One of my favourite things in the world is #raw #organic #ceremonial #grade #cacao.
We are not talking about industrialised commercial chocolate made by ‘Nestle’, or ‘Kraft,’ that’s packed full of milk, sugar and fats. In fact, the more Cacao is processed, the more of its goodness disappears. We are talking about 100% cacao straight from the bean, and ground down into what is known, as the ‘cacao liquor,’ coming in a block and historically renowned for its many health benefits that support physical and psychological well-being.
Cacao brings natural stress relief by triggering the release of #dopamine and the #endorphin; phenylethylamine, which help to soothe the nervous system and the dopamine especially helps curb addictive behaviours by strengthening our drive and reward mechanisms.
Most importantly, it contains #anandamide, the bliss molecule. Anandamide is an endogenous ligand that your body produces when you feel a workout “high.” It is a natural pleasure molecule that fits into the cannabinoid receptor sites of the cells of the nervous system & also helps to relieve emotional stress.
Pure Cacao also contains powerful #antioxidants along with a significant amount of #chromium, which balances blood sugar levels & helps prevent cravings - I often recommend it to weight loss clients for this purpose. It also increases the blood flow to the brain, creating more mental agility, awareness and focus. But beware cacao does have caffeine in it, so I would avoid consuming it after 11am as it will affect your quality of sleep. I actually often recommend it as a swap to clients who want to curb their coffee addiction as its much less cortisol spiking than coffee and more relaxing on the nervous system with the high theobromine content. But dont have it daily as the idea is to not be addicted to anything including caffeine :)
And as well as that cacao is a powerful #plantmedicine and has many amazing, life-affirming qualities that support health and psychological well-being, helping to open our hearts and heal us emotionally - if you've never attended one I would highly recommend attending a cacao sound healing ceremony - such a beautiful experience.
PREPARATION TIME: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
· 20g raw ceremonial grade cacao
· 100ml plant milk (eg hemp, almond, coconut) - frothed up if you have a frothing machine
· 200ml hot water (can experiment with less or milk vs water ratio whatever you prefer)
· cinnamon sprinkles as topping
I never sweeten my cacao as I love the slightly bitter nutty taste & i recommend all my clients to wean themselves off that sweet taste addiction and try to develop that bitter taste bud more but if you must then you can use a sweetener like manuka honey, maple syrup or better still erythritol or monk fruit which dont affect our blood sugars.
Optional additions: spice it up with chilli powder, nutmeg, ceylon #cinnamon or even cumin, turmeric - experiment with the different spices. Can also add collagen or nut butter to thicken it up even more or any #medecinalmushrooms like #reishi, #chaga or #lionsmane for that added immune support.
INSTRUCTIONS
· I usually grind the cacao in my vitamix blender first (any blender will do)
· Then add the hot water & any spices/extra ingredients and blend some more
· Pour into a cup or mug (do you have a special one for cacao? I do :)
· Top with the frothy milk and cinnamon sprinkles
· Set your heart opening intention and enjoy with love.
With more time an alternative cooking method is to heat all the above ingredients in a saucepan traditional style :)
My favourite raw ceremonial grade cacao in the UK is definately Ritual Cacao and if you use my referral code here you will get 10% off their delicious raw cacao.
And I love Suryaprana for their amazing organic ceylon cinnamon & turmeric powders - healthymays20 will get you 20% off all their products including delicious loose leaf herbal teas & high quality turmeric supplements.
“Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea, and universal medicine.”
— GERONIMO PIPERNI, QUOTED BY ANTONIO LAVEDÁN, SPANISH ARMY SURGEON, 1796
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