Raw cacao (pronounced Ka-Cow) is a favorite food of mine; how could it not be when it’s the best form of chocolate you could provide your body!

The cacao beans come from the Theobroma cacao tree. While cocoa and cacao are two different words, they essentially mean the same thing although we generally use cocoa to refer to a more processed chocolate product with added sugar, versus the raw cacao, which has no sugar.

The forms of cacao you’ll see most often are cacao nibs and cacao powder. Cacao nibs are cacao beans that have been roasted,separated from their husks, and broken into smaller pieces. Cacao powder is the nib ground into powder form and can be a wonderful addition to baked goods and smoothies!

Beyond the yummy, bitter chocolate taste of raw cacao come all the antioxidant and mineral benefits of the food. Note to all of you milk-chocolate lovers; it may take some time for you to get used to the flavor of cacao nibs and powder. Be patient and start by mixing it with other yumminess in your morning smoothie.

Cacao is known as the most potent antioxidant food in the world. We know this because of its ORAC score. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and was created by the United States Department of Agriculture to measure the effectiveness of antioxidants to absorb free radicals that cause cell and tissue damage in our body. Our cells are the foundation of a healthy body. When we have happy, healthy cells our body can thrive for a long time, and this is indeed why cacao is known as a “longevity” food. It helps people live well for a long time which is, I believe, what all of us want in this life.

Here are the top ORAC rated foods in the world:
ORAC scores for the Top 10 Antioxidants Foods (per 100 grams)

1. Raw cocoa powder 95,500
2. Raw cacao nibs 62,100
3. Roasted cocoa powder 26,000
4. Organic goji berries 25,300
5. Acai berries 18,500
6. Dark chocolate 13,120
7. Milk chocolate 6,740
8. Prunes 5,770
9. Raisins 2,830
10. Blueberries 2,400

Source: US Department of Agriculture/Journal of American Chemical Society

The cacao bean is a great source of magnesium which is needed for over 300 processes in our body. Among many things, magnesium is essential for muscle and nerve function and helps keep our heart in steady rhythm.

While you don’t find fiber in a chocolate bar, raw cacao provides a hearty 9 grams of fiber in one ounce and has the highest amount of plant-based iron to keep our red blood cells happy. Raw cacao will help keep you alert as well with its phenylethylamine content.

Word of caution about raw cacao:

Cacao contains theobromine which is a nervous system stimulant and dilates blood vessels much like caffeine does. Start with small amounts of raw cacao, as some people are sensitive to this caffeine -like effect. You’ll know best how to get the benefits from this amazing food while honoring your body’s response.

It’s my great pleasure to serve and support you in health and happiness.  I’d love to hear from you; feel free to connect with me: connect@angelagaffney.com

Cheers to your health and happiness! 

XO,

RECIPE:

Dark Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

Ingredients:

Angie’s Note: The whole family will love this sweet treat!  You can serve it up with breakfast or enjoy it in front of the warm fire for an evening dessert.  It’s packed with superfoods that will nourish the body and help keep your blood sugar balanced.  This is love in a cup! 

Ingredients:

Serves 2 

2 cups vanilla almond, coconut, or oat milk 
1 Tbsp. (heaping) raw cacao (you may use cocoa powder as even exchange) 
1 Tbsp. raw honey or pure agave nectar
1 Tbsp. coconut oil 
½ tsp. cinnamon 

Directions: 

Heat the almond milk on the stovetop, to just under a boil and then add all the ingredients to your blender or Vitamix and blend for a minute. 

Green smoothies are a fantastic way to start your day off for breakfast, or to use as a meal replacement or snack. Not only can these smoothies be incredibly healthy, but they’re delicious! Crafting the perfect smoothie doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming, but a little planning will go a long way in making sure you’re getting the most nutritional benefit out of your smoothies. Here are a few of my favorite recipes – I hope you enjoy!

Health happens when we’re adequately prepared; it doesn’t matter if we’re talking about meal planning, healthy snacks for the road, or listening to your favorite tunes during your evening run. Preparation is the key to health success; there’s no two ways about it.

This rule also applies when you’re selecting snacks for you and your loved ones.  You can walk down the center aisles of the grocery store and choose amongst thousands and thousands of prepackaged items, but at what cost? While the prepackaged items may be convenient, they tend to be filled with unnecessary sugars, fillers, food coloring and preservatives that negate health in our body.  Take time to prep healthy snacks for the whole family. You’ll receive health benefits, boost your immune system and provide the body balanced nourishment for all-day energy.

Consider these three tips when creating a snack:

1. Balance your macronutrients:  Be sure your snack contains healthy carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables, greens, beans, whole grains), protein (beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, meat, fish) and healthy fat (olives, hummus, avocado, nuts, seeds, coconut milk, coconut oil)
2. Fiber is your friend:  Snacks should contain a good amount of fiber to help digest any available sugars, keep you satiated and provide enduring energy.
3. Snacks should be colorful:  If you select cheese and crackers for your snack, you might get some protein, carbohydrates and even a little fat but you’re missing out on all the beautiful nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can support you in health.  Select bright vegetables and fruits to start and pair them up with a protein and fat source to balance things out.

Create these snack items at home and bring them to work/school to nourish the body between meals! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Apple slices, almond butter and coconut flakes
• Stove-top popcorn made with coconut oil and tossed in clarified butter, sea salt and rosemary
• Homemade trail mix: nuts, dried fruit, seeds, coconut flakes & dark chocolate
• Veggie sticks and hummus
• Roasted garbanzo beans: rinse and dry beans, toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and roast at 400°F
• Homemade Granola served with full fat goat milk yogurt or organic Greek yogurt & berries
• Organic tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa
• Small side salad with vegetables, feta cheese and dressing
• Tuna or chicken salad with chopped carrot and celery served in ½ avocado
• Hard-boiled egg with organic whole grain crackers
• Brown Rice Cake with sunbutter and sliced strawberries
• Cup of soup
• Celery sticks with peanut butter and dried cranberries
• Clementine and a handful of pistachios

Make the commitment to prep healthy snacks for you and your family.  Habits are hard to break, I know, but in time it will become second nature. Just take the leap and get started. Challenge yourself to stay out of the center aisles of the grocery store (except for whole-food necessities like beans, grains, etc.), invite the whole family to come up with healthy snack options for the week and let everyone help you with the prep and packing of the snacks. The more involved the kids are, the more willing they are to eat what you’ve prepared.

Here are some of my favorite snacks to give you some ideas for healthy summer snacking!

There’s one question I get asked often when it comes to healthy eating and that is “how can my family eat healthy meals when I have no time to cook?”  I’m in the same boat as many of you, working full time, caring for children and their activities and taking care of many other household duties too.  There’s often very little time in the day to make it all happen so the key to success begins with one vital task…PREPARATION.

As many families are entering the Fall school season, with life often becoming more rhythmic (and busy!) now is a great time to make a plan for your meal preparation. Below are three resources with helpful tips for HOW to make meal preparation feasible, even if you’re short on time, and ensure that you’re making healthy choices that will serve you and your family! Enjoy!

• Tips For Pack And Go Lunches
• Breakfast Ideas To Start Your Morning Off Right!
• Smarten Up About Snacks