Hailed as one of the most popular superfoods of the moment, cacao powder has gained a lot of attention over recent years — and for good reason! Cacao provides a load of brilliant health benefits, helping your body stay in tip-top shape from head to toe. Cocoa is the result of roasting and processing raw, organic beans to produce the goodies, like chocolate, that we all know and love.
Here are just a few of the impressive claims associated with cacao, each of which certainly validate its current superfood status. And indeed, cacao has a far higher antioxidant concentration — estimated to be as much as 40 times more than blueberries can boast! Containing a simply incredible volume of antioxidants , raw cacao powder can help fight against dangerous free radicals within your body. This could reduce your risk of developing life-threatening conditions such as cancer and heart disease, and — on a more everyday level — cacao can help clear acne and support optimum immune system function, too.
Packed full with magnesium , cacao powder can help facilitate a wide variety of important chemical reactions throughout your entire body. Getting your magnesium fix throughout the week can help keep your brain and nervous system functioning at their best potential. Plus, if you like to keep an active lifestyle, magnesium will provide you with much-needed boosts of energy when you need it.
Sure, it tastes great. However, chronic inflammation can damage cells and tissues and may increase the risk of some health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, arthritis , and certain types of cancer. Dark chocolate contains compounds with anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the body. A small pilot study from involving five healthy people examined the effects of dark chocolate on the immune system.
The results suggested that consuming large amounts of percent dark chocolate affects the activity of genes that regulate the immune response. However, it remains unclear how this study will be of practical significance. In another study from , researchers found that eating 30 g of percent dark chocolate each day for 8 weeks significantly reduced inflammatory biomarkers in people with type 2 diabetes.
The authors of the study concluded that there is a need for additional studies to evaluate the optimal amounts of dark chocolate to use to treat those with diabetes. Insulin resistance can cause abnormally high levels of blood glucose, which can lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
A 6-month study from examined the relationship between regular dark chocolate consumption and blood glucose levels among Hispanic individuals. The research findings suggest that eating 48 g of percent dark chocolate each day may help lower fasting glucose levels and reduce insulin resistance. A study from identified a positive association between regular chocolate consumption and cognitive performance.
However, the researchers collected data from surveys and had to rely on self-reported chocolate intake, so they were unable to draw any definitive conclusions from the findings. According to the United States Department of Agriculture , a g bar of dark chocolate with 70—85 percent cocoa solids provides:. The health benefits of dark chocolate come primarily from the flavanols present in the cacao solids.
However, flavanol content varies among dark chocolate products. Processing methods also differ between manufacturers, and this can affect the flavanol content of the chocolate. There is no legal requirement for chocolate manufacturers to report the flavanol content in their products. However, dark chocolate products with a higher percentage of cacao solids should generally contain more flavanols. Although dark chocolate contains beneficial antioxidants and minerals, it is usually also high in sugar and fat, which makes it a very calorie-dense food.
Dark chocolate contains fat in the form of cocoa butter, which mainly consists of unhealthful saturated fats. People should, therefore, try to limit their consumption of dark chocolate to avoid consuming too many calories, fats, and sugars. Improvements in brain health may be due to the high levels of flavonoids in dark chocolate, which research, like a study published in April in The FASEB Journal , has found to have accumulated in regions of the brain responsible for learning and memory.
While some research, including a study published in May in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition , has indicated there may be a link between dark chocolate and the brain, studies with larger sample sizes need to be conducted, and further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms involved.
And before you run out and stock up on chocolate bars, keep in mind most studies experimented with much higher quantities of chocolate than the recommended daily dose 1. Insulin resistance causes high blood glucose sugar and is the hallmark of type 2 diabetes, per an article published in March by StatPearls.
In a study published in October the Journal of Community and Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives , the flavonoids in dark chocolate were found to reduce oxidative stress, which scientists think is the primary cause of insulin resistance. Another study, this one published in January in the journal Appetite , showed that participants who rarely consumed chocolate had almost twice the risk of developing diabetes five years down the road, compared with participants who indulged in dark chocolate at least once per week.
While researchers agree dark chocolate possesses many health benefits , further study is needed to determine if there is a cause-and-effect relationship between chocolate consumption and diabetes risk. Eating chocolate every day probably seems like the last way to lose weight, but research suggests dark chocolate may play a role in controlling appetite, which in turn could help with weight loss. Of course, eating more than the recommended amount per day can counteract any potential weight loss.
Studies cited in an article published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology furthermore noted that during digestion, chocolate behaves like a prebiotic not to be confused with probiotic , a type of fiber that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Chan School of Public Health. Evidence that dark chocolate possesses properties that could help protect people from certain types of cancer is limited but growing. However, despite preconceptions that too much chocolate can be bad for your health, getting your chocolate fix from cacao powder can actually be good for you. Here's why you should start enjoying a daily dose of this supercharging treat and some of the best ways to do so.
Cacao is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet Cacao allows you to get all the benefits of chocolate, but without the refined sugar or saturated fat. It is the purest form of chocolate and comes in many different forms: powder, paste, nibs small chopped pieces and butter. It keeps your heart healthy and reduces cholesterol levels Consuming a small amount of cacao powder every day can be beneficial to your health.
Cacao is thought to be the food with the highest source of magnesium, so can help you meet the daily recommended amount of mg for men and mg for women. Magnesium is used by your body to turn food into energy, as well as maintaining your bones and teeth.
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