Cashew Cacao Nibs

5 RAW CACAO NIBS HEALTH BENEFITS

1. A natural mood booster and antidepressant

Raw cacao truly is nature’s antidepressant. It’s a well studied phenomenon that chocolate makes us feel good, that’s one of the reasons it’s so popular as a Valentines Day treat. The happy cozy feelings associated with chocolate come from 4 major feel good chemicals found in cacao – Serotonin, Tryptophan, Theobromine, and Phenylethylamine. So next time you’re feeling down reach for the cacao! Or better yet, a cacao smoothie.

2. Packed full of antioxidants

Raw cacao is one of the richest antioxidant food sources available. Cacao has an ORAC score (a measurement of the amount of antioxidants) of almost 40x that of blueberries! Antioxidants destroy free radicals and play a core part in the prevention of disease and illness throughout the body.

3. Protects against heart disease

Flavanols are one of the main antioxidants in cacao and they’re especially important for heart health. These flavanols increase blood flow which helps deliver nutrients throughout the body. Increased blood flow helps lower blood pressure and promotes skin and brain health.

4. Naturally energizing

Cacao is an excellent source of magnesium – one of the most common mineral deficiencies in modern diets. A magnesium deficiency is associated with symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, and irritability. Cacao is also a great source of theobromine a compound similar to caffeine. Theobromine’s effects are less pronounced but longer lasting than its cousin caffeine.

5. Helps you lose weight

If the other benefits of cacao weren’t enough to convince you to try this delicious superfood, cacao can also help with weight loss. It has been shown to not only increase you metabolism, helping you burn more fat, but it also acts as a natural appetite suppressant. If you’re trying to lose weight I recommend my creamy peanut butter cacao smoothie.