The closer we are to the bean in its most natural state, cacao is for our health. Organic cacao then would refer to the unadulterated bean. The incredible health benefits it would offer.
Is there really something like inorganic cacao? Inorganic is the definition of something that isn’t. In most cases,
inorganic would simply mean not alive. It seems counterintuitive to not select organic cacao, or Theobroma cacao, given the incredible properties of this bean. What is referred to in this case, specifically, is not the bean itself, but the method by which it is processed. The closer we are to the bean in its most natural state, the better the cacao is for our health. Organic cacao then would refer to the unadulterated bean and the incredible health benefits it would offer.
This author has had the distinct advantage of having grown up in two countries. As a teenager, I became aware of the fact that my eyes were always bluer in Germany than they were when I was in the United States for a while. After some research, I believe I understand the cause of this unique phenomenon. In the 1980’s quite a bit of press was given to the European Union’s blocking of beef from America, labeling it as unfit for human consumption. Truth is that much American food is riddled with pesticides and processed beyond recognition. In Germany, I was used to foods that were closer to their “original” state, as it were. My bread was courser and tended to go bad more quickly, but, as I learned, it also contained many more nutrients than the American version, which often had to have nutrients added back in after the processing. There is a simple truth we must accept – the more processing our food undertakes, the more of the nutrients are depleted.
The same is true of cacao. The more processed, into chocolate and cocoa, adding fats and fillers and, generally sugar, the less the healthful benefits remain. Thus, the closer we are to consuming cacao in its most natural form, the better its properties. Cacao, indeed, contains a multitude of nutrients. Phenylethylamine, for example, has a unique side effect in the body. When consumed, one becomes both calm and alert at the same time. Cacao also contains magnesium and even trace amounts of iron, zinc, copper, and calcium (http://healthyfoodrawdiet.com/cacao/organic-cacao). Antioxidants, and specifically flavonoids, help retard the aging process by reversing the body’s oxidization. Chromium, found in cacao, which gained press in the last ten years, has a little known side effect with staving off sugar cravings.
Cacao also provides us with protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Lesser known are the benefits of cacao’s fiber. The Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, in Madrid, Spain, reported that cacao’s “the glucose retardation index of cocoa . . . were similar to other natural commercial insoluble fibres.” In other words, the good fiber in cacao helped keep glucose levels down.
In order for cacao to be marketed organic, it must be certified as organic. True organic cacao contains many nutrients we do not usually consider, making it truly a beneficial part of any diet. The key is less is more. The less processed out cacao, the more we will reap its benefits.
