Cacao is Neuroprotective:
- The neurotrophic effect of cacao flavonoids increases cerebral blood flow in healthy subjects three hours after cacao consumption
- Increased blood flow to gray matter in the brain has been shown to account for healthy angiogenesis as well as the growth of new hippocampal neurons involved in memory processing
- Increased blood flow in the middle cerebral artery may account for protective effects against dementia and stroke
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465250/
Cacao is Cardio-protective:
- Increases Nitric Oxide production
- Cacao has platelet inhibitory effects reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and reducing risk of thromboses
- Blood clot symptoms can include headaches, the sensation of burning throbbing muscular pain, itching, or fatigue
- Knowing these symptoms may assist you in a time of need
Cacao Reduces Appetite:
- The smell of chocolate leads to a satiation response which is inversely correlated with ghrelin level
- Ghrelin is a hormone produced to signal hunger, and chocolate smelling and eating can reduce appetite and improve food satisfaction
Cacao and The Intestinal Microbiota:
- Finally, the effects of cacao polyphenols on the composition of intestinal microbiota must be noted
- In a human trial conducted on healthy volunteers, consumption of a high-cacao flavanol beverage for 4 weeks, containing 494 mg flavanols, significantly increased the growth of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. in comparison to a low cacao flavanol drink (182)
- These bacteria maintain an anti-inflammatory status in the bowel
Protective Organic Cacao Nibs:
- Unsweetened cacao nibs are unprocessed chips of the raw cacao bean
- We add them to baked or steamed recipes for a nut-like texture and protective quercetin and theobromine
- Quercetin neutralizes free radicals that cause cellular damage, aging, and a variety of diseases including heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s
- Theobromine functions as a vasodilator to help lower blood pressure and improve athletic performance
