Raw Cacao:Nature’s Party in Your Mouth and Brain!
Greetings Awaken Family, let’s talk about something that’s as rich as the Amazon rainforest, as mysterious as your Aunt Carol’s holiday fruitcake, and as delicious as… well, chocolate! I’m talking about raw cacao. Yes, not your grandma’s sugary cocoa powder or the overly processed chocolate you find lurking in the candy aisle. I’m talking about cacao in its raw, untamed form—the stuff that makes your cells tango and your neurons sing!
Cacao: The Real Deal
Let’s get one thing straight: cacao and cocoa are like twins who took VERY different life paths. Cacao (the cornerstone of Awaken Cacao) is the pure, unprocessed heart of the chocolate tree, Theobroma cacao (which literally translates to “food of the gods”—whoa!). Cocoa, on the other hand, is what happens when you process the living daylights out of cacao. The result? A lovely, sugary powder, yes, but it’s lost a bit of its soul. Raw cacao, however, is brimming with all the good stuff, still wearing its natural costume and ready to do a samba down your digestive tract! (1)
Mental Mojo and Mood Boosts
Imagine you’re a neuron, just going about your business, when suddenly—BAM! Awaken Cacao comes along and flips the switches on all those little feel-good buttons. This stuff is loaded with compounds like phenylethylamine (PEA), the “love molecule,” and anandamide, also known as the “bliss molecule.” That’s right, folks—this is legit brain food! It’s like your mind gets a backstage pass to a serotonin concert. PEA even gives you that “in love” feeling without having to endure a first date or find the perfect outfit. Your brain says, “Thank you, thank you very much,” Elvis-style. (2)
Cacao’s Warrior Antioxidants
Antioxidants are cacao’s way of saying, “I’ve got your back.” These little fellas go into your body, find those nasty free radicals that are running around like troublemakers, and politely escort them out. Raw cacao is absolutely packed with antioxidants—it’s basically the superfood disposal company ready to remove every ounce of cellular garbage. Studies show cacao has more antioxidants than blueberries, green tea, or even wine. It’s like you’re feeding your cells superhero smoothies. (3)
The Heart-Happy Goodness
Hold onto your arteries, folks, because Awaken Cacao is here to pump you up! It’s full of magnesium, which is a mineral that says to your muscles, “Relax, darling. Take a load off.” Magnesium is essential for a healthy heart and keeps your blood flowing like it’s dancing at a salsa club. Plus, it has a bit of theobromine, which is like caffeine’s kinder, gentler cousin—it gives you a lift without the jitters. Think of it as a natural, non-yelling cup of coffee! (4)
How to Get the Most Out of Your Cacao
Now, don’t go running to your nearest candy bar, my friends! If you want all these benefits, you have to keep it raw and keep it real. Here’s the secret recipe: Add Awaken Cacao powder to smoothies, mix it into your oatmeal, or enjoy it the classic way—as a hot cacao drink. No sugar needed; our Awaken Cacao is already lightly sweetened with all natural debittered stevia.
Raw & Real. Try it! Deal?!
So there you have it—Awaken Cacao is nature’s way of saying, “Hey, have a party in your mouth, but also treat your body to a day at the spa!” This isn’t just food; it’s a wellness experience, a brain booster, and a heart helper, all wrapped up in one delicious package. Go on, give it a try. Because life’s too short to settle for anything less than the real, raw deal.
By Chris Richmond
Sources:
1. Afoakwa, Emmanuel Ohene. Chocolate Science and Technology. Wiley, 2010, onlinelibrary.wiley.com, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781444319880, Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
- Nehlig, Astrid. “The Neuroprotective Effects of Cocoa Flavanol and Its Influence on Cognitive Performance.” British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2013, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3575938/.
- Badrie, Neela et al. “Cocoa agronomy, quality, nutritional, and health aspects.” Critical reviews in food science and nutrition vol. 55,5 (2015): 620-59. doi:10.1080/10408398.2012.669428
- Cinquanta, Luciano et al. “Mineral essential elements for nutrition in different chocolate products.” International journal of food sciences and nutrition vol. 67,7 (2016): 773-8. doi:10.1080/09637486.2016.1199664
