Raw chocolate - also known as
'cacao' - is, as its name suggests, chocolate that
hasn't undergone the usual heating processes applied to all
other forms of chocolate, including the organic
kind.
This means that the end product, pretty much identical to
normal chocolate in taste and consistency, has at least four
times (and up to as much as seven times) the antioxidant
content of dark chocolate. Interestingly, this makes it one of
the most antioxidant-rich foods on the planet.
Cacao is absolutely choc full (excuse the pun) of feel good
factors and therefore gives this wonderful sustained happy high
for most people who eat it. Processed chocolate has some of
them (which is why it has the reputation for giving us that 'in
love' feeling) but in considerably smaller quantities. For
instance, raw chocolate is 33% richer in PEA, the
substance that gives us that feeling of being in love. It also
contains significant levels of anandamide, known as the
'bliss chemical' and factors which slow down anandamide's
breakdown, so we stay happy for longer. It's also a good source
of tryptophan which the brain uses to make serotonin
which in turn creates a feeling of euphoria. Then there's
arginine, known as 'nature's viagra' and
magnesium and sulphur, important nutrients most
of us are deficient in and which, among other things, help us
relax. It's no wonder raw chocolate can make many people feel
distinctly trippy!
So where can you get this wonder food from? Well, it is
already possible to buy a range of delicious raw chocolate bars
from some health food shops, or alternatively, online (see
Resources at the end of this article). These bars are all made
using natural low GI sweeteners, so they have the added benefit
of being sugar-free (and are also dairy-free so suitable for
vegans and those with a dairy intolerance).
Or you can have a go at making your own creations: you can
buy raw chocolate powder, raw cacao butter (cocoa butter) and
cacao nibs from some health food shops or purchase them online
and have fun experimenting with recipes.
