According to the USDA's ORAC scale (system of measuring antioxidant levels in food) raw chocolate powder scores higher than virtually all foods tested. Raw chocolate is exceptionally high in flavonoids, a precious antioxidant that helps to gobble up cell damaging, wrinkle-causing, tissue-destructive free radicals. Even better for those feeling the squeeze of the current economy - it's cheaper to come by than many super foods.
This comes as a shock to most devotees of the nutrient-rich super berries promoted so heavily in the marketplace.
Tipping the ORAC Scales
According to results listed by the USDA and others from Brunswick Laboratories, blueberries score in the neighborhood of 2,400 ORAC units per 100g, while acai berries score 18,500, the popular goji berry came in at 25,300, while raw cacao powder scores a whopping 95,500. In comparison, the typical "dark chocolate" options come in around 13,200. This means that gram for gram; raw cacao powder has about 723% more antioxidants than typical dark chocolate.
When chocolate as an antioxidant source began to hit the airwaves it was dark chocolate that got all the fanfare. And while true, dark chocolate scores higher than milk chocolate (where antioxidants have to share more and more space with the added sugar and milk), you can see it gets its little dark chocolate butt kicked when compared to raw unsweetened cacao. To understand the chocolaty mystery, it helps to understand from where the delectable goodness comes.
Where the Bean Meets the Bar
Quality chocolate sources begin with the Theobroma Cacao bean which hails largely from Central America and Southern Mexico. The beans are then roasted, and cracked to remove the skins which give us cacao nibs. Cacao nibs are then ground. The heat of the grinding liquefies the cacao into chocolate liquor. Once cooled, this liquor is pressed separating the cacao oil (also known as cocoa butter). The remaining solids are pressed into cakes that become cacao powder. The separation of the oil makes the cacao powder more concentrated, yielding a higher ORAC scale (95,500) than the nibs (still an impressive 62,100). In this pure state raw cacao is a surprising source of protein and fiber. (Although the tasty nibs have more fat due to their oil content.)
To maintain peak nutrition levels raw cacao is slowly processed below 118 degrees Fahrenheit. More common manufacturing processes can use temperatures up to 266 degrees (130 degrees Celsius). Be sure the cacao powder you choose is an organic variety to avoid pesticides and fertilizers that are common practice with cacao bean production.
Seventy percent of manufactured chocolate is sourced from a lower quality hybrid strain of the cacao bean grown in Africa. This bean requires higher fermentation levels which destroy many antioxidants. Sugar and milk are then added, which further elbow out the antioxidant levels, creating the chocolate bars that line our convenience store aisles.
Why Do I Care?
We tried to convince our parents as kids, didn't we? We wanted more chocolate and lo and behold, done the right way it's really good for us! Besides the overall bulk of flavonoids, chocolate also contains many chemicals that enhance physical and mental well-being including; alkaloids, proteins, magnesium, beta-carotene, leucine, linoleic acid, lipase, lysine, dopamine and anandamine. Turns out raw cacao is the highest known food source of magnesium, in which 80% of us are deficient. Ask your doctor for a prescription!
A Sampling of Health Benefits
• Lower blood pressure
• Increase nitric oxide (good for heart health)
• decrease platelet aggregation
• Improve insulin sensitivity
• Decrease fasting insulin
• Increase blood flow to the brain
• Decrease chronic inflammation
The Price Is Right
According to raw food expert, David Wolfe, raw cacao is one of the best whole food health values on the market. According to Wolfe, one pound of cacao powder delivers 433,570 ORAC antioxidant units. To get that same amount of ORAC units from other foods you'd have to buy:
80 - 6 oz baskets of organic blueberries. Estimated cost: $320 - $560
94 - 6 oz baskets of organic red raspberries. Estimated cost: $376 - $658
35.5 bottles of Himalayan goji juice. Estimated cost: $1,158
24 bottles of mangosteen juice. Estimated cost: $1,020
5+ bottles of Eniva's VIBE Juice (listed in the Physician's Desk Reference as having the #1 highest ORAC value for a supplemental juice product.) Estimated cost: $250
Suggested Uses
There are many ways to incorporate raw cacao into your routine. You can also include it in dessert recipes, shakes, coffee, tea or sprinkle it over bananas or other fruit. The nibs are a great additive to our steel cut oatmeal. By far, our favorite use is as a smoothie additive. We typically use the powder, but enjoy the nibs when a crunchy sensation is in order. Some of our favorite recipes can be found here.
Remember, raw cocoa is full of nutrients but no sugar. The taste is bitterer than processed sugar-laden chocolate, so ease the use into recipes and sweeten as needed. We've tried numerous varieties and our top pick thus far goes to the Navitas Raw Chocolate Powder and the Navitas Raw Chocolate Nibs. The powder has a smooth flavor and I seem to have developed a nibbling habit for the nibs whenever I pass through the kitchen.
Done right you'll get your chocolate fix, slow the aging process and boost your overall health.
Is it a dream?
Contact Jo: jowehage@healthyalterego.org
Sources:
Wolfe, David and Holdstock Sharon, Naked Chocolate, Maul Brothers Publishing, 2005
www.ehow.com/video_2345035_how-cacao-beans-become-chocolate.html
USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Oxygen Racical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods - 2007, www.ars.usda.gov
Leah Farrasso, Groundbreaking Research Highlights Myriad Health Benefits of Flavonol-Rich Cocoa (press release), www.naturalnews.com/z020555.html
Wolfe, David, Super Food Secrets, Elements of Life, e-book
