Cacao Beans Provide
Many Health Benefits

Remember free radicals damage cells and DNA and are thought to cause or contribute to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue and other age-related diseases.

Raw cacao is higher in antioxidants than teas and red wine. In fact it provides more than 21 times the free radical protection than green tea.

The scientific name for cacao is Theobroma cacao and it literally means “food of the gods”.

The beans are used to make cocoa and chocolate and come from the cacao plant, a small evergreen tree that grows between 4-8 metres or 15-26 feet tall.

It produces pod-like fruits and each pod contains between 20 and 60 seeds or “beans” that are embedded in a white pulp.

Raw cacao contains the antioxidants catechin, epicatechin and gallic acid.

The antioxidant epicatechin in cacao helps protect against thrombosis formation and hypertension and provides significant protection for cardiovascular health.

Cacao and Magnesium

Apart from the antioxidant-rich properties of cacao it is also one of the richest sources of magnesium of any common food – a good thing when nearly 70% of the population is deficient in magnesium.

Magnesium is vital for over 300 enzyme systems in the body; more than iron and zinc combined. It is beneficial for:

• Cardiovascular system
• Asthma
• Muscle pain and cramps
• Kidney stones
• Tension headaches
• PMS

Symptoms such as abdominal bloating, breast pain, headaches, fatigue, fluid retention, mood swings, insomnia and anxiety can all be symptoms of magnesium deficiency and PMS!

So include the antioxidant benefits of raw cacao in your diet to help protect against the damaging effect of free radicals and other age-related health problems.

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