Superfood spotlight: Cacao

This week’s superfood spotlight is cacao. After being processed and stripped of nutrients, this bean creates one of the favorite foods on the planet, chocolate! It’s best to eat cacao in its raw, natural state because it has so many healing benefits:

 Cacao is

• one of the best sources of antioxidants (flavonoids) on the planet.
• one of the best plant sources for Iron (great for people with anemia and menstruating women).
• a natural source of energy and mood enhancement via methylxanthine, component that acts similar to caffeine on the brain. 

Cacao helps

• fight cancer, decrease inflammation, and stay young!
• lose weight!
• maintain cardiovascular health.
• decrease allergies and allergic reactions.
• decrease blood sugar levels (great for diabetics). 

Raw cacao powder is easily blended into smoothies, and can be used to create delicious all natural, sugar free desserts, like this delicious vegan brownie featured last month.