Chocolate Health Benefits include "Heart Healthy" and "Brain Happy" Nutrients. It has the ability to make you feel like you're in-love or complete bliss!
Learn how to make raw chocolate recipes such as a decadent chocolate cake and mousse using raw cacao powder or raw chocolate nibs.
Where Does Chocolate Come From?
This food comes from an evergreen tree that can grow up to 30 feet tall and is native to tropical regions around the globe.
The cacao tree needs a warm and humid climate in order to produce fruit year round.
The fruit of the cacao tree is a huge pod that can grow longer than 12 inches and turns to colors like yellow, red, orange and purple.
Exactly Where Does Chocolate Come From?
The pod contains approximately 20 to 40 seeds or beans.
Inside these seeds or beans is where you'll find the kernels or Chocolate Nibs.
These chocolate nibs or cacao beans are full of antioxidants and important minerals.
Different Types of Chocolate
Milk Chocolate includes a milk powder or milk product as one of its ingredients. It is light brown in color and sweet tasting.
Dark Chocolate does not contain any milk products and is much darker and less sweet tasting than milk. Dark chocolate is known for containing higher amounts of antioxidants.
Raw Chocolate contains the highest amount of nutrients and antioxidants of all the different types.
Raw Cacao Powder
has a very high amount of antioxidants and is great for making an energizing smoothie or decadent antioxidant rich dessert.
White Chocolate contains milk as one of its ingredients and is white in color. It contains cocoa butter which is the fat of chocolate, but no chocolate. White chocolate does not qualify as a "true chocolate" and will not contain the same health benefits of chocolate.
Vegan Chocolates
are for people on a Vegan or Vegetarian diet that prohibit the consumption of animal products such as dairy.