If you love a hot cup of hot chocolate after a long day, it is important to make it healthy so that it comforts you while also providing you with a boost of nutrition. To ensure that you get the most benefits, you want to use an organic cocoa to make your hot chocolate. Organic cocoa is often described as a miracle food among health experts and some refer to it as the world’s greatest medicine. This is because it is a powerful source of nutrients and it significantly protects health.
Quick Burst of Essential Nutrients
Organic cocoa is full of many nutrients that you need each day. It contains the following essential nutrients:
- Approximately 11 grams of fiber
- Approximately 67 percent of the iron you need each day
- Approximately 89 percent of the copper you need each day
- Approximately 58 percent of the magnesium you need each day
- Approximately 98 percent of the manganese you need each day
- Cocoa also contains potassium, zinc, phosphorus and selenium.
The higher the amount of cocoa, the higher the amount of nutrients you receive from consuming it. The above percentages are based on 70 to 85 percent cocoa.
Excellent Source of Antioxidants
Antioxidants work to essentially disarm the free radicals in your body so that they cannot run amuck and cause trouble. Cocoa contains more polyphenols, antioxidant activity and flavanols than many fruits that are often touted for their antioxidant activity, such as acai berries and blueberries. Getting plenty of antioxidants in your diet may help to prevent serious diseases, such as heart disease and various types of cancer.
Better Blood Flow
Cocoa contains flavanols that help to stimulate the arterial lining, known as the endothelium, to produce the gas called nitric oxide. This gas has many responsibilities in the body, but one of the most important is to tell the arteries that they need to relax. This helps to improve blood flow and it can also help to reduce blood pressure. Preliminary research shows that cocoa may not only reduce blood pressure, but it may also prevent an increase from occurring in the first place.
Improved Brain Function
Things like mental clarity, better memory and a higher level of focus and alertness are critical for you to be productive each day. Cocoa may help because it helps to improve the flow of blood to the brain thanks to it being a rich source of flavanols. The theobromine and other natural stimulants present in organic cocoa may also help to improve brain function. When your brain is getting the blood that it needs, it functions at its highest level.
As you can see, adding organic cocoa to your diet is a quick and delicious way to achieve better health. It offers benefits for every organ system in your body and helps to promote better overall health. Enjoying just one cup of hot chocolate made with organic cocoa each day allows you to reap these benefits.
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.medicinehunter.com/cocoa-health-miracle
http://organicjar.com/2009/1737/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16572598
