CACAO, A SUPERFOOD

Cacao is the basis on which all chocolate is made. It can be bought at health and whole food stores in many forms. I bought a box which has made it into shavings. It is not sweet, in fact it's difficult to eat without sweetener. So for now, I have added a couple drops of honey to a teaspoonful and it's a lot better. You can substitute a dark chocolate instead that contains at least 60% cacao, but you will not get the same health benefits. You only need a little of this as too much has been linked to weight gain. Here are some facts about Cacao;

• Cacao is said to help stabilize blood sugar
• Cacao should be consumed without sugar and can be used in "nib" form or crushed
• Cacao contains flavonoids and can reduce cholesterol and LDL to keep your arteries clear
• Cacao also contains antioxidants which help fight disease
• Cacao can elevate serotonin and decrease depression
• Cacao is about 40 to 50 % fat and is high is carbs and calories, however it's also high in fiber
• Cacao thins the blood and that helps to prevent clots which are bad for the heart
• Cacao has about 150 calories to the ounce, depending on where and how the bean is grown.

If you simply cannot stand the bitterness of raw Cacao, try Hershey's Reserves Bar. This is a small candy bar and I have seen it in two forms, one has 35% cacao and the other 65%. The 65% is what you want, it has 240 calories and tastes quite wonderful.