Raw Cacao: Could Chocolate be the Secret to Weight-Loss?
Have you heard of the new ways of losing weight involving eating chocolate?
It’s true! But not all chocolate is created equal. It’s not talking about the average chocolate bar or treat that you buy off the shelf that is filled with all sorts of fats, starches, dairy and sugars. We’re talking about this magical ingredient called cacao – the 'food of the gods'!
If you are wanting to experience a chocolate delight while looking for additional support in losing weight, cacao is best for this. This ingredient holds true to all the trendy chocolate claims when this is superfood is in its raw form.
So, How Exactly Does Raw Cacao Help You Shed Those Pounds?
Boosts Metabolism:
Studies have shown that raw organic cacao can help boost your body's metabolism by helping it convert fat into energy.
Overall Nutrition:
Cacao is very nutritious. Cacao can contain 16% of your daily fiber needs, and as much protein as a cup of broccoli. Most importantly, the fat in the cacao gives you a fuller for longer feeling to help in making you feel satisfied. Thus, it’ll help you avoid binge eating. It also increases the energy-producing mitochondria in muscles, that will give you more energy to prevent fatigue and in turn burn fat.
Suppresses Appetite:
When your body produces Ghrelin, a hormone to increase your appetite, cacao will suppress you needing to overeat. Studies in the Netherlands have shown to lower these Ghrelin levels to help improve insulin resistance as well. Serotonin is also thought to suppress appetite. Which brings us to the next health benefit.
Mood Boosting:
Raw Cacao boosts serotonin in our brains and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a feel good chemical that is essential to our mood balance. We can all relate in the way most of us can gravitate towards comfort eating when feeing down, especially carbs. This extra boost and balance will help in avoiding those common traps and give us a happy sense in having a good body self-image!
Protects Immunity:
Powerful antioxidants in cacao can protect your body against poor health such as heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and also strokes. It aids and raises you body’s good cholesterol and in turn will also thin your blood. Thinning your blood helps prevent plaque build-up in your arteries.
Detoxifies:
Raw Cacao powder is high in fiber which keeps your digestive system working properly. This is an essential part of removing waste from your body! It’s also very rich in flavonoids and natural antioxidants that protect your body. Interestingly, it has been found that toxins can inhibit weight loss.
Anti-inflammatory:
Cacao can help reduce inflammation, particularly in your digestive tract. If you have experienced the bloating effects of inflammation, you’ll know that it’s very much a part of the weight-loss problem. Digestive bloating can have a significant impact on your wellness goals in many ways.
