Get healthy the delicious way!
Theobroma cacao is something you’ll find in all of your favorite foods: brownies, lava cake, mousse, and sweets. That’s right, we’re talking about chocolate!
We all know that chocolate is so much more than just a delicious treat, but it’s also great for your health. Here are a few reasons you should eat more natural theobroma cacao in order to be healthier:
- It’s a mood booster — Want to feel better after a long, stressful, or emotionally draining day? Have a bite of chocolate, and it will flood your body with antioxidants that will increase production of the neurochemicals that make you happy. It will release anandamide, a molecule that gives you a feeling of euphoria.
- It can balance your mood — Suffering from mood swings thanks to PMS, stress, or menopause? Chocolate increases your body’s natural production of serotonin, the chemical responsible for your mood. Chocolate can help to calm your hormone swings and balance your hormones.
- It can boost your sex drive –– Theobroma cacao contains PEA, a compound that increases the production of pleasure chemicals in your brain. For more endorphins, eat a bit more chocolate, and it will give your sex drive a boost.
- It can reduce heart problems — Did you know that the antioxidants in chocolate can help to reduce your risk of heart disease? With more than 700 antioxidants and compounds, it can fight cholesterol, protect your arteries, and keep your heart working well.
- It can stop aging –– While there is nothing that can reverse the effects of time, chocolate may be able to pause the aging process. The polyphenols and antioxidants in chocolate have anti-aging effects that will protect your cells from oxidation.
- It can thin blood –– The compounds in cacao will prevent blood clots from forming, reducing your risk of heart attacks and strokes.
READ MORE: Raw Chipotle Cacao Brownies
- It can burn fat –– Did you know that having a cup of cocoa before a meal can stop you from overeating, and it will help you to burn fat? The MAO inhibitors in the cacao will reduce your appetite and flood the body with serotonin, shutting your stomach down before you overeat.
- It can improve insulin sensitivity –– Thanks to the unique compounds in chocolate, your body will be better able to process glucose. The antioxidants in cacao will help to make you more sensitive to insulin.
- It can improve hair and nail health — Cacao contains sulfur, a mineral that plays an important role in the health of your hair and nails. The sulfur in the cacao will also go a long way toward keeping your pancreas healthy.
- It can boost energy –– Suffering from fatigue? Have a cup of cacao and see the magic! Cacao contains a lot of magnesium, which is a natural energy booster.
- It can lower blood pressure — The antioxidants in cacao will help to reduce the oxidative stress placed on your heart, and the other natural compounds will do wonders for your blood pressure. Studies have discovered that a bit of cacao in the evening can reduce your risk of hypertension.
- It can prevent sun burns — This may sound hard to believe, but it’s true! In one British study, people who consumed 20 grams of cacao for just 3 months could spend twice the amount of time in the sun as people who had no cacao, all without the risk of getting sunburned.
Talk about awesome reasons to add more theobroma cacao to your life!
