolate is a sinful treat that should only be consumed on rare occasions. This way of thinking is unfortunate. It’s not the chocolate that creates fat in our bodies… it’s all the crap they’ve added to the chocolate.
Fortunately, all is not lost to big, sugary chocolate companies. We still have access to purchase raw cacao to make our own desserts, or select from several ethical dark chocolate bar manufacturers. It can be difficult and expensive to find a chocolate bar that is completely void of any unwanted ingredients, but there are quite a few that are taking steps in the right direction. Zazubean is a local company which makes several wonderfully unique flavored chocolate bars. They do still contain some sweeteners which I have mentioned, but their dark chocolate can still offer some of the health benefits I listed above.
Vivani Chocolate is another delicious product that you can find in many health food and grocery stores. The thing I like about Vivani is that although they still use sugar, it is unrefined. Be sure to always read the labels since they do offer milk chocolate with some ingredients that may not be ideal.
When it comes to chocolate, my newly discovered favorite dessert is homemade, raw cacao brownies (I actually believe they are more like chocolate truffles, but my wife insists on calling them brownies). Here’s a chocolate treat you can enjoy, guilt-free:
www.prenatalcoach.com/healthy-dessert-raw-cacao-brownies/
The best part about this recipe is that it literally takes minutes to make! I could make a batch of these in less time than it would take to run to the corner store to buy a chocolate bar.
So with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, think twice about picking up that box of diabetes-causing junk they call ‘chocolate’, and take a few minutes to make something far more delicious, beneficial and meaningful that you can enjoy with your loved-one completely guilt-free.
About Rich Ralph
