The Powerful Health Benefits of Cacao Powder
Cacao powder is a natural antioxidant
The cacao tree is a tropical evergreen that can grow up to 40 feet tall. The trees produce pods that contain seeds called cocoa beans. The beans are fermented and dried before being ground into chocolate liquor, or the liquid form of chocolate with its flavor, aroma, acidity, and caffeine content intact. The cacao powder-making process includes grinding these cacao beans into a fine powder, then used in beverages and recipes for baking and smoothies.
Cacao Powder has many health benefits that make it worth adding to your diet if you're not already doing so!
Here are some of them:
1. Cacao powder is a natural antioxidant
Antioxidants are essential to health for many reasons. They help protect against harmful free radicals in the body, which damage cells; this links to various health problems such as cancer or Alzheimer's. Antioxidants may also help reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in the blood, which raises heart health.
Cacao powder is full of antioxidants and a health-promoting flavonoid called epicatechin. When added to smoothies or other beverages, it may help maintain health by acting against free radicals in the body. Cacao powder also contains healthy saturated fats that are important for fitness too!
2. Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels usually helps to improve many health problems.
Cacao powder contains healthful 'good' fats, one of which is stearic acid. This type of fat reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the body and blood pressure. This combination helps the body to metabolize cholesterol and fats for health!
3. Theobromine in cacao powder can help with weight loss
Cacao does not contain caffeine, but it includes another health-promoting chemical called theobromine. This substance can help raise metabolism and may also reduce appetite. It is known to increase energy in tired people and suppress hunger signals that might otherwise make you overeat.
The health benefits of cacao powder mean that it can be beneficial for people trying to lose weight. Studies have shown that cacao powder can help with appetite control and raise metabolism, leading to more efficient weight loss.
4. Eating one ounce of chocolate per day can be beneficial for your heart health
Eating small amounts of chocolate on a day-to-day basis has health benefits. Eating an ounce of dark chocolate per day can have health benefits for the heart, with a reduced risk of stroke and heart health complications as well!
Ingesting cacao powder does not require you to overeat sugar or unhealthy saturated fats as it is a healthful powder containing healthful fats and other health benefits.
5. Anandamide could lead to improved memory function and a better mood over time
Anandamide is a neurotransmitter in our body, and it is the 'bliss chemical' that can enhance moods and help memory function. A study has shown that cacao powder or chocolate could be beneficial for mood by acting on anandamide. This reason makes chocolate a potential superfood - which may help improve memory function and better overall health.
Cacao powder contains many other nutrients that are beneficial for health too. When consumed as a part of smoothies or different beverage mixes, the powder can be an essential part of your diet and help improve health in many ways. Cacao powder is also commonly used as a substitute for cocoa powder!
6. Drinking cacao before bed helps you sleep better
Cacao powder contains phenethylamines that can help you sleep better. Phenethylamines help you sleep by acting on the same brain pathways activated by certain medicines such as adrafinil. Also, cacao enables you to relax, which can help put you in a better state of mind for sleep.
Cacao powder is also an essential ingredient in drinks that can help you sleep better.
To conclude, cacao powder is a healthy and delicious way to enhance your diet. It contains antioxidants, minerals, fiber, protein, and more! You can use cacao in smoothies or other beverages for an energy boost that also helps with weight loss. Theobromine in cacao may help improve memory function as well as mood over time. Drinking cacao before bed can help you sleep better, too- so make sure to try this superfood the next time your craving chocolate!
About the Creator
Abena Talks
I write about lifestyle, entrepreneurship and other things.
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.