Cacao Powder Benefits And Side Effects: What You Need To Know!

What are the health benefits and side effects of Cacao Powder? Is it healthy or unhealthy to consume Cacao Powder? Let us examine!

The Maya and indigenous people of Mexico considered cacao a gift from the gods, and cacao beans were so worthy that the Aztecs used them as money. Because raw cacao contains healing substances like hardly any other food: it “makes you happy,” protects the cells, lowers blood pressure, and supplies the body with magnesium and iron. Moreover, it also tastes excellent.

About Cacao

Raw Cacao powder contains more than 300 chemical compounds and is a more potent antioxidant than blueberries.

Cacao contains abundant protein, calcium, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, magnesium, sulfur, flavonoids, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids.

The delicate balance of these nutrients seems to be specially selected to produce the necessary phytochemicals in the body.

A little history of Cacao

Cacao gets derived by fermenting the kernels of the Cacao tree’s fruit, whose taxonomic name is “Theobroma Cacao.” The tree grows in tropical climates between four and eight meters in length.

The world’s largest Cacao-producing countries are Ivory Coast, Indonesia, Ghana, and Brazil.

Considering the consumption of chocolate and chocolate desserts, it may not surprise you to learn that it is one of the typical popular trees on earth.

Cacao dates back to the 1400s BC.

Researchers obtained the earliest known evidence of cacao as a meal from grounds at the bottom of a pot dating back to the 1400s BC.

According to these finds, people were using cacao to make a beverage.

The sweetened version of cacao originated with the introduction of Europeans to America.

At first, cacao was getting tried as a liquid, and it was getting hated for its taste, and then we discovered that adding honey to it made it delicious.

About Cacao Powder

You have to decide between raw Cacao and Cacao powder without sugar. The Cacao powder you drank as a sweet drink when you were a child was rich in sugar, and it is commercially produced, especially for children.

But the basis is the same because they are from roasted cacao beans, and they are also the primary element for other products, such as chocolate. The Cacao bean contains many valuable substances, trace elements, and antioxidants as far as ingredients are concerned.

About Cacao Powder — Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

However, production is significant for preserving the ingredients, and it is because the roasting process partially destroys them again. Above all, an essential fuel of the bean, the flavanols, is significantly reduced.

Cacaos antioxidant properties

Flavanols are said to have antioxidant properties. In terms of nutritional value, the production process also has an enormous influence on the effect.

In summary, Cacao powder is getting characterized by the following properties:

Perfect in taste
Very rich in valuable ingredients
Ready for baking, cooking, or direct consumption

The good Cacao powder with high nutritional value is from Cacao beans. These are fermented, roasted, de-oiled, and finely ground.

However, it is essential to pay close attention to whether the Cacao powder also contains appropriate additives, as they devalue the powder as a superfood.

Cacaos’s highest density of nutrients is sugar-free.

If you can see on the packaging that it contains traces of sugar, for example, you should refrain from using it. The distinction is in their sugar and fat content in most cases.

The valuable powder is sugar-free, and the plant is harvested and processed fresh. You should, therefore, buy the powder that contains the highest density of nutrients, even in small doses.

But you can additionally use it as an admixture in drinks, pastries, desserts, and other foods. It can also use as a base material for baking, and it gives all baked goods a hint of chocolate flavor.

A pleasant side effect is the typical brown color. The comparison with alternative dishes makes you feel safe.

The Benefits of Cacao Powder

Cacao powder and beans are a portion of high-quality and sophisticated food; It contains magnesium, iron, and antioxidants, substances supposed to protect the cells from cancer. Cacao has a positive effect on blood count and bone structure.

Let’s take a look at the list of Cacao Powder benefits.

1. Cacao Powder will make you happy

Cacao contains hormones and the precursors of nerve messengers. It also includes “anandamide,” the “happiness remedy.” Cacao brightens the mood if it is getting enjoyed in moderate quantities.

2. Cacao Powder stimulates the libido

It owes this to a substance called “phenethylamine.” Cacao is the only substance on earth that contains these substances naturally – apart from blue-green algae.

3. Cacao Powder helps against premenstrual syndrome

It ensures that “on the days before the days,” the serotonin level remains sufficiently high.

4. Cacao Powder improves the health of the heart and circulation

The many secondary plant substances – up to 700 of them – have an anti-inflammatory effect, protect the heart, and improve blood flow.

5. Cacao Powder can help you lose weight

It is due to certain ingredients called “MAO inhibitors“. These are also get found in many weight loss products. However, these products also limit the amount of cacao consumed daily, and no more than four heaped teaspoons per day are allowed under any circumstances.

6. Cacao Powder contains large amounts of magnesium

It is essential for cell metabolism and helps combat fatigue, exhaustion, lack of concentration, and burnout syndrome. Magnesium is equally vital for maintaining healthy blood pressure; it helps against diabetes two and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

7. Cacao Powder is an excellent source of organic sulfur

It promotes the body’s ability to detoxify and protects the liver and pancreas.

8. Cacao Powder Regulates Blood Pressure

A small amount of cacao – taken every evening – can help to regulate blood pressure. It is the outcome of a study of 470 men.

Cacao Chocolate — Image by cgdsro from Pixabay

9. Cacao Powder is essential for the inner body workings

A small amount, taken regularly every day for two weeks, helped effectively lower cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone, which among other things, promotes muscle tension, increased blood sugar level, and an imbalance in the intestinal flora. Small amounts of cacao, consumed regularly, counteract these problems.

10. Cacao Powder lowers the risk of skin cancer

People who consumed at least 20 g of cacao per day for three months developed protection against sunburn and a lower risk of skin cancer.

11. Cacao Powder could protect the teeth from caries

A small, private university in Louisiana compared the effect of cacao with that of fluoride in terms of protecting against tooth decay. Cacao did even better because researchers found fluoride’s toxic side effects.

12. Improve your memory with Cacao Powder

Cacao improves memory performance and protects against Alzheimer’s disease. It is the result of a study by the renowned Harvard University.

13. Cacao Lowers blood pressure

Cacao, which is rich in flavonoids, lowers blood pressure and increases the elasticity of blood vessels. Positive blood pressure changes came up when they consumed cacao instead of green and green tea. The understanding is that its antioxidants trigger nitric oxide, which relaxes the blood vessels. Cacao is also beneficial for a healthy circulatory system.

14. Cacao is a powerful antioxidant

According to research, cacao is a better antioxidant than black tea, green tea, and green wine. Antioxidants are effective in neutralizing free radicals in the body.

15. You can Increase brain health with Cocao

Scientists think cacao, rich in flavanol, is essential for a healthy brain. These neuroprotective effects have also been mostly positive on learning and memory functions. Research has shown that when cacao gets consumed, it can treat blood flow to the brain increases and vascular problems.

16. Regulate cholesterol levels with Cacao

According to a study, the plant shows both hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic effects. It helps decrease the number of triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol).

17. Cacao helps to treat diabetes

Cacao powder consumption shows to be effective in reducing insulin resistance and increasing glucose metabolism. Research has shown that the proanthocyanins it contains can prevent the formation of diabetes-induced cataracts. Cacao consumption also improves vascular function in people with diabetes using various drugs.

A study has shown that it effectively treats diabetes-related kidney disease, as seen in long-term treatments with protective antioxidants.

See Also: Apple Cider Vinegar – It’s so healthy!

18. Cacao has antidepressant effects

Research has shown that chocolate increases serotonin levels and affects the mood and emotions of people. It contains a neurotransmitter called theobromine, its in use sometimes to treat depression.

19. Cacao is good for chronic weakness syndrome

It reveals to have relaxing effects on people who suffer from persistent weakness. These effects are the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, anandamide, and phenethylamine. These substances have protective effects on brain cells and help fight chronic weakness syndrome.

20. Cacao relieves asthma

Cacao beans contain xanthine and theophylline. These compounds relax the bronchi and open the narrowed bronchi. It allows for comfortable airflow and can treat allergies, such as asthma and shortness of breath. Cacao consumption can provide relief for bronchitis asthma.

21. Cacao accelerates wound healing

Natural medicine production uses Cacao extracts due to their wound healing properties, and these extracts also prevent the formation of various infections in the body.

22. Cacao can help to prevent obesity

According to a study, cacao can prevent obesity caused by a high-fat diet. Cacao consumption benefits lipid metabolism and the reduction of the synthesis and transport of fatty acids, and it can also provide fat burning by increasing thermogenesis.

23. Cacao is good for heart health

Cacao powder is rich in flavonoids such as procyanidin, catechin, and epicatechin. These substances strengthen the heart and protect the cells from damage, preventing fatal blood clots. It protects against stroke, heart failure, atherosclerosis, and thrombosis.

24. Cacao prevents cancer

Research has shown that cacao prevents the growth of cancerous cells while not harming healthy cells. Research has shown that their chemoprotective and anti-proliferative properties are due to flavonols and procyanidins. These healing effects have proven to be highly valuable in treating various types of cancer, including colon and prostate cancer.

Cacao Beans — Image by gate74 from Pixabay

25. Cacao treats constipation

Consumption of the plant benefits the treatment of chronic illness and intestinal dysfunction. Researchers observed that fiber-rich cacao provided faster colon, rectal, and bowel transport times in the study conducted on pediatric patients. Regular and routine Cacao consumption increases intestinal function.

26. Cacao cures copper deficiency

Cacao treats copper deficiency in people who have long-term Enteral Nutritional problems. Cores are precious in the treatment of copper deficiency. As a result of this treatment, significant increases in hemoglobin levels, leukocyte count, and copper ratio in patients. We can add it to diets to maintain normal copper levels or resolve copper deficiency by herbal and domestic methods. It helps to treat anemia, neutropenia, and leukopenia.

27. Cacao is beneficial to skin health

According to research, Cacao consumption reduces UV-induced redness and skin problems and increases skin elasticity, water balance, and density. It benefits healthy blood flow to skin tissues and protection against light.

28. Cacao prevents magnesium deficiency

Another benefit of Cacao products is to prevent magnesium deficiency in the body. Regular consumption of Cacao products may avoid the side effects of a long-term magnesium deficiency diet.

29. Cacao prevents neurodegenerative diseases

Epicatechin and catechin content has beneficial effects in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. These phytochemicals have synergistic effects and can reduce oxidative stress on the brain.

30. Other beneficial effects of Cacao Powder

Besides Cacao beans, the powder, Cacao butter, and flowers of the tree have been kept on hand since ancient times and have been used to treat skin problems, intestinal problems, and wounds.

To better understand how healthy cacao is, we can give the following example. You can treat hiccups within 1-2 minutes by eating only 1/4 of a tablet of chocolate containing 70-90% Cacao sold in grocery stores for extremely stubborn, severe, and prolonged hiccups.

If your hiccups are too stubborn, they can start again after four to five hours. What you have to do is eat the other half of the chocolate. Any dark chocolate would be the definitive solution to hiccups, but quality Cacao would be more effective.

Cacao must be getting consumed from suitable sources. A Cacao chocolate bar of sweetener-free and unprocessed can add health to your well-being. Processed ones are also quite useful; you need to know the sugar ratios and other substances.

Side Effects of Cacao Powder

Cacao benefits and side effects: Cacao consumption is considered safe for most people, and it contains caffeine and related chemicals. Large amounts of Cacao consumption can cause Caffeine-related side effects such as irritability, increased urination, insomnia, and a rapid heartbeat.

Cacao powder is not getting recommended for people with osteoporosis

The caffeine content of cacao can increase the excretion of calcium through urine. Cacao should use with caution in people with osteoporosis.

Don’t consume Cacao before surgery.

Cacao can affect blood sugar balances. Therefore, We should stop cacao consumption at least two weeks before the surgery date.

Cacao powder can cause fast and irregular heartbeat

Cacao side effects: Cacao that comes with dark chocolate can increase your heart rate or worsen irregular heartbeat.

Cocao powder can provoke irregular heartbeats.

Cacao powder benefits and side effects: Caffeine in cacao can cause irregular heartbeats in some people, and people with heart diseases need to be careful.

Cocao powder can cause diarrhea.

Cacao, taken in vast quantities, can worsen diarrhea due to caffeine.

Cocao can provoke high pressure in your eye.

Caffeine in cacao can increase strength in the eye. For this reason, people with glaucoma should use it with caution.

Cocoa Pods — Image by David Greenwood-Haigh from Pixabay

Cacao can cause allergic skin reactions, constipation, trigger migraines

It can also cause nausea, intestinal ailments, stomach rumbling, and digestive complaints such as gas.

Applying Cacao butter to the skin is also considered safe for most people. However, it can cause skin rashes in some people.

Cocao on pregnancy and breastfeeding

Cacao is probably safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding when consumed in moderate amounts and foods. But it is helpful to monitor the situation when finished.

Cocao can cause anxiety.

Cacao consumed in large quantities is likely to worsen anxiety disorders due to its caffeine content.

Bleeding disorders with Cocao Powder consumption

Cacao can slow blood clotting. Eating cacao can cause bruising risk in some people with a bleeding disorder.

High blood pressure with Cocao Powder consumption

Cacao contains caffeine. The caffeine content of cacao can increase blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. However, it may not result in a significant increase for people who already consume too much caffeine.

Cacao can generate Irritable bowel syndrome.

An internal disorder produces pain in the belly, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. Diarrhea and IBS can worsen symptoms, mainly due to the caffeine content of cacao taken in large quantities.

Cocao powder can cause headaches.

Cacao can trigger migraines in sensitive people.

FAQ Cacao Powder

How harmful is cacao?

By drinking cacao, you lower your blood pressure and improve your cardiovascular system. Theobromine is responsible for this. Important: In reasonable quantities, cacao can have a potent effect on your body

What does cacao do?

Raw cacao positively affects the entire organism because it strengthens the heart, ensures proper blood circulation, and lowers blood pressure. Cacao promotes brain function and increases the ability to react and concentrate.

Is pure cacao healthy?

Cacao is healthy because it contains numerous antioxidants. Cacao is full of essential antioxidants.

Is cacao good for the stomach?

Chemists have now discovered an artificial gastrointestinal tract and bacteria with the help of an artificial gastrointestinal tract. Chocolate can be pretty healthy, and only in moderation, preferably dark with lots of cacao and little sugar. But for a long time, it was unclear why cacao has a positive effect on the blood vessels.

Can you eat cacao beans raw?

It’s known that chocolate is from cacao, and however, the beans can do so much more when raw. Yes, natural cocoa beans can be eaten without any problems and boost your health, and cocoa beans still contain them, which is ideal for your diet.

What vitamins does cacao have?

Cocoa gets characterized by a high content of essential minerals such as calcium (more than in cow’s milk), potassium, copper, iron (the most abundant vegetable source), zinc, and magnesium. It provides the body with vitamins A, B1, B2, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and vitamin E.

What is raw cacao powder?

Most 100% Cacao powder on the market is made from roasted cocoa beans and is not raw cocoa. Just think of coffee, even that always consists of roasted coffee beans. Roasted cocoa beans are the primary ingredient of most cocoa products and chocolates.

Are roasted cocoa beans healthy?

Raw cocoa beans are healthy, but they are also a perfect source of nutrients. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and antioxidants, and they are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, and valuable unsaturated fatty acids.

Like, what does the cocoa bean taste like?

After harvesting, the cocoa beans are getting dissolved from the cocoa fruit. You enjoy cocoa in its pure form without added sugar or milk. The aroma is intensely tart with subtle chocolate nuances, and the skin tastes sourly bitter and supports the multi-faceted taste.

Where does the cocoa grow?

Of course, chocolate does not grow on trees, but cocoa, the essential ingredient of chocolate, does. Cocoa trees grow in the tropical rainforest in South America and Africa, and it is a long way until the cocoa ends up in a chocolate bar in every country. Everything begins with cocoa fruits.

Is cocoa good for the heart?

Cocoa is suitable for the heart and blood vessels. Cocoa drinkers have a lower blood pressure than other people, and they live longer – at least that is what epidemiological studies suggest. Researchers have now found out what could be the reason for this.

What’s in the cocoa paste?

It consists of cocoa butter and dry cocoa mass, separated in further production steps to make them easier to process. Cocoa liquor production was for logistical reasons in cocoa beans’ countries.

Is cocoa stimulating?

The fact that cocoa can cause happiness is due to its ingredients. The bean’s principal active ingredient is theobromine, which, like caffeine, accelerates the pulse, stimulates circulation, and thus has a stimulating effect. Besides, raw cocoa contains the amino acid tryptophan.

Who invented cocoa?

The discovery of America was also the discovery of cocoa. Christopher Columbus himself, however, never enjoyed the exotic drink. The Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortez brought the cocoa bean to Europe for the first time in the 16th century and presented it to the Spanish royal court.

Conclusion

For your health, always ask your doctor about the benefits and side effects of Cacao Powder.

Feel free to share this with friends and family members who like Cacao!