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Falling in
Love with Chocolate
by Chitra Gunderson
Sitting at my
kitchen table with my feet propped up on the
cast iron cross bars and my elbows resting
on the arms of the chair, I hear the early
morning birds happily chirping in the trees
outside. A potted plant sitting on the table
with peace lily blooms gently towering over
a variety of leaf shapes and colors captures
loving thoughts of the friend who gave it to
me. Wanting to enhance my state of
relaxation, I slowly peel the green foil
wrapping from around a small chocolate ball,
pop it into my mouth, and allow it to slowly
melt into a smooth creamy texture that
tantalizes my taste buds. Savoring its
flavor I feel a warm glow spread throughout
my body; a pleasurable smile emerges and a
butterfly flutters in my stomach like
meeting your lover again after a long
separation.
Wow! What is in this little chocolate ball
that brings such an experience of euphoria?
I pick up the bottle and read the orange and
yellow label “ChocaMaca - Organic Chocolate
with Amazon Herbs.” Turning the bottle
around to read the contents I fumble with
twisted tongue as I attempt to pronounce
Spanish words on the ingredient list. Not
only are they hard to pronounce…I’ve never
heard of them before!
As I embark upon my search for knowledge of
the ingredients I discover a world of
vibrant Amazonian plant life that offers
healing nutrition in this little chocolaty
ball.
Cacao, the main ingredient in ChocaMaca, is
a short tree that grows in South and Central
America, the Caribbean and Africa. Growing
from the main branches of the cacao tree,
the ripened fruit is a yellow pod about 6
inches long and 3 inches in diameter.
Cutting open the pod you find it full of
seeds or beans surrounded by a delicious
white sweet and sour flesh.
After eating the whitish pulp from the
fruits, the indigenous people set the seeds
on a wood board to dry in the sun for about
7 days, until they turn a dark brown color.
The dried beans are then ground and mixed
with a little water to form a paste, which
is added to food or drink to use for sacred
rites and to honor guests with social
drinks.
Considered “Food of the Gods” by ancient
Mayans and Aztecs, they believed Cacao was
divine sent, given by the god Quetzacoatl.
To them it was a sacred plant in charge of
male deities: the Mayam god of fertility,
the Mixtec Seven Flower, and the Aztec Lord
of Flowers, Xochilli, god of song, poetry
and spring. Hmm, I like the thought of
eating sacred food…
On the health giving side, Cacao beans are
rich in the anti-oxidants found in green
tea, prunes, red wine, and grape seeds. One
study showed that because of the high
anti-oxidants, cacao is more beneficial to
health than teas and red wine. In fact,
eating Cacao daily provides the
anti-oxidants and flavonoids that promote
cardiovascular health and help reduce causes
of stroke and cardiac infarction by
preventing the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol.
The key to our hearts in more ways than one,
Cacao also contains PEA (phenylethylamine)
known as the molecule of love, a natural
chemical in the brain that causes the
euphoria experienced by lovers…an internal
bliss. And, the amino acid in cacao,
Tryptophan, helps elevate mood and reduce
anxiety by increasing serotonin levels. In
addition, Cacao’s high levels of magnesium
reduce premenstrual symptoms…even the smell
of chocolate enhances relaxation. So,
ladies, don’t feel guilty, satisfy that
craving!
What I truly discovered is not all chocolate
is created equal…the unique combination of
Cacao and eleven wild rainforest botanicals
offered in ChocaMaca takes chocolate to
another level, it offers “a source of mind
stimulating herbs and strong antioxidants in
a tasty bite made with natural chocolate and
wild herbs from the Amazonian Rainforest,”
writes Christian Drapeau, M.Sc.
Some of the key Amazonian herbs in ChocaMaca
such as Maca (Peruvian ginseng), Catuaba,
and Muira Pauma increase energy and are mild
aphrodisiacs; Camu Camu is the highest known
source of natural occurring vitamin C
providing 30-40 times more vitamin C than an
orange. Excellent to clear the mind, lift
the mood and boost energy; Kiwicha , a high
protein grain similar to amaranth, was a
staple of the Incan Empire, who believed it
had supernatural powers. It is a source of
calcium, essential fatty acids and insoluble
fibers; Also in ChocaMaca is Blue-green
algae and Fucus (marine algae), which
enhances mental concentration, energy, and
strength. Wow! This powerful little ball is
like a chocolate vitamin!
Bringing together the various colors and
flavors of powerful rainforest plants with
rich dark cacao into a synergistic marriage,
ChocaMaca delivers superior nutrition in an
enjoyable chocolaty ball that everyone
enjoys…a truly healthy, guilt-free
indulgence for chocolate lovers! I invite
you to indulge your senses in the ChocaMaca
experience, and have extra on hand to share
this chocolate secret with friends. Enjoy! |
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