You can’t make everyone happy, you’re not a slice of chocolate…

But did you know that eating chocolate can actually affect your mood!

It’s not just mood altering, chocolate actually has a whole heap of benefits.

HANG ON!

Don’t pack up and move to Willy’s Chocolate Factory just yet.

Before we get into it, let’s just make it clear: refined chocolate (you know the ones we’re talking about in that shiny purple packaging) is basically plain junk.

Any nutritional value that it may have had to begin with has been completely stripped out, leaving it with a huge sugar content and a list of ingredients none of us can pronounce.

When we say chocolate, we mean cacao based (look for 75% and up) dark chocolate.

Another thing you need to ask yourself, is the chocolate you’re organic? The cacao bean is one of the most highly sprayed crops in the world, so stick to spray free when you can.

Another interesting fact, research has shown that dairy can prevent the absorption of the antioxidants of cacao, so if you can, go vegan chocolate.

So now we’ve got that covered, let’s go!

The benefits of chocolate

Raw chocolate is LOADED with benefits. Some of these include:

Cacao is a mood elevator

When you eat cacao, your brain fires off neurotransmitters that promote a sense of happiness, not to mention that chocolate releases the same chemicals that the brain releases when we fall in love. Ever felt like you were literally in love with that chocolate bar? That’s why.

It is jam packed with antioxidants

The cacao bean is loaded with antioxidants that aren’t preserved in cocoa (the basis of most refined chocolate). These antioxidants help support your nervous system, protect you against cardiovascular disease, plus a whole other host of bodily functions.

Helps to detoxify the body of toxins

Because cacao is a potent antioxidant, it can repair damaged caused by free radicals. It has even been linked to a lowered risk of cancer! And to get real nerdy, cacao actually has more antioxidants than goji berries and acai! Move over, superfoods!

Not to mention…

It’s rich in magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper and manganese.

So there you have it

Next time it comes to raw chocolate, dig in!

Inga & The Cleanse Kitchen