I have always been a chocoholic. But due to the high sugar and fat content, along with other non-healthy ingredients added to conventional chocolate, I have needed to restrain myself.
Not so anymore.
Raw chocolate is a superfood. It is a natural food that has a tremendous phytonutrient content that can confer amazing health benefits. It has a very high ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) score, which is an important property, as it denotes the ability to absorb free radicals from your body. This can be a very useful for providing protection of your body from free radicals that cause immune system challenges. So for those of us who are into detoxing and maintaining vibrant health, consider this a staple food.
Another benefit of chocolate was confirmed by a study carried out by researchers at Osaka University in Japan. It was found that parts of the cacao bean, the main ingredient of chocolate, thwart mouth bacteria and tooth decay.
They discovered that the cacao bean husk – the outer part of the bean which usually goes to waste in conventional chocolate production – has an anti-bacterial effect on the mouth and can effectively fight against dental plaque.