Packing a ton of magnesium, as well as a slew of other essential nutrients, Dark cacao power has some amazing health benefits. From manganese and zinc to potassium and iron, cacao boasts a slew of nutrients.
Cacao is an iron source that builds blood and helps to carry oxygen throughout our bodies, along with potassium, copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium. Cacao is the highest plant-based source of iron known to humankind, with an impressive 7.3 mg in 100 grams. Raw organic cacao is also one of the highest plant-based sources of magnesium, the mineral that is the most in short supply in the Western world.
Raw Cacao is one of the best sources of the mineral magnesium – the mineral many of you lack in your diet. Raw cacao contains 126% more iron, 149% more magnesium, and 136% more potassium. Additionally, cacao contains various health-promoting components, such as antioxidants, theobromine, phenylethylamine, essential minerals, and vitamins.
Organic Dark Cacao Power is packed with flavonoids, which are part of the polyphenol antioxidant family. Cacao is rich in antioxidants, along with nutrients such as magnesium (which may help lower stress), potassium, and iron. Cacao powder is less processed, making it more nourishing and loaded with essential vitamins and minerals. It is considered to have a slightly bitter flavor, but the taste is something to be sacrificed if it means getting all of these nutritional qualities.
Just keep in mind that raw cacao powder is not going to be quite as sweet as the cocoa equivalent, so if you are craving sweetness, be sure to also include a healthy sweetener like dates, coconut sugar, or agave syrup in the mix. If you can afford raw cacao powder for recipes, then, by all means, go for it, but cacao powder still has plenty of nutritional value unless it is added with sugars or anything else. In its raw cacao form, whether as a pure powder or a raw cacao bar, it is a real whole food, packed with nutrients and useful plant compounds. One feature that makes cacao so special is its incredible mineral content. Because cacao powder contains magnesium, it can aid calcium absorption, thus contributing to bone health and reducing the chances of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and kidney stones.
Because cacao contains high levels of magnesium, cacao can aid with feelings of fatigue and tiredness. Low magnesium levels are often linked to tiredness, as well as several other symptoms, like high blood pressure, or osteoporosis, and raw cacao powder is an excellent, tasty source to supplement necessary magnesium consumption. With tension headaches being among the most common symptoms of magnesium deficiency, it makes sense to increase your consumption of mineral-rich foods such as cacao. While the level of magnesium found in cacao does not offer immediate relief for constipation, consuming it regularly may encourage long-term, healthier digestion.