12 Things You Must Know About Cocoa-Plus a Sweet Bonus!

When I started blogging, I knew nothing. I’m not sure that much has changed but I can assure you I was clueless then. I poked around and found some blogs that spoke to me. I read Fooducate and Svelte Gourmand, Herbal Water and ILI and I really enjoyed a blog called Small Bites.  Every time I sent my browser to these URL’s I was giddy when a new post was up. And then something happened. A couple of months ago I noticed that there wasn’t anything new on Small Bites. I continued to check and finally there was a message up. The author, Andy Bellatti, explained he would be posting less in the coming months. He’d still be tweeting and posting here and there but not as much. I was sad. A few days later Andy tweeted some interesting facts about cocoa. I had an idea. I contacted Andy and asked if he’d do a guest post for Foodtrainers. He agreed and I’m excited to share Andy's cocoa post with you today (and the good news is Andy is now posting regularly again):

Whether your Valentine's Day celebrations included gifting your other half a lovely box of chocolates or protesting the infamous massacre by watching "War of the Roses" while savoring some chocolate ice cream, here are twelve facts everyone -- singled or coupled, starry-eyed or jaded -- should know about this world-famous delicacy:

HEALTH AND NUTRITION:

1) Cocoa (also known as cacao) contains a variety of healthful compounds known as flavonoids that have been found to have a protective effect on blood pressure and cardiovascular health.

2) There are three ways to get the most health benefits from cocoa: eating raw cacao nibs (i.e.: adding them to trail mix or oatmeal), adding unsweetened non-Dutch-treated cocoa powder to a recipe (such as a smoothie) or consuming chocolate bars that contain at least 85% cocoa.

3) "Dutch-treated" or "alkali-treated" chocolate produces a more mild-tasting chocolate, but also decreases flavonoid content by approximately 75 percent.  What a shame!

4) Certain components in dairy limit the absorption of antioxidants from cocoa.  This is why bars with higher cocoa contents (and, thereby, lower milk percentages) yield more health benefits.  Alternatively, you can also try vegan chocolate bars, like Endangered Species.

5) Two tablespoons of cocoa powder provide 4 grams of fiber.  A perfect way to add extra nutrition and flavor to a banana and almond butter smoothie!

6) Stearic acid -- the saturated fat predominant in chocolate -- is unique in that a good chunk of it is converted by the body into a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid… the same one found in large quantities in olive oil!

7) The lower the cocoa content of a chocolate bar, the higher its sugar content.

8) Cocoa releases many neurotransmitters, including phenylethylamine, which has been shown to improve mood and alertness.  Best part?  No subsequent crash.

9) Cocoa is an excellent source of catechins -- compounds also found in green tea and red wine that help reduce atherosclerosis risk.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS:

10) Conventional cocoa crops are often sprayed with methyl bromide, a class 1 ozone-depleting substance.

11) As with coffee, shade-grown cocoa beans are healthier for the planet.  Since they grow under existing trees, they do not disturb floral and faunal biodiversity.

SOCIAL JUSTICE:

12) The majority of chocolate bars are made from cocoa beans grown in West Africa.  Due to the paltry amount of money they receive from many large-scale chocolate companies, these farms often turn to slavery-like forced and/or child labor to ensure profits.  This is why it's crucial to look for "fair-trade certified" chocolate bars.  This certification ensures that cocoa farmers are receiving their fair monetary share, and that farm employees work in humane conditions.

BONUS: Mexican-Inspired Super-Easy Chocolate Truffles

Now that you know all about cocoa's wonderful health benefits, why not spend just ten minutes in the kitchen making a delectable dessert chock-full of flavonoids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals?  These raw vegan truffles with a kick will leave you saying "Crunch bar WHO?"

YIELDS: 12 truffles

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup raw walnuts OR raw almonds OR raw hazelnuts

1/8 teaspoon salt

1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract or powder (the powder yields drier truffles)

1/2 cup chopped pitted dates or raisins (I highly recommend dates; if your food processor is powerful, you don’t need to chop them)

5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder



1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

A pinch of red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Grind nuts, salt, and vanilla in food processor.

2) Add dates/raisins and process again, until mixture resembles raw dough.

3) Add cocoa powder and cinnamon; process again.

4) Scoop out mixture into large bowl.  Add red pepper flakes and mix into "dough" by hand.

5) Form dough into bite-size round "truffles".

6) Refrigerate or freeze for at least 2 hours.

7) Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATION (for 3 “bites”)

205 calories



5 grams fiber


5 grams protein

Andy Bellatti is a Seattle-based whole-foods-focused nutritionist. He also provides customized nutrition-based services and regularly writes and lectures on various aspects of wellness, health, and nutrition. His work has been featured in Oxygen, Today’s Dietitian, AOL Health, and MSNBC.com. Andy has an MS in clinical nutrition from New York University. Follow Andy on Twitter: @AndyBellatti.

So, which of these cocoa facts were a surprise to you? Do you know what plant is in the picture above?Do you think about the environmental impact of the foods you eat? What were the first blogs you started reading?

Investigating Aphrodisiacs

I was doing a TV segment with Chuck Scarborough a couple of months ago on flu-fighting foods. Zinc is an important nutrient for immunity and I mentioned oysters as a food that’s high in zinc. I was prepared to answer questions about the flu, vitamin C and anything else related to staying healthy. I was not prepared, on the nightly news, for Chuck to ask “is it true what they say about oysters?” At the time I brushed it off telling him “perhaps what can make your immune system healthy can make other systems healthy too.” Funny how things work, tonight I will be sitting down with Chuck again answering his original question and talking about truths and myths of aphrodisiacs just in time for Valentine’s Day.

The word aphrodisiac is derived from Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love and sensuality. An aphrodisiac is a food or a drug that arouses sexual desire or enhances sexual performance. Aphrodite rose from the sea on an oyster and the first aphrodisiac food was born. I was surprised, as I researched this segment, the role aphrodisiacs play in every culture from the Aztecs to the Chinese. Let’s see which aphrodisiacs I would classify as myth and which may help you bring sexy back…

Oysters: I think this has to be the #1 alleged aphrodisiac food. There are 2 reasons contributing to this. First, many aphrodisiac foods are what I call “look alike foods. Look alike foods are foods that resemble sexual organs. Oysters are also, as I mentioned, high in zinc. While a deficiency in zinc can cause sexual dysfunction, extra zinc will not help you. As for the look alike reasoning, what a food looks like doesn’t reveal its function. Skinny foods (think French fries) don’t make you skinny and genitalia-shaped foods don’t make you excited. Poor Oysters, I am going to have to put them in the MYTH category.

Champagne and cocktails: If oysters are #1, surely champagne is #2 on this alleged hot list. If we asked people to describe a romantic dinner, chances are champagne would be served. And while alcohol does help lower inhibitions it can contribute to erectile dysfunction and negatively impact testosterone (not sexy). In fact a line from Macbeth said it “increases desire and takes away performance.” Thank you Shakespeare! Certainly any more that 1 glass of bubbly is going on the MYTH list too.

Chocolate: ok so if oysters and champagne aren’t Valentines’ helpers, is the whole chocolate thing myth as well? The aphrodisiac potential for chocolate is based on 2 chemicals it contains. One is tryptophan a building block of serotonin. This is a brain chemical involved in arousal. The other phenyl ethylamine (PEA) is a stimulant related to an amphetamine. PEA increases dopamine centers and stimulates pleasure centers in the brain. The Aztecs seem to be the first to associate the cocoa bean with sexual desire. In fact Montezuma consumed chocolate before romantic encounters but forbade women to consume it. Women, as it turns out, are more susceptible to PEA and serotonin than men. A research team in Italy recently reported women who eat chocolate feel significantly more fulfilled sexually than those who don’t. In my professional opinion,  I would suggest men go out (right now!) and buy some dark chocolate (higher cocoa content) for their mates. Chocolate as an aphrodisiac is TRUE.

Goji Berries: This superfood is considered a potent sexual tonic in Asia. The Chinese have a warning “he who travels over one thousand kilometers from home should not eat goji.” While I am not sure why men traveling less than 1000 km are safe to consume it, after all it is not as if 999 km is an easy distance to rush home when desire strikes. That said, goji berries can improve mood and increase testosterone production. They have a tart flavor and can be purchased at natural food stores. Ladies, forget the watch, wrap up some gojis and happy Valentine’s Day to you. Goji berries, in my book, get a TRUE!

Other foods that make this hot list: chili peppers, ginger, nutmeg, avocados, arugula, fennel and fennel seed and the scent of pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Now there aren’t heavily funded research studies to support this topic. And this is all quite individual. While some find spices excite them for me it may be my husband unloading the dishwasher. What struck me most about the list of aphrodisiac foods  was that the majority of foods are foods I already tell clients to purchase and eat. It does seem that my quick answer a couple of months ago may be accurate. The foods that make you healthy just may make you horny too. Couldn’t resist that one.