Raw Chocolate: The Best Natural Appetite Suppressant

12 Reasons to Eat Raw Chocolate

1. Magnesium = The Brain’s Health Food

Over 80% of the population in the United States has a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is the number one mineral deficiency in the west

A magnesium deficiency has been linked to at least 50 serious symptoms, including depression, stress, anxiety, psychiatric disorders, premenstrual syndrome, nervousness, irritability, disorientation, apathy and confusion. 

• Boosting magnesium can make you feel calm, clear and focused.
• Magnesium works with calcium (and vitamin D) to build strong bones and teeth and helps relax muscles to regulate heartbeat and blood pressure 
• RAW cacao may contain the highest levels of magnesium found in a food.  

2. Sulphur  = The Beauty Mineral

•  Raw Cacao contains plenty of sulfur, which builds strong nails and hair, promotes beautiful skin, detoxifies the liver and supports healthy pancreas functioning  

3. Mineral Power House  = The List Goes On…

•  Raw Cacao also contains calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese  

4. Theobromine = Energy Boost  

• Raw cacao definitely increases energy! It’s a very pleasant stimulation that doesn’t seem to cause jitters and nervousness in most people like coffee or tea can.  
• Theobromine can be thought of as a milder form of caffeine. It’s been observed that the stimulating effect of RAW chocolate is gentler and without annoying side effects such as headaches and the “crash” associated with caffeine.  
• Raw cacao has just enough of this compound so you get the energy and will to enjoy life, without having to “pay” for the boost later.  

5. Antioxidants  

• Raw Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas.   
• Antioxidants help protect from environmental and metabolic toxins by helping to repair and resist damage caused by free radicals, and possibly by reducing the risk of certain cancers  
• Antioxidants promote cardiovascular health by helping to dilate blood vessels, reducing blood clotting, reducing inflammation, improving circulation, helping to regulate heartbeat and blood pressure, lowering LOL cholesterol, and reducing the risk of stroke and heart attacks  
• Raw Cacao may help lower the oxidative stress of strenuous activities – thus helping athletes to recover.  

6. B- Vitamins = Stress Relief  

• B vitamins have long been well-known to combat stress and depression.  
• B vitamins are important in many chemical reactions, such as turning tryptophan into serotonin, and they are very important to the nervous system overall.  
• As a water-soluble vitamin, you can’t overdose on B vitamins, because your body will simply eliminate what it doesn’t need.  
• This also means, however, that your body doesn’t store B vitamins like it would store the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K. We need to consistently get B vitamins through diet or supplementation.  
• Raw cacao is an excellent source, so you feel less stress.    

7. Phenylethylamine (PEA) = The Love Chemical  

• Dubbed the “love chemical”, the presence of PEA in the brain seems to create feelings of attraction, excitement and euphoria.  
• High PEA levels have been found in people who are in love, and in those who are generally happy.  
• Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel generally positive and able to concentrate, is blocked from being deactivated when PEA is in abundance. This causes dopamine levels to rise, continuing your good mood when dopamine would otherwise have been depleted.  
• Raw cacao is abundant with PEA, so you enjoy the “in-love” feelings as well as higher dopamine levels, leaving you in a state of well-being long after snack time.  

8. Anandamide = The Bliss Chemical  

• Anandamide’s name comes from the Sanskrit word “ananda”, which means bliss. It is aptly named, since Anandamide is a chemical that is released in the brain when we are feeling great.  
• Its role in feeling good is as important as the more well-known neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin.  
• Anandamide improves mood, memory and cognition, and it is the chemical responsible for the euphoria that avid exercisers know as the “runner’s high”.  
• Raw cacao contains anandamide, so it can give you a feeling of exhilaration and eagerness for life.  

9. MAOIs = Depression Relief!  

• Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an agent naturally present in the human body that eats up and recycles neurotransmitters known to produce feelings of well-being, such as serotonin, dopamine, adrenalin, noradrenalin, etc.
• In some people, MAOs act too aggressively, eating up too many of these chemicals, and when levels get low, people get depressed, moody, and generally grumpy.  
• Many anti-depressant drugs contain MAO Inhibitors (MAOIs) to slow the breakdown of serotonin, etc… and as a result, you have higher levels of “feel-good” chemicals, and you feel better.  
• Chemicals present in raw cacao seem to behave like natural MAOIs, but without the side effects associated with some anti-depressant drugs.  

10. Tryptophan = Relax and Enjoy Feeling Good  

• Tryptophan works with vitamins B6 and B3 along with magnesium to produce serotonin, the most well-known “feel-good” chemical.  
• Tryptophan also helps produce melatonin and dimethyltryptamine, both associated with sleep and relaxation.  
• This may be why the stimulating properties of raw cacao don’t produce the “jitters”, and may be why raw chocolate in the evening typically won’t cause insomnia.  
• Tryptophan is volatile and can be damaged or destroyed when heated, so processed chocolate can be over-stimulating and won’t help your body produce more serotonin.  
• Raw chocolate keeps tryptophan intact, so you feel calm and happy.

11. Dopamine = Enjoy Life  

• Dopamine plays a biochemical role in the brain for feelings of motivation, desire and pleasure. It seems to have a role in sociability, and people who process higher levels of dopamine tend to have less social anxiety.  
• Dopamine levels also influence processing of pain, where deficiencies have been linked with vague but painful conditions such as restless leg syndrome and fibromyalgia.  
• Raw chocolate not only contains dopamine, but other chemicals which aid in the production of and inhibit the breakdown of dopamine in the brain, which means you may just one snack away from experiencing a more enjoyable life.  

12. Serotonin = Feelin’ Good  

• Serotonin is the quintessential and most famous feel-good chemical… it eases feelings of anger and aggression, boosts mood and enhances sexuality. It also regulates body temperature, appetite and metabolism.  
• Besides being a great source of serotonin, raw cacao contains agents which act to make your body produce more of the neurotransmitter naturally, which keeps higher levels of serotonin in the bloodstream longer without being broken down.  

“But”, you must be thinking, “I KNOW chocolate makes me fat! I’ve gained weight eating chocolate before! How can you say that this kind of chocolate won’t make me fat?”  

3 Delicious Reasons Raw Chocolate Won’t Make You Fat  

Believe it or not, raw chocolate is a…  

1. Natural Appetite Suppressant 

• Raw cacao is a natural appetite suppressant.  
• We eat when we’re hungry. Unfortunately, many people over-eat and gain weight when they 1) eat to satisfy a craving or 2) eat for emotional reasons. In both cases, they’re trying to satisfy a need that isn’t caused by hunger! When blood sugar levels and chemicals in the brain are balanced, most people find that they are free from physical and emotional cravings and are better able to choose healthier foods to keep their weight under control.  
• The stimulating effects of the small amounts of theobromine effectively reduce your physical cravings for food, while the mood-enhancing effects of the MAOIs and higher levels of serotonin combat “emotional eating”.  
• Eating raw cacao has been shown to promote a significant increase in insulin sensitivity. Increased insulin sensitivity means less risk of riding the blood sugar roller-coaster, resulting in food cravings.    
• As delicious as raw cacao products are, you will find yourself emotionally satisfied and simply not in the mood to over-eat. You will find that RAW chocolate will satiate your cravings like no other food can. You’ll then be able to choose what to eat for the benefit of your health and physique, as opposed to over-eating in the hopes of satisfying a craving.  

2. Raw Cacao contains mostly “Good” Fat    

• Most of the fat in cacao is oleic acid (a monounsaturated  fat, also found in olive oil), which is considered a desirable fat  
• Stearic acid, which is the predominant saturated fat in raw chocolate, is a unique fatty acid which has no effect on blood cholesterol levels.  
• The confusion about whether chocolate makes one gain weight comes when commercial brands include “milk fat” or “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or even palm or coconut oils (which are detrimental when heated). These are the oils more likely to be at blame for gaining weight by eating chocolate.  
• Raw chocolate will more likely help you to lose weight than to gain it.  

3. Raw Form

• Virtually all of the “bad” calories that make you fat from eating candy bars are from the processed sugar, dairy and unnatural added fats.  
• Cacao in its raw form doesn’t contain sugar. And most RAW cacao products use natural sweeteners, like agave nectar or organic sugar cane juice, which aren’t as harmful to your health.   

You can get raw cacao in several forms… as a bean, as “nibs” (plain cacao beans broken into small pieces), as Sweet Nibs… nibs sweetened with organic sugar cane juice (a good source of Riboflavin), raw chocolate covered cacao nibs… deliciously snack-able right out of the bag, or as a powder. There are several books available with recipes for creating delicious shakes, desserts and snacks using raw cacao.  

Raw cacao is still difficult to find in stores. Whole Foods Market and local health food stores may carry some products. The internet may be your best source of finding the many raw chocolate treats and snacks that are available.  

For more information and to purchase click the image below: