Because it’s not cooked. Temperature matters in this world. When we have a fever our body uses heat to destroy microbes. Many things are destroyed by heat–consider icebergs. Consider that fire consumes. Heat destroys many nutrients when foods are cooked, including much needed vitamin C. Think pasteurization of your orange juice for a bit of insight as to the real truth of the health benefits, or lack thereof, of that most popular morning beverage.
But back to chocolate; it’s bitter and there is usually medicine in bitter plant substances. Theobroma cacao (pronounce kuh-kow) is the tree from which cacao bean pods jut right out of the side of the trunk. Most of us have never seen anything like it. When processed, the beans are fermented, which supports beneficial probiotics, but then most all of them are roasted, which depletes many of the phytochemicals contained within. Most raw plant foods have thousands of chemical constituents, and very little is known about many of these. But among the ones we have studied, many active compounds have been found that merge with and relay information to our own cellular matrix. The chemistry of the cacao bean is rich with molecules that make us happier and healthier. Anandamide derives its name from the ancient Sanskrit word for bliss. We all know how great bliss is and we all want more of it, right? Then there’s love, love, love. Can love come from a chemical in a bean from the jungle? Well, we do love the taste of chocolate when it’s sweetened but there is much more happening with the vibrations and frequency waves in the heart than we realize. For example, Phenylethylamine functions as a neuromodulator and neurotransmitter in the human central nervous system. And then there is magnesium to relax muscles and calm us, strengthening our bones and heart. There are over 300 compounds in this bean, many of which are heat sensitive, so eating them raw increases potency and transformational power. There’s even a pharmaceutical medication called theophylene for asthma that has its origins in chocolate. And there are brain stimulants similar to a small amount of caffeine.
Roasting might bring out a nice flavor but there are sacrifices made as that aroma hits the air. If you can smell it, there are aromatic chemicals being emitted and dissipating away! Finding raw chocolate, usually referred to as raw cacao, takes some effort. The cost in labor and the cost to preserve its integrity is more, but the product is so superior that it truly is worth it. So if you find yourself with the opportunity to consume it, be aware that the universe has smiled upon you!
Brynda
