.jpg)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Cocoa Nibs Are Healthy In Many Ways
Often called cacao nibs, cocoa nibs are tasty treats of preground cacao beans that have been roasted, hulled, and prepped first for grinding, then inclusion into candy or chocolate bars.
Like chocolate in general, the antioxidant properties of cocoa nibs are quite high, meaning those who eat the tasty morsels are more likely than others to experience a healthy drop in blood pressure, improved circulation, and decreased chances of experiencing cancer or heart disease.
Cocoa nibs are extremely high in magnesium, a key mineral not produced by the human body that’s crucial for nerve and muscle relaxation, building and strengthening bones, and helping promote healthy blood circulation. An estimated 80 percent of all Americans go through life with a magnesium deficiency.
Facts, properties, and recipes in regards to cocoa nibs include:
* Cacao is a small evergreen tree native to tropical Mexico that’s now cultivated in many tropical environments
* Cocoa nibs taste similar to roasted coffee beans
* When coated in chocolate, cocoa nibs are crunchier than coffee beans
* Cocoa nibs only are available in small pieces
* Cocoa nibs can be added to baked goods recipes, often as a substitute for sweeter chocolate chips or nuts
* Cocoa has twice the antioxidant levels of red wine and three times the antioxidant level of green tea
* Antioxidants in cocoa are stable, making them readily available to neutralize free radicals in the human body thought to cause cancer and heart disease
* Cocoa nibs contain chemicals that enhance physical and mental well-being such as alkaloids, proteins, beta-carotene, leucine, linoleic acid, and lysine
* Neurotransmitters present in cocoa nibs include dopamine, anandamide, and theobromine
* Studies suggest cocoa nib consumption diminishes appetite
* Cocoa nibs don’t require refrigeration, but keep best in cool, dry places
* Cocoa nibs initially were sold as a packaging gimmick to link, in the consumer’s mind, the evergreen tree with the finished chocolate product
* Cocoa nibs often are incorporated into other chocolate products, or immersed in chocolate and sold separately
* Cocoa nibs can be used with cookies, brownies, truffles, cakes, tarts, savory sauces, moles, chili, salads, chocolate syrups, and to rub on beef or pork
The three major types of cocoa beans from which cocoa nibs are made from are the criollo, forasteros, and trinitario. The criollo is considered the highest quality chocolate from among the three, is the source for most cocoa nibs, and primarily grows in rich soil in the milder climates of South America.
It’s estimated that about 80 percent of the world’s supply of chocolate is in the form of forasteros beans grown in the Amazon regions of South America. Trinitario chocolate beans are a hybrid from the other two, and grow on trees in South America, some Caribbean islands, and other tropical places around the world.
In addition to the many other healthy services they provide for one’s body, cocoa nibs are catalysts to improved digestion and a decreased incidence of stroke.
By Rocky Wilson author of Sharene -- Death: A Prerequisite For Life
