In the aftermath of St. Valentine’s Day, I hear-tell that there’s a lot of chocolate leftover out there. It’s hiding out in our nightstands, desk-drawers, the back of the fridge and various other safe (?) places.
Since a great many of us are chocolate lovers and have been known to indulge and sometimes even over-indulge, I thought I’d share The 10 Truths of the Power of Chocolate that can help to (moderately) indulge, savor the flavor, incorporate, live with and love chocolate on a daily basis, as you stay healthy, wealthy and wise! Sounds good, yes? Great!!
1. Sacred Roots. Unadulterated, untainted, unmodified, pure cacao beans, the source of pure raw chocolate, is where it’s at! They are still used for rituals, in medicine and celebration in the Yucatan Peninsula. (Here is a real estate link, if you are interested is moving. I am!)
2. Love and Sex. Cacao beans are a natural drug. They contain up to 2.2 percent phenylethylamine, the ‘love and sex’ chemical, AND cacao beans contain other compounds that enhance mood, joy, creativity and imagination. Imagine that!
3. Buyer Beware. The main ingredient in most commercial chocolates bars is sugar, not cacao. Read the labels!
4. Suppresses Appetite. Go know – a shocker!! Good fats are present in pure chocolate that that help to suppress appetite and stimulate the digestive system.
5. Ward Off Vascular Disease. Chocolates contain a compound called Flavanoids, which can ward off vascular disease that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The darker the chocolate, the more bitter tasting it is, the higher the Flavanoids.
6. Milk Chocolate Nullifies. Milk chocolate is created when milk is added to chocolate liquor. While it creates that creamy taste and texture that we all love so much, it cancels out all the healthful benefits of the cacao. In fact, technically it’s milk candy not chocolate!
7. Mental Acuity. Research at West Virginia’s Wheeling Jesuit University suggests that chocolate may boost your memory, lengthen your attention span, shorten your reaction time and strengthen your problem-solving skills as it increases blood flow to the brain.
8. Natural Joy. Unfortunately, we have been cut off from the natural joys of chocolate, due to mass produced candies that are cooked at high temperatures, whose ingredients include refined sugars, processed milks, stabilizing agents, extra caffeine and waxes. Chocolate with high levels of cacao is naturally joyful.
9. Meant to be Savored. I suspect that chocolate was not put on this earth to help you escape. It is a sacred way of connecting – to the moment. To the beauty. To the ability to taste. Savor the moment.
10. Know Your Limits. Plan on your one square per day, no more than one-ounce, and again make it a ritual of beauty, peace and centeredness.
Spread the word … NOT the icing!
Janice Taylor, Weight Loss Artist
wise * fun * utterly useful
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