Cacao Beans: Secret for Weight Loss and Energy

Millions of people enjoy chocolate all over the world, but the vast majority of them have no idea where it comes from. It all comes from the cacao bean, which is the seed of the cacao fruit. Cacao beans are the purest form of chocolate and are the pinnacle of its health benefits. Dark chocolate lovers rejoice; it literally does not get any darker than this.

What Are Cacao Beans?

All chocolate comes from the Theobroma cacao tree. On the tree grows a football shaped fruit called the cacao pod. When you open a cacao pod you find cacao fruit and seeds. The seeds are also known as cacao beans. Cacao beans (cocoa beans) are the purest, most natural form of chocolate. All chocolate is made from these cacao beans.

Benefits of Cacao Beans

The secrets to chocolate’s incredible health benefits are unlocked when it is eaten in its raw, unheated state. Most chocolate has undergone a tremendous amount of processing. When cacao beans are roasted, processed, and mixed with dairy products and refined sugar, the key nutritional qualities are lost and it ends up being just another junk food.When cacao is consumed in its natural state, it can help with weight loss, energy, hearth health, and much more!

Cacao is a natural appetite suppressant and can help reduce food cravings and speed weight loss. Cacao beans are bursting with antioxidants, magnesium, and substances such as anandamide (the bliss chemical) and phenylethylamine (PEA). PEA is the pleasure chemical found in the brains of people in love; no wonder people are so attracted to chocolate!Cacao beans are also a natural source of trace minerals, such as manganese, zinc, chromium, and copper.

Cacao beans contain Theobromine, iron, and omega-6 fatty acids which play an important role in heart health and brain function. Theobromine can also help boost energy and mental alertness. Antioxidants, including polyphenols, catechins, and epicatechins, help to fight off free radicals, making cacao beans an energizing and nutrient dense superfood.

How to Use Cacao Beans

No one can claim to be a chocolate lover without tasting the whole, raw bean. Eating the raw bean is a completely different olfactory and sensory experience than eating a chocolate bar or even raw cacao powder.For an authentic experience, try eating whole cacao beans just as they are, with the skin on.

Or try peeling them and dipping them into the sweetener of your choice, such as honey or coconut palm nectar. Break open the beans and enjoy the rich aroma, flavor, and color of raw cacao.Try them sprinkled over raw ice cream, or combined with energizing goji berries and cashews. Your taste buds will never be the same!