Cacao powder is produced from cacao beans which are crushed first and then the fat is removed from it to give you a fine quality cacao powder. Cacao powder is known to have been first taken to Europe by Spanish Conquerors where it instantly became a well-known medicine for promoting good health. In the present times, cacao powder is heavily planted and used in the production of chocolates. A number of recent researches show that cacao powder is rich in nutrients and antioxidants that are very useful for a healthy body.
Here are the top 9 health and nutritional benefits of cacao powder-
1.
Cacao powder is rich in polyphenol that has a number of health and nutrition
benefits
Cacao powder
contains a large amount of polyphenol which is a naturally occurring
antioxidant. It is also found in rich amounts in various other items like tea,
vegetables, wine and fruits.
Polyphenol may
reduce inflammation, lower high blood pressure, improve the blood sugar as well
as the cholesterol level and also promote better flow of blood through the
body.
Being a very rich
source for polyphenol, cacao powder is a very healthy ingredient to have in
your kitchen. But it should be noted that once processed or heated, it loses a
number of its healthy properties and polyphenol level. This means that not
every product which has cacao powder in its ingredient list will provide you
with its health benefits.
2.May increase nitric oxide level in blood and lower high blood pressure
Cacao powder may
improve the levels of nitric oxide in a human’s blood which helps enhancing blood
vessels and their functioning. This may lead to reduced blood pressure.
3. Cacao powder may improve brain function
The polyphenols
found in cacao powder have been found to be able to reduce neurodegenerative
disease risk because they improve blood flow to the brain and hence improve the
functioning and working of the human brain. Flavanols found in cacao powder are
able to cross the barrier between blood and brain and may involve themselves in
various biochemical pathways. This leads to the production of a number of
neurons which are important for the proper functioning of the brain.
A study conducted
for over a period of two weeks showed that in 34 years old adults, cacao rich
in flavanols resulted in the increase of blood flow to the brain by 8% in the
first week and 10% in a period of two weeks. Daily intake of Cacao powder can
also lead to improved performance of the brain.
4. Cacao powder may improve moodiness and depression symptoms
Cacao powder has
been known to have a positive effect on moodiness. The flavanols in cacao lead
to tryptophan being converted to serotonin which is a natural stabilizer of
mood. One study shows that frequent consumption of chocolate by pregnant women
may lead to their babies having a good mood and reduced stress.
Daily intake of
chocolate may also lead to health and mood improvement in adults as well as
elderly people.
5. Cacao powder may surprisingly be helpful in weight control
Cacao powder and
its consumption may help your body with the regulation of energy usage,
reducing hunger and appetite and making a person feel full soon. A study
conducted found that BMI was lower among people who ate cacao in some form or
the other regularly as compared with people who did not eat cacao too often.
They had lower BMI even when they were given more fatty food to consume
throughout the study.
So, cacao and cacao
rich food may aid in maintaining and reducing weight.
6. Cacao may have properties that can protect one from cancer
Flavanols have too
often been linked with having properties that may protect one from cancer.
Cacao has a very high concentration of those flavanols and various test-tube
studies have shown that cacao’s antioxidants may protect human cells from
cancer and may even induce the cell death of the cancer cell.
Many trials on
animals have also shown that flavanols from cacao may have some very amazing
cancer protection properties but not enough data has been produced yet from its
trials on humans.
Also read: 7
Incredible Food Items That Keep your Heart Healthy
7. Cacao powder may help people who have asthma
Asthma is a chronic
disease in which airways get inflamed and obstructed and it can be very
dangerous if not taken care of properly. Cacao powder is thought to be capable
of helping asthmatic people because of theobromine and theophylline, two
compounds found in cacao which are also anti-asthmatic.
Studies on animals
have shown promising results about cacao reducing their thickness of tissues
and airway constriction. It is to be noted however that there is not enough
data of human trials and its success so research is needed there to see if
cacao reacts well with other anti-asthmatic medicines and drugs that the
patient might be on.
8. Cacao powder has various immune-stimulating as well as antibacterial properties.
Cacao powder’s
antibacterial properties and their protective effect against dental and gum
diseases have been the subject of a number of studies. Cacao beans are rich in
various immune-stimulating as well as anti-enzymatic properties that promote
good oral health and protect teeth and gums.
Cacao’s polyphenol
antioxidant is very useful and provides sun protection and even stimulates
blood circulation. This antioxidant also helps in smoothening of the skin
texture and hydrates your skin.
Cacao powder may
also increase the levels of one’s natural body antioxidants like SOD and
catalase and it has been even seen to have a positive effect on promotion of T
cell maturation in one’s body. T cell maturation and antioxidants help one
build a strong immunity against various diseases. It is again to be noted that
only organic cacao can give you all these health benefits.
Also Read: A
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9. Daily intake of organic cacao powder may also lower one’s chances of getting a heart attack and stroke
Organic cacao is
rich in flavanol which helps in the dilation and relaxation of arteries and
improves blood flow because it improves the nitric oxide level in blood. It has
also been found that cacao helps in the reduction of cholesterol, can aid in
the thinning of blood and also induce the reduction of inflammation.
