Beyond the amazing taste sensations that raw chocolate gives us, we love raw cacao because it is so good for us. As a food stuff, it is one of the most complex you will find. Cacao truly deserves to be called a superfood and in fact in 1753, Linnaeus designated the cacao tree Theobroma cacao, which translates to “cacao, food of the gods”!
Unfortunately, conventional processing and chocolate production butchers and destroys most of the nutrients in cacao. So lets cover some of these different properties of cacao and doing our bit to spread the word of healthy raw chocolate!
Magnesium and the Heart
Magnesium is found in every organ of the body, with especially high concentrations in the heart, muscles and kidneys. Magnesium is also vital as it activates enzymes, contributes to energy production, and helps regulate calcium levels as well as copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D, and other important nutrients in the body.
Magnesium deficiency can be indicated by muscle weakness and fatigue, with severe cases showing symptoms such as neurological and muscular symptoms (tremor, muscle spasms, tetany), vomiting and death from heart failure!
Additionally, magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism and its deficiency may worsen insulin resistance, a condition that often precedes diabetes.
Cacao and Magnesium
Cacao is one of the richest sources of magnesium of any food stuff, accompanied by a wide range of supporting characters, such as:
- Nuts, particularly brazil nuts, cashews and almonds
- Seaweeds
- Chlorophyll-rich green vegetables
- Seeds, such as sunflower and pumpkin
Interestingly, all of the foods in that list work wonderfully well with raw cacao and can be found in many raw chocolate recipes.
So it's clear to see that magnesium is vital for good health and that raw cacao is one of the best sources of magnesium you will find. Chocolate really is good for your heart!
Are you ready to start your Raw Chocolate Adventure?
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