Raw Cacao
Raw Cacao is one of the most pharmacologically complex foods Nature has to offer us — with over 1200 chemical constituents — it is the definition of a Super Food.
If Jack used magic beans to grow his beanstalk, they must have been Raw Cacao beans! He must have eaten some too, hence all the energy he had to climb that giant beanstalk!
Pineal Gland
Raw cacao is loaded with Magnesium. Every cell in our body requires magnesium to function correctly. Maintaining good blood serum levels of magnesium is essential to human life, including how alive we actually feel. If we are low in Magnesium, our energy and vitality will suffer. Magnesiums deep entanglement with the production of energy, is likely the reason we crave chocolate when we feel an energy slump.
The Pineal gland, like all other organs, especially our brain, greatly benefits from an increase in blood supply. When we ingest Raw Cacao, Nitric Oxide is released in to our bloodstream. Nitric Oxide is a vasodilator, which means it enables blood vessels to widen and blood flow is increased as a result (vasoconstriction, narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow). This increase in blood flow nourishes our bodily systems, including our Pineal Gland.
There are only four parts of the brain that are not protected by the blood-brain barrier and the Pineal Gland is one of them (as it secretes Melatonin into the bloodstream). The fact the Pineal Gland is not protected by the blood-brain barrier means we have to stay conscious of what we eat, in order to give our Pineal the nourishment it requires to decalcify, activate and function optimally.
About Raw Cacao
Greek Derivative: theo (God) and broma (Food) known as “food of the Gods”.
Botanical Name: Theobroma Cacao
Native to: Amazon Basin.
Telling to the complex power of this “Food of the Gods”, Raw Cacao has been used in Spiritual Ceremonies around the world. The earliest recorded use of this purpose being that of the Olmec people, who were the first major civilisation in Mexico.
For centuries, consumption of Raw Cacao has been used to heighten ones state of being, both on a physical level and in relation to raising our level of consciousness and awareness. Wether ancient civilisations knew the science or not, they were in full appreciation of the physical, psychological and spiritual effects of ingesting Raw Cacao.
An array of neurotransmitters are released when Cacao enters the body which quickly impact how we feel on multiple levels of experience and being:
We all know of the mood enhancer Serotonin, which is triggered by tryptophan found in Cacao.. but have you heard of Phenylethlyamine?
Known simply as the “Love Molecule”, Phenylethlyamine is released in response to eating Cacao, and mimics those feelings we get when we fall in love. It lifts our mood, quickens our pulse, and in general makes us more excited, more alert, and more happy.
Another neurotransmitter released upon the instruction of Cacao is Anandamide, which binds to THC receptors in the brain. Anandamide gets its name from the Sanskrit word for happiness and bliss, therefore this neurotransmitter is often referred to as the “Bliss Molecule”.
These neuro-chemical effects – which also support spiritual experiences – along with the vasodilation effects of Raw Cacao affecting stimulation of the Third Eye (Pineal Gland), is the reason these little beans full of life giving qualities were included in spiritual ceremonies – and is the same reason we have included Raw Cacao in our Night-time Formula.
Health Benefits
Akin to a spiritual guide, love guru, or indeed a therapist, here are some additional Health Benefits of Raw Cacao – natures Army of One and a true super-food!
Provides copious amounts of essential Minerals
Minerals are the building blocks of life. To give you a comparison of importance, we can say that minerals are as essential to the human body as Oxygen. Minerals increase the bio-availability of Vitamins. Minerals and trace minerals are involved in the creation and function of each and every cellular role played in the body, from the metabolic process, blood count, strong hair, bones, teeth, healthy skin and, nervous system function. Here are some of the minerals that embellish the astonishing pharmacologic profile of Raw Cacao: Zinc, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Copper and Phosphorous. Scientists continue to study the mineral and antioxidant profile of Raw cacao and it’s implications in the prevention of a myriad of disease.
Let’s talk about Magnesium
In the days before heavy use of pesticides, our soil was mineral rich, which meant that when we ate food that was grown in the ground, we were exposed to plenty of Minerals essential to our very life-force and, our immune function. As the use of pesticides and herbicides increased, the quality of our soil dramatically degraded, leaving it deplete of minerals. Eating foods devoid of minerals, has a direct effect on our health. Take a close look at the people around you and you will see placid skin, dark circles under the eyes, skin disorders, hair loss, brittle nails and other tell tale signs of mineral and subsequently vitamin deficiencies too. Raw Cacao provides the trace mineral Magnesium in abundance. Magnesium plays a leading role in sustaining life, as it has a direct influence on how our DNA and RNA (ribonucleic acid) work in tandem to transmit genetic information, build proteins and turnover new healthy cells.
Magnesiums vital role in energy production within the cells (ATP) is responsible for sustaining our energy to live life to the fullest. However, Magnesium has also been hailed as the ‘relaxation mineral’ and is paramount to muscular relaxation (without Magnesium, our muscles would be in a state of sustained contraction). Magnesium calms the nervous system down, regulating the amount of Cortisol (stress hormone) released into the bloodstream. On the flip side, this means that when we do experience stress, which is usually on a daily basis in this fast paced world, our body turns to Magnesium for help, and our ‘relaxation mineral’ stores become depleted. An insufficiency of magnesium, not only leads to fatigue, but is one of the reasons why we tend to crave chocolate when we are stressed. That is the intelligence of our body working perfectly, trying to top-up on its stores of Magnesium! Just make sure you eat chocolate which is good quality and high in Raw Cacao, and not the chemical cheap stuff that spikes your blood sugar. Magnesium is one of the pillars of great health and, awareness of this fact can help us stay on top of our game.
Raw Cacao helps fight Type 2 Diabetes
An increase in insulin sensitivity means our body can better handle how it deposits glucose, thus ensuring our blood sugars do not spike too high. The opposite of insulin sensitivity is a condition known as insulin resistance, which is normally referred to as Type 2 Diabetes. Raw cacao can help to reduce insulin resistance, therefore reducing our risk of developing type 2 Diabetes, due to its high level of Flavanols. Italian scientists conducted an Eight week study, which featured in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and which had very promising results regarding the role of Cacao derived flavanols increasing insulin sensitivity. The authors of the study recruited 90 volunteers, splitting them randomly into Three groups. Each group was given Cacao flavanols to drink, in amounts ranging from low, medium and high. The group that drank the highest amount of cocoa flavanols had improved insulin sensitivity. There was also an improvement in memory among participants of the study. See our blogpost on the importance of insulin sensitivity, the relation to memory, and to find why Alzheimer’s Disease has been dubbed Type 3 Diabetes, among the medical community.
Raw Cacaos Army of Antioxidants go to War with Free Radicals
One of the most potent antioxidants known to pharmacology is: Raw Cacao.
At some point or another, cacao lovers of the world have sighed, pondering on their beloved chocolate an an absolute is life saver. However what most of them may not have realised, is how accurate a thought that was! Cacao is indeed a life sustaining invention by Mother Nature. If you thought Blueberries were good for you, then how would you classify Raw Cacao, considering our favourite Amazonian superfood contains at least Forty times the Antioxidants of Blueberries. Yes, the word “wow” springs to mind! Antioxidants protect our cells from damage, improving the level of resistance to oxidative stress caused by free radicals. DNA protection is due in part not only to the high levels of antioxidant compounds in Raw Cacao, but also to a particular cacao flavonoid called Epicatechin. Along with protecting our cells from oxidative damage, epicatechins have also been associated with improving brain and heart function, due to their ability to increase Nitric Oxide production. Yes let’s say it once more: WOW!
Protects our Heart and Cardiovascular system
Polyphenols are a type of antioxidant found in Raw Cacao which work to protect heart tissue. The Heart and our in interior surface of our blood vessels, are lined with a tissue called Endothelium, responsible for ensuring that our blood flows smoothly throughout our body. Unfortunately dysfunction of Endothelium tissue has been implicated in cardiovascular disease. Raw cacao can provide cardiovascular protection by triggering the release of Nitric Oxide from endothelial cell tissue, causing vasodilation of the blood vessels, which in turn improves vascularity and ensures our blood runs smooth course throughout our body, carrying essential nutrients to all our organs.
Improves Cognitive Function
Ingestion of Raw Cacao has been associated with human cognition for thousands of years. Now the science behind this inherent knowledge has been revealed: it’s the Flavanols. Boating an array of neurologically enhancing compounds, Raw Cacao is a powerful tool for boosting cognitive performance. Linked to better blood flow to the brain, neuro-protective qualities, neurotransmitter formation and function, these flavanols also accumulate (in a good way) in the hippocampus, which is the region of the brain most involved in learning and memory. All of these brain benefits add up to an increase in cognitive ability, which will in turn positively impact how we function in our daily lives. A highly functioning brain equals peak performance in multiple areas of life.
Combats Tooth Decay
You know by now, that here at Third Eye Activator, we are against the use of Fluoride, due to the damage it causes to our Pineal Gland. Raw Cacao contains theobromine, which has effective antibacterial qualities. Researchers have found that theobromine may be used to help prevent tooth decay, protect our teeth from dental cavities, strengthen tooth enamel, prevent plaque from forming and of course act as an antibacterial agent. This all sounds like what Fluoride is supposed to do, however we now know this to not be the case. So perhaps skip the fluoride toothpaste, opt for fluoride-free-toothpaste, and regularly enjoy some teeth healthy raw cacao instead. Your pineal gland will thank you and your teeth will thank you too!.