(The right kind and in the right narrow range!)
Here's an excerpt:
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http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...L_ArtNew_1
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Is Chocolate YOUR Favorite Vegetable?
There have been quite a few interesting scientific studies emerging about chocolate over the past few years. There’s also a lot of confusion about chocolate—what type to eat and how much, types to avoid, etc., so I hope to dispel some of the myths on this subject.
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Chocolate can be used therapeutically, but only if it’s the right kind. Chocolate is like anything else: garbage in, garbage out. Consuming poor quality chocolate, such as chocolate loaded with sugar and chemicals, is no more beneficial to your body than a drinking a soda.
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The number of health benefits now associated with the cocoa bean is really quite impressive, including benefits to your heart and blood vessels, brain and nervous system, improved insulin sensitivity, and even possibly slowing down the rate at which you age. Cacao’s benefits are related to compounds naturally occurring in the bean, including epicatechin and resveratrol.
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Cacao contains an antioxidant called epicatechin, thought to help shield your nerve cells from damage. Norman Hollenberg, a professor of medicine at Harvard who has spent years studying the Kuna people of Panama who consume up to 40 cups of cocoa a week, believes epicatechin is so important it should be considered a vitamin. The Kuna have less than a 10 percent risk of stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes, which are the most prevalent diseases ravaging the Western world.
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Besides epicatechin, cacao is also high in resveratrol, a potent antioxidant found in red wine, known for its ability to cross your blood-brain barrier to help protect your nervous system.
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One 2012 meta-analysis found that eating chocolate could slash your risk of cardiovascular disease by 37 percent and your stroke risk by 29 percent. Another 2012 meta-analysis, this one in the UK1, found that cocoa/chocolate lowered insulin resistance, reduced blood pressure, increased blood vessel elasticity, and slightly reduced LDL.
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Dr. Golomb explains how the health benefits of cocoa require a relatively narrow dose range. There is a “Goldilocks curve”—too little or too much means no significant benefit occurs. Dr. Golomb reports that, in a rat study done at UC San Diego:
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“…Epicatechin derived from cocoa has favorable effects, but with a relatively tight dose response range. A modest amount consumed every day by these rats increased the production of mitochondria (energy-producing elements in cells), increased capillary action (meaning access to blood, oxygen, nutrients, etc. of muscle tissue), and actually lead to weight loss despite no fewer calories consumed and despite increased muscle capacity and endurance in these rats.”
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(To read the studies, go to the chocolate page at GreenMedInfo.com.)
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What to Look for When Selecting Chocolate
The closer your cocoa is to its natural raw state, the higher its nutritional value. Ideally, your chocolate or cocoa should be consumed raw (cacao).

When selecting chocolate, you can optimize its nutritional punch by looking for higher cacao and lower sugar content. In general, the darker the chocolate, the higher the cacao. However, cacao is fairly bitter, and the higher the percentage cacao, the more bitter it is. The flavanols are what make the chocolate bitter, so manufacturers often remove them. But, it’s those flavanols that are responsible for many of chocolate’s health benefits.

To counteract the bitterness, most chocolate is sweetened, so it’s a matter of balancing nutritional benefit with palatability.

Although raw cacao is the most nutritious form, most of the health studies to date involve consumption of cocoa or chocolate, not raw cacao. But the results are STILL significantly positive. This fact suggests a good portion of the nutritional benefit of chocolate is retained after processing. Your goal then is to find a chocolate that’s as minimally processed as possible, but still palatable. You don’t want to eliminate too many of the health benefits by eating a product that contains a lot of sugar and chemicals. Choose chocolate with a cocoa/cacao percentage of about 70 or higher.

If you can tolerate the flavor of raw cacao, then that’s the absolute best option.
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How Much Chocolate Should You Eat and How Often?
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to dosing yourself with chocolate. But here are some basic guidelines.
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In general, it seems preferable to consume smaller amounts of chocolate at more frequent intervals, much like the principle of split dosing for supplements, in order to ensure a steadier stream of nutrients in your bloodstream. According to Dr. Golomb, studies show people eating chocolate more than five times per week have a lower body mass index. That said, if you eat chocolate 20 times a day, you’re going to have a problem due to the sheer quantity you’re consuming! Daily consumption in divided doses (two to three times per day) is probably beneficial, as long as you aren’t going overboard in quantity, and as long as you’re eating high quality chocolate.
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According to Ori Hofmekler, in order to fully benefit from chocolate, you’d have to consume about 3.5 to 7 ounces per day. He states:
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“The problem is that even the healthiest dark chocolate brands today are not designed for such a large consumption.Yes, a moderate serving of three to four ounces of dark chocolate per day may be sufficient enough to affect your blood sugar and waist size.”
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There is no simple answer. It depends on your insulin sensitivity, your activity level, your overall health, and the particular composition of the chocolate you’re eating. You’ll just have to exercise your best judgment here. If you avail yourself of a chocolate free of these additives and very low in sugar, then you can consume more of it without the downside.
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<<<<< End of excerpt >>>>>
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We purchase organic, raw, unsweetened Cocoa Powder from Swanson Vitamins.
Nutrient content 1/4 cup (4 TBL) 21.5 grams (3/4oz wt):
Fat: 2.5 Sat - 1.5, Mono - 1.0)
Carb 12g minus Fiber 10g = 2g netC
Protein 6g (though unsure how much would be Bio-available)

Hi John - very timely information for me. I recently bought some organic, raw, unsweetened Cocoa Powder and have been wondering how much to take a day. I like to make chocolate milk (1 TBS cacoa powder, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, a little stevia and a little cinnimon).

The C/P/F is balanced so it's easy to add to any meal.

How much chocolate are Zoners here taking a day? Looks like 40 cups a week was good for the South American Indians.

I made a chocolate mousse like desert my wife likes, the recipe is posted in these forums.
Basically 0% or 2% greek yogurt as the base.
Cocoa powder
A little sweetener
Olive oil (Though not Zone friendly I also use some coconut oil or a little grass-fed butter.or both in place of EVOO)
Helps it to "harden a little so it not runny but more mousse-like.
Egg whites beaten until stiff.
Haven't tried it with cinnamon, though, a thought ...

Let's see if I can recall from memory:
2 generous servings or three smaller servings:
1 cup greek / greek style yogurt
6 heaping scoops (6 heaping TBL) Cocoa powder
*1 or 2 Tbl or Tbl equivalent of sweetener of your choice to taste.
2 Tbl Fat
Thoroughly mix and set aside.
Beat until stiff, 2 egg whites.
A pinch of salt before beating or 1/4 tsp Cream of Tarter 2/3 way through beating helps stiffen egg whites.
(Even better is a copper bowl for egg whites - which I do not have, yet.)
Gently fold chocolate into egg whites.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Enjoy.
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Mostly Protein and Fat, and can be a bit high in Fat, but OKay for me on maintenance mode and you should be fine with your Fat intake levels.
Only Carbs is from sweetener, and minimal.
Add Favorable fruit on side or dipped in mousse after refrigerated, if desired.

* I wanted to follow-up on sweeteners in my previous post.
I had used some Pure Maple Syrup and still do - because the amount of nutrients now found in pure maple syrup out-number the unfavorability,
but more important, pure maple syrup is a plus in my book when you count the maple syrup as the 25% unfavorable portion of the Carbs.
Thereby remaining within the Zone protocol.
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Also, I would supplement with either Stevia or Xylitol, to get sweetness without the Carbs/insulin response.
Stevia - while good in hot tea, for me, I am too sensitive to the aftertaste, otherwise.
Xylitol - Of the available sugar alcohols, it appears to be the better one, though still a sugar alcohol.
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Today, it so happens, I also read more about Lo Han (Asian: Luo Han Guo fruit) - a favorite of Dr. Mercola.
And there is a product that Whole Foods (USA) carries that is a blend of Lo Han and Ethyritol (sic).
Ethyritol - is also a sugar alcohol, BUT, it is different, the process of extracting it includes fermentation.
So it does not provide the gassyness, bloating, diarhea that other sugar alcohols might cause in large doses.
Also, I understand that Ethyritol is even better texture wise when used in baking than the old classic - sugar.
I'll be looking into this Lo Han & Ethyritol combination a bit more.
For now, when budget allows, I will be ordering some Lo Han and see how it goes.
Again, I use very minimal sweeteners, and in fact only in this one recipe and hot Teas in winter.
So, I am well within the Zone parameters in using sweeteners.
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Larry:
Swanson carries a Lo Han & Xylitol combination - Jarrow Lo Han Sweet
and a Sevia & Xylitol combination from Now Foods - Xylitol Plus.

Larry;
I looked up my chocolate "mousse" recipe.
I typically use:
1 Tbl Pure Maple Syrup (Vermont from Trader Joe's)
4 drops (1 tsp equivalent) Stevia
1 tsp Xylitol
2 Tbl grass fed butter (Kerry's Gold - unsalted) And i we feel like tropical taste, sub 1 Tbl organic, not expellier Coconut Oil)
Though these fats are not Zone friendly fats, so you can use EVOO.
Some times I add 1 Tbl Vanilla Extract (not imitation)

thanks, John. That looks yummy.

It is! Inspired by the posting, I just put-together a batch.
My wife is working until 5:30 PM.
No NASCAR race on (it was on last night).
So, I made a batch for us to have as desert, tonight,
with a glass of some Blackberry Port (30 bottles made last fall),
to round out the Carbs!
And an Egg Plant Pizza with some newly found Lactose free Almond Cheese,
I found at a local market (25 minutes away) from us,
where I buy our raw milk.
No Whole Foods in New Hampshire, anywhere - well, maybe, one coming next year.
I want to try it, since our daughter is coming home from college both for Thanksgiving and Christmas,
and she is Lactose intolerant.
We suspect, from reading and research, that it came from her 1 year missionary service in South Africa,
according to what I've read and the fact that she never had any signs of it prior, ntil she came back from there.
And no one in my or my wife's family as far back as we can trace has a problem with lactose.
So we I am going to try this new shredded cheese with a modified version of my egg plant pizza recipe.
Modifying as follows, based on research, yesterday:
season skinned, sliced eggplant with salt as normal.
Before adding other seasonngs and Olive Oil,
let sit for 10 minutes so salt can pull some moisture out.
Pat dry with paper towels.
Then continue recipe as normal, except:
Instead of 425 deg F for 6-8min total, flipping once as in original recipe.
Two other options, I found:
375 deg F for 30 min
425 deg for 20 min.
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Hopefully one or both of these will yield a not soft and more crust like pizza "dough-like" base.
I think I'll split the difference: 400 deg F for 25 min.

This article http://rawfoodsolution.com/is-raw-c...-1151.html talks about the downside of eating too much cacao. I think taking it in moderation is essential.

I agree, and I have not read the article, yet.
Just finished watching a series in the America's cup, multi-million dollar catamarans,
officially multi-hulled boat category. My wife used to crew on racing sailboats.
And America's Cup has not been held in USA since 1995.
But will be in 2013.
And now the Carolina Panthers are playing in their 3rd pre-season football game,
against the jets and their newly traded Tim Tebow from Denver.
BUT, we have Cam Newton!
. Will look at the article when the Jets have the ball.
eah, we just scored 3 points to get on the board, first.

Larry;
Here's my take:
There IS a difference between Cacao and Cocoa!!!
Cacao is the actual cacao bean while Cocoa powder is the bean processed sans the fat.
Cocoa butter is made from the fat processed out of the Cacao bean when Cocoa powder is made.
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Now look at the article (excerpt, below) , CLOSELY:
It is referring to Cacao.
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Negative Effects of Cacao
As for the potential negative effects of cacao on liver and adrenal function I do agree with the premises put forward in the above article. Cacao beans are very high in fat, which can place an extra load on a liver that is functioning under par. Additionally they are high in the omega-6 fatty acids, which can potentially increase inflammatory responses in the body.
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Cacao’s stimulating effect also has the potential to negatively impact on liver function as well as to interfere with the normal activity of the adrenal glands. It does contain caffeine so it’s overuse can potentially produce negative effects similar to coffee such as anxiety, rapid heart rate, insomnia in the short term and these have been reported by many raw foodists consuming raw cacao in relatively large amounts. Long-term effects can include addiction, arrythmias and chronic fatigue.
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Notice the premise for the study's conclusion: "Cacao beans (and therefore Cacoa, not Cocoa powder) is very high in fay."
It is that Fat that "places an extra load on the liver."
And reading between the lines "they are high in Omega-6 fatty acids" because of the fat, which is mostly removed in Cocoa powder.
Obviuosly, like anything, moderation; however, I think you do not have to worry so much with Cocoa powder.
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Now, yes, there is still the effects of some caffeine, even in Cocoa powder. BUT, not enough to worry about.
I do not drink coffee at all, or any Green Tea after 5 or 6 PM.
Because, I rarely have caffeine at all, it keeps me up all night.
If I have chocolate after 7 or 8 PM, I get a similar effect from our chocolate mousse.
Albeit that's 3 heaping TBL worth in one serving of my Chocolate mousse.
So, not nearly as much caffeine as in 1 cup of coffee or 1 cup of Green Tea.
So, having a TBL or two every day in a smoothie, or in your Tuneric, Cinnamon, pepper, Cocoa drink - should not be a problem!

I thought cocoa powder has NO caffeine at all ... ?

I react very strongly to dark chocolate, but I dont think I react to cocoa powder, but, of course, I could be wrong ...

Is the caffeine in the fat part of the cocoa? Mine is nearly fat-free.

Food for thought

My Cocoa powder also has virtually no fat! 3 grams I think, 2 mono and 1 sat.
And I do react as if I have some caffeine - even having it tonight as late as 8 PM,
is probably a mistake; but my wife had trouble waiting the full 4 hurs I made her wait after refrigerating it.
After thought, it was probably ready to eat after 2 hours, though.
So, I know it will keep me up, so I will take some melatonin, tonight.
I have a two stage 3 mg version. 1/5 mg released immediately, takes 20 minutes to start,
and the remaining 1.5 mg re;eased slowly (Swanson Vitamins, where else!)

I found some health nut sites that said cocoa powder has no caffeine. I think I believe this one..

The USDA site (http://www.nal.usda.gov) says that 1 cup (86 g) of dry unsweetened cocoa powder has 198 mg of caffeine in it; 100 grams of cocoa powder has 230 mg of caffeine.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_...z24iBf0SOy


That's not very much caffeine


----Cup of Coffee, Brewed 80-135mg caffeine
----Hot cocoa 14mg caffeine (about the same as decaf coffee)

I guess 3 TBS of cocoa powder in John's mousse might be enough to keep one up, though.

I think John is right that 1 - 2 TBS of cocoa powder a day is moderate and shouldn't cause problems.

Yup, kept me up all night.
here I am at 6:00 am instead of 7:00 am at the computer, ready to start working for the day.
But, since I work from home, I think I will take a 2 hour afternoon nap.
That is, after doing a short work-out at the gym at about 11:30 am.
So, 3 small servings of the chocolate mousse -
you should be fine with one serving.

Looks like I'm taking my cocoa in the morning, no more taking it at nighttime!

And limiting it ... but honestly, I didn't notice any increased energy when I have it, wherein with certain kind of decaf coffee and diet coke and so forth, I noticed increased energy ... with cocoa, nothing. But maybe it's more subtle, or maybe this particular brand just doesn't have caffeine in it? It\s organic cocoa by "cuisine camino: fair trade" and is 100% cacoa. it's dutch-processed, could that make a difference?

:-)

Alexy

YES, it could.
And I recall Sue saying that you do not want "dutch processed", I believe.
Mine is simply labeled, "Certified Organic Cocoa powder, unsweetened."

Here's an important point, and probably also affects the "caffeine" or "caffeine effect":
Dutch process chocolate contains lower amounts of flavonols (antioxidants).
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DEFINITION:
Dutch process chocolate or Dutched chocolate, is chocolate that has been treated with an alkalizing agent to modify its color and give it a milder taste compared to "natural cocoa" extracted with the Broma process. It forms the basis for much of modern chocolate, and is used in ice cream, hot cocoa, and baking.
The Dutch process was developed in the early 19th century by Dutch chocolate maker Coenraad Johannes van Houten, whose father Casparus is responsible for the development of the method of removing fat from cacao beans by hydraulic press around 1828, forming the basis for cocoa powder. These developments greatly expanded the use of chocolate, which had been mostly used as a beverage in Europe until that time.
Because Dutch process cocoa has a neutral pH and is not acidic like natural cocoa, it cannot be used in recipes that use baking soda as the leavening agent, which relies on the acidity of the cocoa to activate it. Rather, Dutch process cocoa can be used in recipes that use baking powder for leavening.
The Dutch process:
- Lowers acidity
- Increases solubility
- Enhances color
- Smoothens flavor
Compared to other processes, Dutch process chocolate contains lower amounts of flavonols (antioxidants).

p.s. Though I would not throw it out!

For baking, if you do:
Here are the substitutions, I found:
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If recipe calls for Cocoa, Unsweetened and you have Dutch-processed:
Substitute equal amounts of Dutch-processed cocoa for unsweetened cocoa.
Leave out any baking soda called for in the recipe.
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OR add 3 tablespoon carob powder plus 2 tablespoons water for every 1-ounce unsweetened cocoa called for in the recipe.
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Do not substitute instant cocoa mix for unsweetened cocoa in any recipe.
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If recipe calls for Dutch-Process Cocoa and you have unsweetened:
Use 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) baking soda for every 1-ounce Dutch-Process Cocoa.
For each 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, reduce the fat in the recipe by 1 tablespoon.
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OR add 3 tablespoons carob powder for every 1-ounce Dutch Process Cocoa.
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P.S. Dutch-process is also unsweetened; but, unsweetened is often used on labels of non-dutch-processed to distinguish.

Hi John,

Thanks for all of this info ... :-)

It sounds like dutch-processed isn't THAT bad, so I'll stick with it as I tweak other parts.

I have almond milk, cocoa, and I am very carb-sensitive. I'm trying to put together a drink that is very low in carbs, with an intense chocolate flavour, and still sweet enough for me to enjoy. I do use fructose but on a good day I limit my intake to a pinch or no fructose at all. I don't mind putting 2 or 3 tablespoons of cocoa into my drink, FYI, in case ...

But, I don't enjoy almond milk and cocoa straight up ... I'm thinking to bloom the cocoa to make it more tasty, have it as a dessert right after a meal ... so I can put one tsp of olive oil into the drink itself and see if that helps ...

Any ideas would be welcome ... I used to enjoy milk chocolate ...

I'm cutting back on my overuse of oo because of omega-6s ...

Alexy

No idea's - you'll have to tinker until it's right for you.
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I was curious how unsweetened (non-dutch-processed) Cocoa powder is processed.
The Broma process.
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The Broma process is a method used to remove cocoa butter from cocoa mass, leaving cocoa solids (cocoa powder). In about 1865 someone at the Domingo Ghirardelli factory discovered that by hanging a bag of cocoa mass (ground cacao beans) in a warm room, the cocoa butter would drip off, leaving behind a residue that can then be processed into cocoa powder.
More cocoa butter (fat) is extracted by using the Broma process than using a hydraulic press, and less fat remaining in the cocoa (powder) makes it easier to dissolve the cocoa into liquids. Broma process cocoa also has a more intense flavor than Dutch process cocoa, as no alkalis are added to the cocoa.

Thanks ... I'm now wondering, can my coconut little flakes be pureed into this drink if I try it with my hand blender? I don't know if it's strong enough ... well, I'll try different things ... :-)

Thanks for the info ...

Alexy

Hi Sarah,

The polyphenols and other benefits of extra virgin olive oil out weigh the drawback of the small amount of omega 6 it contains. Also, they the polyphenols are destroyed in the processing of Dutched cocoa, in case you're thinking of eating it for health benefits. When raw, cocoa is green not brown, and it is this raw cocoa where you will find the polyphenol benefit, as explained to me by Dr. Sears.

Oh, really? I didn't know that.

There's NOTHING in my cocoa that's good for me? :-(

I think there's magnesium in cocoa, so I wouldn't say there's nothing.