Targeted Fat Loss Blog

As you finally get rid of the Easter chocolate that you have been working through over the past couple weeks, I thought I would introduce you to a "superfood" that will help you with those sweet chocolate fixes.

My wife is addicted to chocolate.  So over the past few years she has looked for and found anyway she can to be healthy while still getting in her staple chocolate.  Her answer is… "cacao".  For those of you who think that's spelled incorrectly, it's not.  Cacao is cocoa in it's raw form.  From the cacao bean, it is processed using heat and other manufacturing techniques into cocoa.  By the time it gets to us in chocolate bars, all the yummy goodness has been processed out of it.  

in the 16th century, cacao was cherished, it was actually a form of money and only the wealthiest of people actually ate it.  People even had cacao gods that they prayed to.  

These people knew the value of the cacao wasn't just the bean itself, but because of the benefits of consuming this mouth watering food.  One of the best properties of cacao is it's high content of magnesium.  It is said that "over 80% of the US population is deficient in magnesium" (Naked Chocolate).  Magnesium supports the heart, increases brain power, helps with bowel movements, relaxes cramping during menstruation, relaxes muscles, and helps build strong bones.  

Studies have been done on rats to show that the effect of using cacao as a supplement to increase magnesium levels actually corrected the rats negative effects from the magnesium deficiency.  

Not only does it help increase your magnesium levels but it's super high in anti-oxidants.  We all know that we want anti-oxidants to make us look and feel younger, right?

The benefits of cacao go on, but really you have to try it to believe it!  Cacao tastes different to cocoa and processed chocolate bars.  It's more bitter, but still delicious.  

There are so many ways to eat cacao, you wouldn't believe me.  I suggest if you want to go out and start using this "superfood", you google it and have a look at the recipes.  We make delicious smoothies, the most divine chocolate mousse, our son has it on his oats in the morning, chocolate balls… anywhere that you could eat chocolate, you can eat cacao… And then some!

Now the even better thing about cacao, is that usually what you mix it with is also packed with nutrients.  In our "mousse" we use, cashews, cacao and bananas.  In chocolate balls, we use cacao, dates, nuts, etc… So all of our "treats" are loaded with good for you ingredients.  I can actually feel good about giving our son chocolate treats.  It doesn't have to be a "reward, but can be a daily occurrence.  

So instead of feeling guilty about having chocolate, feel good that you are feeding yourself a nutrient-dense "superfood" and enjoy every morsel.  Oh… one other thing I love about cacao is that because it's so rich, you won't want to sit down and binge on it.  Healthy for you and not making you fat!  Now that's my kind of chocolate.

Here is one of our favourite cacao ball recipes.  It's SOO easy to make!

1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of dates (pitted)
1/4 cup of cacao
a small handful of sultanas for a bit more sweetness
Desiccated or flaked Coconut

But them into a food processor and blend together.  
Roll into balls and then into coconut.
EAT!

By the way… You can get cacao at your local health food store.  Make sure you note the spelling… The store can have cacao and cocoa right next to each other.