Cocoa

Email this page to a friend

Want news about Cocoa and more e-mailed to you? Click here for free email alerts

The True History of Chocolate Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe See book keywords and concepts

I will enquire whether it is the Superior Quality of the cocoa Nut, or any othet Ingtedient which they intermix with it, or a bettet Art of making it, which tenders it so much superiour to any other.

It has very little caffeine: in a typical fine chocolate bar with at least 50 percent "cocoa solids," and weighing 100 grams (3.5 oz), there is no more of this alkaloid than in an average cup of American-style coffee. It is true that cacao butter is mostly saturated fat, but this largely consists of stearic triglycerides, which have been shown to have no effect on blood cholesterol levels; there is no direct link between chocolate consumption and the development of heart disease. Dark chocolate does not cause diabetes, dental caries, or acne, or produce headaches, as sometimes has been alleged.

There are other plants with similar common names, such as the "coco-bean" (a variety of the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris), but enough has been said to make clear that a reference to "cocoa," or something that sounds vaguely similar, is not necessarily proof of the presence of Theobroma cacao. For a tree that bears seeds of such importance, cacao is singularly difficult to grow.1 With a very few exceptions, it refuses to bear fruit outside a band of 20 degrees north and 20 degrees south of the Equator.

But just to confuse matters, the New York Commodities Market calls the unprocessed seeds "cocoa"! Simple, reduplicated syllables are frequent among common names for plants, and have led the unwary to find cacao where it did The great Swedish naturalist Linnaeus (1707-78) gave the scientific name Theobroma cacao to the chocolate tree. ' lit 1 Itt yjJ Hit 1 L/L/U. l/J Hit VJUUJ not and does not exist. We must be careful not to confuse Theobroma cacao with the coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, and, its products, often known as "coco" in tropical America.

Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation: Unleash The Natural Healing Power That Lies Dormant Within You Andreas Moritz See book keywords and concepts

Chocolate, cocoa beverages and chocolate ice cream are also high in oxalates. Anyone who has consumed or now consumes these foods on a regular basis may be growing oxalate stones in the kidneys, especially children whose kidneys are still very small and delicate. Also, if you ingested over 200mg of Vitamin C per day, some of it would be converted into oxalate. Except for a tiny amount that is actually used by the body, the rest would be excreted in the gut and urine. Vitamin C is not as harmless as many believe it is, especially in its synthetic and isolated form.

You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore Bill Sardi See book keywords and concepts

Over a period of decades, cigarette makers added cocoa, ammonia and other agents to their products. By law, these additives can represent up to 10% of the total weight of one cigarette. These changes have been made without informing health authorities. [British Medical Journal 330: 690, 2005] Tobacco additives NOW... 10 Months Scientific Evidence For Chesterfield mtatjmets CHESTERFIELD IS BET FOR TOD There are scientists working in laboratories today who are attempting to make cigarettes that are less irritating, tastier, and more habit forming.

Department of Agriculture, the iron- and copper-binding molecules called polyphenols in some foods (particularly grapes, berries, cherries, olives, cocoa, tea and citrus rind) account for most of the antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables. [J AOAC Int 83: 950-56, 2000] A plentiful supply of polyphenols (sometimes called bioflavonoids) may not be provided in the best plant food diet or supplement regimen. Interestingly, it was found that a major measure of oxidation was not reduced among vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians.

The True History of Chocolate Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe See book keywords and concepts

Nevertheless, we shall end our "true history" on an optimistic note: the debasement of chocolate has led to its own reaction, with the emergence in the late 20th and early 21st centuries of elite, premier chocolate for connoisseurs with long pockets—but to be eaten, of course, not sipped, as chocolate had been for most of the thousands of years since that unknown Mexican Indian first turned cocoa beans into "the food of the gods." Cacao tree in a somewhat schematic early J 8th~century engraving from a travel book by the Dominican priest Jean-Baptiste Labat. Chapter One **.

The Autoimmune Epidemic Donna Jackson Nakazawa See book keywords and concepts

Think of it: one bowl of cocoa Puffs has the same amount of sugar as a 50-gram bag of Hershey's Kisses, and a bowl of Corn Pops is the sugar equivalent of eating a Kit Kat bar.) Chips, multi-dye-colored cheese Goldfish, and pretzels in foil-lined bags, along with processed meats, fill the typical lunch box. Dinner often comes from a box or prepackaged bag from the freezer, and snacks and sodas—of which there are a plethora to choose from in our snack culture—serve as pick-me-ups in between. What fresh foods we do consume—unless organic—are sprayed liberally with pesticides and fungicides.

The True History of Chocolate Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe See book keywords and concepts

To fabricate dark chocolate, the roasted cocoa nibs are ground into liquor, and the sugar pulverized; these two are then brought together in a melangeur or mixer, which is a rotating pan, generally with a granite bed on which granite rollers rotate; heat is applied by steam or hot water, essentially making this an up-to-date version of the old heated metate with mano. Next, the mixed mass is worked by multiple-roller refiners to ensure smoothness. Conching is the last step, imparting the final flavor to the chocolate mass; in good-quality dark chocolate, this might take from 72 to 96 hours.

Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness Tori Hudson, N.D. See book keywords and concepts

High levels of antioxidants, including stearic acid and flavonoids called procyanidins, catechins, and epicatechins, are found not only in chocolate but also in tea, red wine, and various fruits and vegetables. cocoa is particularly rich in these flavonoids. It is thought that the flavonoids reduce leukotrienes, potent vasoconstrictors, and contain prostacyclins that vasodilate and inhibit blood stickiness. This benefit is only found in dark chocolate, however. Milk chocolate binds to the antioxidants in chocolate and makes them unavailable. It is also higher in fat content.

The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine: The Ultimate Multidisciplinary Reference to the Amazing Realm of Healing Plants, in a Quick-study, One-stop Guide Brigitte Mars, A.H.G. See book keywords and concepts

To make herbal suppositories, mix together well-powdered herbs with enough softened cocoa butter to make a thick paste. Form the mixture into suppository-size shapes and refrigerate. (Molds for suppositories are sometimes available from pharmaceutical supply houses.) When the suppositories have set, insert one at night, before bedtime, in the appropriate orifice. Keep in until morning. Wear a cloth pad in your underwear to avoid staining your clothing. Store the remaining suppositories in a cool, dry location.

The Science of Flavonoids Erich Grotewold See book keywords and concepts

They are widely distributed in foods and beverages of plant origin, such as fruits, vegetables, tea, cocoa, and wine. Numerous publications report their content in various foods (Kelm et al., 2005; Schreier, 2005). Within the subgroups of the flavonols and the flavones, the flavonol quercetin is the most frequently occurring compound in foods. Also common are kaempferol, myricetin, and the flavones apigenin and luteolin. Tea and onions are the main dietary sources of flavonols and flavones.

Liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric study of the phenolic composition of cocoa (Theobroma cacao), J Mass Spectrom 38: 35-42. Self, R., Eagels, J., Galletti, G. C, Mueller-Harvey, I., Hartley, R. D., Lea, A. G. H., Magnolato, D., Richli, U., Gajer, R. and Haslam, E., 1986, Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of polyphenols (syn. vegetable tannins), Biomed Environ Mass Spectrom 13: 449-468. Sfakiaos, J., Coward, L., Kirk, M. C. and Barnes, S., 1997, Intestinal uptake and biliary excretion of the isoflavone genistein in rats, JNutr 127: 1260-1269.

Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. with Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D. See book keywords and concepts

Although regrettably the organization allows its endorsement to be emblazoned on packages of low-fat, sugary, processed foods such as cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, Lucky Charms, Pop-Tarts, and Frosted Mini-Wheats, the AHA does concede that studies suggest that "high sugar intake should be avoided," and it recommends that carb intake come mainly from complex carbohydrates.

Interview: Amazing Grass' Brandon Burt talks about Kidz SuperFood and nutrition for children Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

It's a lighter-colored cocoa. We tried several different ones, and we found that children really took to the redwood cocoa, which is light in color. Those three things make up the top three ingredients. Mike: They really work, because the first thing I did when I stopped by your booth here was to say, "Give me a taste." Burt: You wanted to try it with some water too to see how it tasted. Mike: That's right. If it doesn't pass my taste test, then I'm not even going to talk about the product. This was delicious just in water. Burt: We formulated it to taste great just mixing it with water.

Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. with Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D. See book keywords and concepts

Sugar Association, Corn Refiners Association, International Food Information Council, Calorie Control Council, American cocoa Research Institute, and the benevolently named American Council for Fitness and Nutrition. The head of this last organization, whose members include the Coca Cola Company, PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, Cadbury Schweppes, the Snack Food Association, the American Beverage Association (formerly the National Soft Drink Association), and the Sugar Association, reportedly once stated that soda-and-candy-filled vending machines in schools don't play a role in the obesity crisis.

They don't say, 'Don't eat sugary breakfast cereals like Froot Loops, Cap'n Crunch, or cocoa Puffs, or don't eat refined carbs or fatty foods like Pop-Tarts, Doritos, French fries, greasy hamburgers, sausages, bacon, and processed deli meats— foods that deliver sugar, salt, or trans fats.' "The dietary guidelines are not a work of pure science but a compromise between science and politics," Dr. Katz maintains. "They're partly for consumers and partly for the food industry. Those compromises favor the food industry when it comes to guidance about what not to eat.

The Science of Flavonoids Erich Grotewold See book keywords and concepts

Epicatechin and catechin in cocoa inhibit amyloid beta protein induced apoptosis, J Agric Food Chem, 53: 1445-1448. Heo, H. J., and Lee, C. Y., 2005b, Strawberry and its anthocyanidins reduce oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells, J Agric Food Chem, 53:1984-1989. Hirai, S. I., Ryseck, R. P., Mechta, F., Bravo, R., and Yaniv, M., 1989, Characterization of junD: a new member of the jun proto-oncogene family, EmboJ, 8: 1433-1439. Hirano, R., Sasamoto, W., Matsumoto, A., Itakura, H., Igarashi, O., and Kondo, K.

Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. with Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D. See book keywords and concepts

California against General Foods for deceptively advertising breakfast cereals such as cocoa Pebbles, Sugar Crisp, Alpha Bits, Fruity Pebbles, and Honeycomb to children. Plaintiffs argued that calling them "cereals" was misleading. Rather, they contended, they're "more accurately described as sugar products, or candies" since they contain 38 to 50 percent sugar. Although the case was later settled, the California Supreme Court ruled that ads implicitly claiming that cereals are healthful or nutritious made potential targets for litigation.

Foods That Fight Pain: Revolutionary New Strategies for Maximum Pain Relief Neal Barnard, M.D. See book keywords and concepts

Aztecs used it to make a beverage, a rather bitter ancestor of hot cocoa, which they shared with the Spanish conquistadors. Europeans sweetened it with sugar and added vanilla, nuts, and other flavorings. Nothing resembling modern chocolate existed until 1828, when a Dutchman named Conrad van Houten invented a machine that could press cocoa butter from cocoa beans. By concentrating cocoa butter and adding it to ground beans, a smooth chocolate was produced that could be sweetened with sugar and molded into enticing shapes.

101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! David W. Grotto, RD, LDN See book keywords and concepts

COLON CANCER: Researchers from the University of Barcelona in Spain found that antioxidants in cocoa may be effective in suppressing genes that trigger colon cancer cell growth. COGNITIVE FUNCTION: Dr. Bryan Raudenbush, a researcher from Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, discovered that verbal and visual memory were significantly higher in those subjects who consumed milk chocolate as opposed to dark chocolate. Tips on Using Chocolate: (Do you really need any? Ha!

Grocery Warning: How to recognize and avoid the groceries that cause cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other common diseases Mike Adams See book keywords and concepts

Coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, many soft drinks, diet pills, aspirin, various analgesics used for migraine headache and vascular pain, and even some herbal preparations contain either caffeine or very closely related substances. Examples of such caffeine-like substances are theobromine in chocolate and cocoa and theophylline in tea. When caffeine and similar compounds are taken in excess, any of several symptoms usually result: anxiety and nervousness, insomnia or light sleep patterns, various types of heart disease, stomach and intestinal maladies, and moodiness.

Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron See book keywords and concepts

Vaseline)-based balm that contains some very helpful non-volatile plant oils as well as emollient cocoa butter. Sage oil makes this an impetfect choice, but the amount is small enough so it's not a concern for irritation (the product doesn't even have a hint of sage aroma). Still, this would've received a happy face rating without it. BOOTS MAKEUP FOUNDATION: /© No7 Soft & Sheer Tinted Moisturiser SPF 15 ($11.99) is a great find for those with normal to dry skin!

Vaseline) along with cocoa and shea butters. It is fragrance-free and less greasy than using plain Vaseline, not to mention being in portable stick form. © Herbal Answer Stick SPF 15 ($1.89 for 0.15 ounce) lacks sufficient UVA-protecting ingredients, so this isn't the answer for dayrime sun protection. It is otherwise a standard Chap-Stick-style lip balm that contains a smattering of natural (not herbal) ingredients. © Herbal Answer Tube SPF 15 ($2.19 for 0.

Foods that Fight Cancer Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D. See book keywords and concepts

These products contain very little cocoa (federal laws prohibit their being labelled "chocolate"); instead of cocoa butter, they contain filler ingredients such as saturated fats. This explains why "chocolate" candy, which contains more fats and sugar than it does dark chocolate, is an important source of cholesterol . . . fatigue. The emperor Montezuma, for example, could drink up to fifty goblets of xocoatl per day, which may seem enormous, but was probably the amount he needed for support in the day's tasks (he kept a harem of six hundred concubines).

Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron See book keywords and concepts

The Carob and cocoa shades are too ash for dark skin tones. BLUSH: © $$$ Beach Tint ($22) appears at first glance to be a liquid-to-powder blush in a tube, but instead this has a lotion-like texture that's easy to blend, imparting translucent color and a slightly moist finish. Only one shade is available (best for medium skin tones) but this may be worth a try if you're looking for an alternative to powder blush. © $$$ Creme Blush ($27) is a modern interpretation of traditional cream blush.

The Carob and cocoa shades have a slight tendency to turn ash on darker skin, so consider those carefully. © $$$ Pressed Bronzing Powder ($34). With shade names such as Flamenco and Calypso, this bronzing powder is all about feeling energized, and it delivers a soft tan glow that makes you look as if you've been dancing the day away outdoors. The slightly grainy texture manages to apply evenly and sheer, and it's easy to build more intensity if needed. This is one of the better bronzing powders with shine because the result is glow rather than glitter.

Health Begins in the Colon Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN See book keywords and concepts

Caffeine is found naturally in tea, coffee, and cocoa and is added to many carbonated beverages. Caffeine keeps you going by preventing the chemical adenosine from telling the brain it's time to relax. The result is a surge of unnatural energy; but over time, the brain becomes accustomed to the threshold and requires ever-greater amounts of caffeine to provide the same increase in alertness. This is what makes caffeine products such as coffee so addictive and it explains why the line at Starbucks* is always so long.

page 2 of 19 | Next ->

FAIR USE NOTICE: The research quoted here is provided under the protection of Fair Use provisions and published by the 501(c)3 non-profit Consumer Wellness Center for the purposes of public comment and education. Authors / publishers may submit books for consideration of inclusion here.

TERMS OF USE: Read full terms of use. Citations of text from NaturalPedia must include: 1) Full credit to the original author and book title. 2) Secondary credit to the Natural News Naturalpedia as a research resource and a link to www.NaturalNews.com/np/index.html

This unique compilation of research is copyright (c) 2008 by the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center.

ABOUT THE CREATOR OF NATURALPEDIA: Mike Adams, the creator of this NaturalNews Naturalpedia, is the editor of NaturalNews.com, the internet's top natural health news site, creator of the Honest Food Guide (www.HonestFoodGuide.org), a free downloadable consumer food guide based on natural health principles, author of Grocery Warning, The 7 Laws of Nutrition, Natural Health Solutions, and many other books available at www.TruthPublishing.com, creator of the earth-friendly EcoLEDs company (www.EcoLEDs.com) that manufactures energy-efficient LED lighting products, founder of Arial Software (www.ArialSoftware.com), a permission e-mail technology company, creator of the CounterThink Cartoon series (www.NaturalNews.com/index-cartoons.html) and author of over 1,500 articles, interviews, special reports and reference guides available at www.NaturalNews.com. Adams' personal philosophy and health statistics are available at www.HealthRanger.org.