Monday, May 14, 2012

Chocolate Enthusiasm & Oh-SNAP Jam List

                        Chocolate Enthusiasm

If you are a chocolate enthusiast, like me, then you are going to be thrilled to learn that cacao[1] (aka cocoa) is one of nature’s most nutrient dense gifts. Did you know that cocoa is the seed of an Amazonian fruit? That’s right…and it was brought to Central America around the time of the Olmecs (dating roughly from 1400 BCE to about 400 BCE). How cool would it be if we could still use cocoa beans as money like the Mayan and Aztec civilizations; who referred to them as ‘black gold’ or ‘seeds of gold’? These civilizations held the cocoa bean in such high esteem that they described it as "the food of the gods."

Americans may not revere cocoa quite like these ancient civilizations, yet chocolate has become a very popular food in the U.S. We consume, on average, 11.7 pounds of chocolate per person annually. As I sit here and enjoy a few pieces of our NibMor chocolate, I fully admit that my personal consumption is bound to be much higher. I’m not the only one - world-wide consumption of chocolate is increasing at a rate of 3 to 4% each year. Associate Content reported in 2007, “The increased sales in chocolate are driven by newer studies showing that dark chocolate actually has many health benefits.”[2]

Let’s take a quick look at the health benefits of the cocoa bean in its natural state. In addition to being a good source of minerals and vitamins (especially magnesium, sulphur, calcium, chromium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, vitamin C and some of the B vitamins), cocoa is also an excellent source of fiber, amino acids, fatty acids, and antioxidants (30 times the antioxidants of red wine, and 20 times the antioxidants found in green tea). Many of the substances in cocoa have been discussed in the scientific literature as pharmacologically significant. That is good news for chocolate!

You may be surprised to learn that this gift of nature is also a natural anti-depressant and an aphrodisiac. Yes, you can lift your spirits and boost your love life by eating cocoa.

Doesn’t all chocolate contain all of these nutrients? No! In fact, to get these benefits from chocolate it is best to consume DARK chocolate that is minimally processed. Why? The higher the % of cocoa means there is less sugar, milk and other 'not-so-good-for-you' ingredients. Chocolate that is in its natural state or is minimally processed maintains the highest levels of nutrients.

In a society where the top killers include heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes, all of which are heavily affected by obesity and nutrition, it makes sense that the last thing Americans need is another over-processed, chemicalized, sugar infested snack food. NibMor chocolate is power-packed with tons of nutrients and made for chocolate enthusiasts, like me, who have a high standard for taste. Go chocolate!!






[1] Cocoa is a British slang term for Cacao. Today’s present-day meaning of ‘cacao’ includes all the ingredients derived from the cacao bean. Cocoa as defined by the U.S. cacao standards refers only to cocoa powder, i.e., the powder made by grinding partially defatted cacao beans. Some products in the U.S. use the term “% Cocoa” interchangeably with “% Cacao”.

[2]http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/343340/us_chocolate_sales_forecast_to_reach.html



Theme for the Week...Oh Snap!

This playlist is geared towards those moments when you think you may “SNAP”. It’s calming music for those times when someone puts you on hold for a hour, when you are stuck in 3 hour bumper to bumper traffic, or when you just feel extremely overwhelmed and out of control.
I want to dedicate this playlist to Mark “Justin” Chapman, I hope you are jammin out where ever you are! J

Jammin’ Playlist

1.       Sleep all day by Jason Mraz
2.       Millions of Peaches by Presidents of the USA
3.       Uncharted by Sara Bareilles
4.       Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
5.       Cupid by Jack Johnson



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