Antioxidant-Rich Dark Chocolate
Where Does Dark Chocolate Come From? History Among the earliest people to discover the health benefits of dark chocolate were the Maya and their predecessors, the Olmec culture, in approximately 1,500 B.C. These ancient peoples in the Americas used the chocolate bean as the main ingredient in a bitter beverage revered for its nourishing qualities and ability to boost energy and stamina. It was also used to treat stomach and intestinal complaints, infections, fever and cough. The Aztec word for the delightsome drink—xocolatl, which means “bitter water”—is what was eventually transformed into the modern English word, “chocolate.” It was most likely the Spaniards who discovered that mixing the bitter dark chocolate base with sugar and a variety of spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and the like, proved to be more suited for the European palate. The new, sweeter chocolate concoctions were brought back to the Americans by European settlers. President Thomas Jefferson is said to have remarked, “The superiority of chocolate for health and nourishment will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America that it has in Spain.” Our love affair with chocolate continues today, though the sweet cocoa confections we enjoy today bear little resemblance to the bitter Meso-American brew. 
Where Do They Grow Dark Chocolate?Cocao was first cultivated in South America, but today is primarily a West African crop. The harsh, West African environment of the Ivory Coast, produces the highest ORAC value cacao available today. On average, a cacao tree's shiny leaves reach 20 feet ot the sky. Some 6,000 pink flowers bloom, but just 30 of them bear the yellow or reddish-brown, football-shaped pod that contains cacao beans. What are Some of the Its Health Benefits?
Is There Such A Thing As Good Chocolate vs. Bad Dark Chocolate?
Many ingredients are added to chocolate which have a negative impact on our health. Sugar, for example, destroys the immune system, and causes diabetes, premature aging and other serious health complaints. Studies show that adding milk to chocolate cancels out most of its health benefits.In addition, researchers have found that commercial chocolate can be contaminated with extremely high quantities of the toxic metal lead. You may be asking yourself what is left if you can’t have milk chocolate, dark chocolate or any sort of processed chocolate. Fear not, the absolutely delicious raw chocolate is taking the world by storm. You don’t need to avoid chocolate because you can have raw chocolate. Raw chocolate is chocolate that has not gone through any sort of heating or processing, so all of the nutrients (antioxidants) are still in tact. So when you are looking for a healthy chocolate product, look for a product with the following properties:
Is Dark Chocolate High in Antioxidants? Yes! Dark chocolate is healthy chocolate! Cacoa powder (dark chocolate) is the highest-rated antioxidant food source-much greater than red wine or green tea. The USDA uses the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) scale to measure the antioxidant capacities of different foods. Unprocessed cocoa powder is number one and has an ORAC value of 26,000 per 100 grams (3.5 ounces). Number two is Acai Berry with an ORAC value of 18,500 per 100 grams, along with blueberries and lots of other natural ingredients. What do these numbers mean? "Darker is better." Dark fruits like blueberries, grapes, raspberries, blackberries and acai berries are loaded with antioxidants, as are green, leafy vegetables like spinach. The Chocoalte Manufacturers Association says dark chocolate contains eight times the number of polyphenol antioxidants found in strawberries.
Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. Return from Dark Chocolate to Home Page
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