The Olmec Indians which predate the Mayans and Aztecs consumed
seeds of the cacao tree –food of the gods. They held
it as sacred and drank it in a recipe with chili peppers and
other spices in it, most likely not sugary drink. That was
a European invention much later. Still today when we think
of chocolate we think of some kind of sweet confection.
This energy boosting drink was a favorite of the native royalties.
Through the conquistadors the beverage spread to Spain where
it was favored by the elite and spread to all of Europe. It
was a status symbol of the aristocrats.
Only in the 1800’s was it mass produced for general
consumption. That sweet milk chocolate endures to the enjoyment
of many today. The beverage of old was bitter, spicy and very
favorable to their health and energy for the day without side
effects.
Researchers have been delving into the true extent of the
health benefits of cocoa that has long been revered by our
cultures. Many people including the elderly are benefiting
from eating the dark chocolate. Women have had a natural draw
to it on a monthly cycle benefiting from the nutrients and
feel good chemicals released in our brains from the theobromine
and PEA in the cocoa. It also affects the serotonin levels
in the brain. It isn’t addicting as coffee is, yet we
go back for more as it literally makes us feel good.
Not all chocolate is created equal. Some people get migraines
with one chocolate and with a more pure dark chocolate have
no difficulty and may even disappear headaches. It is most
desirable to eat chocolate that has been not heated much which
destroys the flavanols in the antioxidants that do so much
good in our bodies. It is the flavanols in the antioxidants
that was so favorable to our forefathers in the dark chocolate.
The foods we eat have been mass produced and processed or
prepared for us to have easy access to it and does not always
provide us with the best nutrition. The standard American
diet fills us with fats and various sugars that create what
has now been discovered as chronic inflammation within the
body that has been found leading to many of the diseases that
are prominent in our culture. To mention some – type
II diabetes, cardio vascular disease, cancer, chronic fatigue
syndrome, macular degeneration, lung disease and some 200
other diseases.
What the researchers all over the world are finding is that
the dark chocolate is aiding our human bodies in decreasing
the inflammation and these other health challenges. There
have been so many studies done where the results showing up
repeatedly are that eating dark chocolate is improving the
quality of life for individuals.
Part II to follow.
