Cacao: 10 health benefits (and how to consume it)

Cocoa is the seed of the cocoa tree fruit and is the main ingredient of chocolate. This seed is rich in flavonoids such as epicatechins and catechins mainly, besides being rich in antioxidants, so its consumption could provide various health benefits such as improving mood, blood flow and regulate blood sugar.

Cocoa is not only attributed with antioxidant action, but also anti-inflammatory and protective of the cardiovascular system. To obtain these and other benefits, the ideal is to consume 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder per day or 40 g of dark chocolate, equivalent to 3 squares of the bar approximately. 

Cacao: 10 health benefits (and how to consume it)

Benefits of its consumption

Regular consumption of cocoa may provide the following health benefits:

1. Improves mood

Cocoa is rich in theobromine, caffeine, phenylethylamine and tyramine, which is a precursor of tryptophan, which in turn is a precursor of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter related to the regulation of mood, heart rate, sleep and appetite. In this way, cocoa can help improve mood and combat signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety. 

2. Prevents thrombosis

Cocoa helps prevent the development of thrombosis because it helps improve blood flow, which decreases the risk of blood clots due to its flavonoid content. 

3. Helps regulate cholesterol

Cocoa is rich in antioxidant substances, which helps regulate circulating cholesterol levels and thus prevent the deposition of fat in the vessels, preventing the formation of atheroma plaques and the development of cardiovascular diseases. 

4. Prevents anemia

Cocoa is rich in iron, so its regular consumption can help prevent anemia, since iron is essential for the formation of hemoglobin, which is a component of red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen to the body and is usually found in reduced amounts in cases of anemia. 

5. Decreases the risk of diabetes

Some studies indicate that cocoa could slow down the digestion of carbohydrates in the intestine, besides protecting the cells responsible for the production of insulin in the pancreas and improve the secretion of this hormone. Likewise, it could also decrease insulin resistance, which helps reduce the risk of diabetes. 

6. Prevents dementia

Cocoa is rich in theobromine, which is a compound that has vasodilator activity, which promotes blood circulation to the brain, helping to prevent neurological diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, for example. Also, cocoa is rich in selenium, a mineral that helps improve cognition and memory. 

7. Regulates the intestine

Cocoa is rich in flavonoids and catechins that reach the large intestine, which could increase the amount of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, which are microorganisms good for health, thus exerting a prebiotic effect and, thus, helping to improve the functioning of the intestine.

8. Helps reduce inflammation

Because it is rich in antioxidants, cocoa is able to reduce cell damage caused by free radicals and inflammation. Also, some studies indicate that cocoa consumption promotes the reduction of the amount of C-reactive protein in the blood, which is an indicator of inflammation. 

9. Helps in weight control

Cocoa helps in weight control, as it contributes to a decrease in the absorption and synthesis of fats. In addition, by ingesting cocoa it is possible to increase the feeling of satiety, as it helps regulate insulin; however, this benefit is mainly associated with dark chocolate and not with milk or white chocolate, as these are rich in sugar and fat and poor in cocoa. 

On the other hand, cocoa powder should not be consumed together with products rich in calcium, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, as this has oxalic acid, a substance that decreases the absorption of calcium in the intestine.

10. Reduces blood pressure

Cocoa can also help lower blood pressure, as it improves blood vessels by influencing the production of nitric oxide, which is related to the relaxation of these vessels. 

Nutritional information

The table below indicates the nutritional composition of 100 g of cocoa powder:

How to eat the cocoa fruit

To consume the cocoa fruit, you should break the shells with a good knife, by When it is split, a whitish part covered by a very sweet viscous substance will be observed, and whose interior possesses the dark cocoa that is known worldwide. 

It is possible to consume only the white substance that surrounds the cocoa bean, but you can also chew all of it, including what it contains inside, however, the dark part is very bitter and does not resemble the chocolate we all know. 

How chocolate is made

In order for these seeds to be transformed into powder or chocolate, they must be picked from the tree, dried in the sun, roasted and crushed until cocoa butter is extracted. This paste is mainly used to make milk chocolate and white chocolate, while pure cocoa is used in the manufacture of bitter or half bitter chocolate. 

See what are the differences between the types of chocolates.  

Cocoa brownie with flaxseed

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of brown sugar;
  • 1 cup of flaxseed meal;
  • 4 eggs;
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted margarine;
  • 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (150 g);
  • 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour;
  • 3 tablespoons white wheat flour.

    • How to prepare

    Melt the butter in a double boiler, add the cocoa and stir until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, add the egg yolks and the powdered sugar, continue beating until the mixture becomes lighter. Add the cocoa, wheat and flaxseed in an enveloping way. 

    Pre-heat the oven to 230 ºC. Place the mixture on the baking sheet with parchment paper, bake in the oven for 20 minutes. The surface of the brownie should be dry on the outside and moist on the inside. 

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