December 13 is National Cocoa Day – Reasons to Treat Your Self Special Every Day

National Cocoa Day is definitely a day that’s important to a lot of people.  Not only do we love the taste of the stuff, there are many health benefits to eating cacao.

Who produces and consumes the most chocolate in the world? Do women really partake of it more than men? Who has the highest demand for the indulgent treats? Take a look at some of these figures:

Chocolate is an $83 billion a year business, according to research firm Markets and Markets. That makes the industry’s value larger than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  It’s sold on more than 130 nations on earth.

Europeans account for nearly half of all the chocolate the world eats, according to the International Cocoa Organization. The average Brit, Swiss or German will each eat around 11 kilograms (24 pounds) of chocolate a year.

This are some pretty amazing statistics!  There are some reasons as to why this consumption is so high.

First of all What is Cocoa?

Cocoa beans are fermented seeds of the cacao tree.  The latin name is Theobroma cacao, which means “Food of the Gods”.  It was considered a very important crop in Central and South America.  The beans were so prized that native tribes used them as a form of currency.

Along with its well-established role in the manufacturing of chocolate, the healing and medicinal benefits of cocoa have been appreciated since Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

Cocoa is rich in iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese.  It’s also a great source of selenium, potassium, and zinc.    It contains cocoa butter, which is a mixture of monounsaturated fats like oleic and saturated fats.  It provides your body with carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fibers.

How It Helps the Body:

Cocoa offers anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, and anti-carcinogenic and anti-oxidants with numerous health benefits.

Flavonoid-rich cocoa helps to lower blood pressure by improving the elasticity of the blood vessels.  Research studies have shown changes in blood pressure as a result of consuming cocoa-based products.  This reduction happens because the antioxidants stimulate the production of nitric oxide and relaxes blood vessels to help maintain a healthy circulatory system. In addition, these antioxidants help neutralize the oxygen-based free radicals that are present in the body.

The flavanols in cacao also help to maintain a healthy brain and help with learning and memory functions.  Cocoa-based products increase flow of blood to the brain and help in alleviating vascular disorders.

Study has also shown that cocoa helps to reduce blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, triglycerides, LDL, and manage healthy HDL cholesterol. 

Cacao beans contain xanthine and theophylline that aid in relaxing bronchial spasms and opens constricted bronchial tubes.

Cocoa extracts helps with cardiac health.  The rich flavonoids of procyaidin, catechin, epicatechin have antioxidant properties that help to protect cells from damage while strengthening the heart and stimulate HDL cholesterol.    Cocoa helps medical conditions like atherosclerosis and blood clots which cause most of the serious cardiovascular diseases.

So these are total justifications for treating yourself to something special to eat.  We too often try to restrict ourselves and stay rigid to diets worrying that we will gain weight.  Don’t deny yourself, just enjoy.  Get some of the good stuff!  After all, it is “Food of the Gods”.  Life is about enjoying and experiencing.  I love to indulge in some chocolate while I’m painting!

If you want to enjoy your chocolate with the added health benefits of coconut oil, check out my friend’s wonderful product Coconut Brain treats.  They are available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Treats-Chocolate-Peanut-Butter/dp/B01I2I3FNU/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1513260670&sr=8-1&keywords=coconut%2Bbrain%2Btreats&th=1