One of the most common questions directed my way is: “can I have chocolate, and how much of it would be ok to eat daily?”
This question does not surprise me at all as I am a chocolate freak myself.
Implementing the Self Healers Protocol demands drastic changes in eating habits and for many people this is difficult enough so if they are chocolate addicts on top of this, forbidding them chocolate fix would be the definite reason not to implement the protocol.
This is why I do not fuss about it but the question stands- is chocolate beneficial for our health?
22 amazing lies:
http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/top-10-benefits-of-dark-chocolate/
The great majority of health professionals agree that eating chocolate brings health benefits.
Some point on the sugar content and warn you about the sugar, recommending the brand of chocolate that contains sugar substitutes.
As most of the alternative medicine proponents are aware of the toxicity of the chemical sweeteners, they will suggest stevia not realizing that stevia is toxic as well.
Most supplement advocates are promoting the health benefits of cacao. Cacao is the basic ingredient found in chocolate or at least it should be since there are many chocolates that are made from hydrogenated fats and artificial flavor and coloring. Unfortunately, a great variety of chocolates have all kinds of unhealthy ingredients like hydrogenated oils of unknown origin, soy lecithin and when we are talking about the milk chocolate, questionable milk additives should be considered.
For example, I would not touch chocolate made in China and Nestle chocolate since they add melamine into the milk.
As cacao powder is considered healthy and it is promoted as one of the super-foods by the supplement advocates and vegetarians I want to shed some light on this topic.
Raw cacao powder nutritional values:
Calories
196
(821 kJ)
10%
From Carbohydrate
66.6
(279 kJ)
From Fat
98.6
(413 kJ)
From Protein
30.8
(129 kJ)
From Alcohol
0.0
(0.0 kJ)
Carbohydrates
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Total Carbohydrate
49.8
g
17%
Dietary Fiber
28.5
g
114%
Starch
~
Sugars
1.5
g
Now the important part
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Alcohol
0.0
g
Water
2.6
g
Ash
5.0
g
Caffeine
198
mg
Theobromine
1769
mg
As the alternative medicine follows the “truths” of the allopathic medicine there is no surprise when the supplement advocates promote antioxidants as the ultimate health benefactors and digestible fiber importance in the process of digestion which are pure lies as I have debunked in previous posts.
In the case of cacao, there is a lot of Theobromine. This is why cacao powder and dark chocolate are bitter and sweetener has to be added for it to be tasty.
Now, what is theobromine?
Theobromine is actually a xanthine alkaloid very similar to caffeine.
Xanthine stimulates the central nervous system.
Xanthine is also a bronchodilator so it can suppress the symptoms of asthma attack.
Xanthine affects not only the airways but stimulates heart rate, forces contraction, and cardiac arrhythmias at high concentrations. In high doses, they can lead to convulsions that are resistant to anticonvulsants.
As a medicinal remedy, it has a diuretic effect and contributes to dehydration of the blood and since it is considered as poison by our cells, it stops the cellular hydration.
As xanthine decomposes in the blood it turns into uric acid.
As you can see, chocolate, even the dark one with the sugar in the third place on the ingredient list is not a health promoter. It is a neuron stimulator and it should not be frequently ingested.
\Well this is easier said than done if you ask those people like me who love to eat this stuff.
Important is to understand that chocolate has no health benefits. On the contrary, it is slightly medicinal (toxic) so if you are like me and have to have it occasionally, look for the best one available.
Chocolate should have very few ingredients.
Cacao paste, cacao butter (original fat from cacao), sweetener (honey, unrefined brown sugar, refined sugar…), emulsifier (instead of soy lecithin, castor oil lecithin can be used as a healthier option) and spices for the taste like mint, cloves, orange peel…
So if you are like me and have to have some chocolate occasionally or (more than occasionally) then look for the best option and do not fool yourselves that it benefits your health. Take it for what it is and do not indulge in it.
Love and light.
I found a girl in New Orleans who gets beans from Peru, and makes her own chocolate. (Very pure; very few ingredients – VERRY Tasty!)
Here: http://www.acallichocolate.com
Bad.. But, maybe Not So Bad…as others ?
;__| /
Miki, here where I am in Peru, many farmers cultivate cacao so there are many small chocolate manufacturers yet still some add a crap to their chocolate not even thinking how stupid are their actions.
So many people are misled and full of the wrong knowledge.
Acalli New Orleans bean to bar maker uses only cacao and cane sugar… sometimes a little milk. Most beans are from Peru. [I would never post a product on your blog which is degenerate…or, one that I have not personally used.]
HERE is the reason you might like Peru Chocolates so much – they are Unique!
“The Peruvian chocolate was a complete turn-around, with a wine-like flavor, a mild astringency, and incredibly boldness. In fact, it’d be interesting to taste these chocolates with French folks because, in my experience, most of the chocolates that are available tend to lean towards flavors that are more moderated and singular. And that’s about to change!” -David L.
by your own admission, darko chocolate especially the bitter, high cocao content dark variety is delicious if eaten in moderation and makes you feel G O O D…surely that in itself is a significant health benefit 🙂 🙂 …perhaps we should paraphrase oscar wilde’s aphorism about the present day BAD BOY = smoking: “smoking is exquisite and leaves one unsatisfied” to this: “dark bitter chocolate is exquisite and leaves one unsatisfied”…
it is so TRUE of chocolate which really DOES leave most people unsatisfied untill they have had to gobble down a whole bar of the whole box!!…i have found a variety ‘green and black’s 85%’ which really does satisfy my craving after eating only 4 tiny squares!…try it if it’s available where you are in peru!…love and light to you too…
Best thing to do is take cocoa butter and make your own high butter content and little cocoa powder to make it look like chocolate, you automatically lower poisoning with dark stuff. Because percentage of butter in chocolate is what makes it more delicious.
PS: the oscar wilde quote about smoking i left above was only a partial quote…this is what he actually said: “A cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one want? “….
NB: health warning!!…this was said in the late 1800’s well BEFORE it was discovered that cigarette smoke contains ca. 80 – 90 toxins harmful to the human body of which 8 or so can cause serious diseases like cancer and heart disease that can kill!!….please take note smokers!,,,love and light to you all too…
Hi! You have before mentioned that you suggested to be careful with stevia as you theorized that maybe it was bad for the kidneys. Above you have decided to put it straight in the “toxic” category? Did you research more/learn more and now concluded that stevia is bad?
I personally use a little stevia (and monkfruit) for sweetener quite often (with honey or coconut suger being my other alternatives),
Cheers!
Hi Ben.
I have learned that commercial stevia products are definitely toxic and not fit for the human consumption. Dried and grounded stevia may be less toxic but it is definitely toxic. I do not touch it. I rather have natural brown sugar from the sugar cane. The honey is the best bet.
Hilno uses ripe sweet bananas to sweeten freshly squeezed fruit juices. Banana gives them thickness and sweet taste, those juices are just great brother.