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Continue ShoppingCacao Benefits: 8 Benefits of Cacao Powder
Do you know the difference between cacao and cocoa? The words look very similar, although they are referring to two different things. If you buy chocolate, then you might have seen both words on different packages. Many people think that it is simply a different spelling of the same thing.
However, cacao offers more minerals and a little more antioxidants than cocoa. Cacao also refers to a product that was minimally processed. It also has a lot of health benefits because of this. Milk chocolate and white chocolate are more processed than dark chocolate, so they lose a lot of the benefits of cacao powder.
Cacao powder can be a great way to boost your health and give yourself more energy during the day. These are the benefits of cacao powder that we think you should know about.
1. Healthy Skin
Cacao powder is rich in antioxidants that are good for your skin. Antioxidants can neutralize damage to your skin, support collagen levels, reduce the appearance of aging, and promote cell overall cell health.
Healthier skin is protected against outside factors. Plus, it looks smoother and healthier overall when there are more antioxidants in your diet. Cacao is a delicious way to do just that.
If you want glowing and beautiful skin, our Hair, Skin, and Nails Complex has powerful antioxidants that can help you achieve your skin goals. This supplement boosts your collagen production and includes 10,000 MCG of biotin.
2. Brain Power
There are flavonoids in cacao that are known to give you more brain power. This is because flavonoids allow for more blood to flow through more nerves, which regulate your brain functions. If you feel sluggish and are having trouble concentrating, then dark chocolate or cacao powder might be helpful.
You might also like to learn that eating chocolate while you study can actually help you! Or, you could drink cacao powder for a more concentrated boost to your brain function.
3. Blood Pressure
High blood pressure affects many people across the world. Cacao is a natural way to lower your blood pressure. The flavonoids found in cacao can open blood vessels and allow for blood to flow easier throughout your body. This is an amazing benefit.
When it comes to lowering blood pressure, you want darker (and more bitter) types of chocolate. Today’s chocolate is often filled with sugar and fats, meaning that your typical candy bar is not going to benefit your health at all. We would recommend drinking a healthy cacao powder instead.
4. Relieves Stress and Makes You Happy
Dark chocolate can help ease tension and put you in a good mood. This is because cacao powder is rich in both potassium and magnesium. Both of those minerals are needed in running the body’s nervous system and other systems.
Cacao just makes you feel happier, too, due to the natural mood boosters that are found inside of it. If you want to try out a mood booster, then drinking some cacao powder can be very helpful in achieving your mood goals.
5. Fitness
Cacao even has fitness benefits. All of the cells that make up your body contain protein, meaning that you will want to be sure that you are getting enough during the day. If you are a vegan, vegetarian, or eat less meat for other reasons, then you might not be getting enough protein to support your muscles.
If you want a natural way to increase your protein intake, then drinking cacao powder can help. You can blend it in a smoothie or drink it with water. Either way, you will be getting increased blood flow throughout your body- helping to promote your fitness and giving you more out of a workout.
6. Gut Health
Cacao powder is also a great source of fiber. This encourages your digestive enzymes’ functions and allows your body to better absorb nutrients. So, cacao powder can increase your digestive health overall.
If you need better gut health, then consider adding this powder to your diet. More fiber can help with weight loss, as it makes you feel full longer. Plus, it helps with bowel regularity as well.
If you want even more fiber, our Prebiotic Fiber Boost can also help improve digestion and support healthy energy levels among a bunch of other benefits!
7. Energy
Due to the collection of nutrients in cacao powder, you will experience a boost in energy when drinking it. This is great if you often feel tired during the day- a cup of cacao might be all you need to fight off the 2 pm tired feeling.
Cacao improves your blood flow, which means more blood is going to your brain- so you are getting more energy for your brain and body. If you are feeling sluggish, then try drinking some to help your brain “wake up”.
Or, our Greens & Reds Superfood Juice can help as well. Our blend can improve your mental clarity while helping you to increase your daily intake of vegetables- a win-win! To use this supplement, you will simply need to add it to a shake or some water.
8. Heart Health
Healthy blood flow is very important when it comes to your heart functions. The circulatory system carries a wide range of nutrients through the body, so a healthier system can be a great benefit to you.
When you increase your heart health, you are also helping the health of the rest of your body. This is because all of your organs rely on the heart to supply them with nutrient rich blood. Plus, healthier blood flow is beneficial to how you perform athletically as well as your recovery.
What Are Flavonoids?
Since we mentioned flavonoids a few times, we thought that it might be best to cover what they are and what they do in cacao. Flavonoids are part of the polyphenol antioxidant family and improve your circulatory system health.
They might also reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. There are plenty of benefits that flavonoids have to offer, which greatly affect the many benefits of cacao powder.
How to Take Cacao Powder
You can mix it into drinks or smoothies, but you can use cacao powder for much more. You can sprinkle it over top of fresh fruit for a delicious and healthy dessert. You might make brownies from cacao powder as well.
When following your recipe for traditional cacao brownies, simply swap out the cocoa for cacao powder. This will give you a rich brownie full of many health benefits. However, many people suggest adjusting the amount of sugar you add to keep the brownies from being too bitter.
Another healthy suggestion would be to make homemade granola bars. A sprinkle of cacao powder can add to the natural taste of the nuts and honey, making a delicious and energizing snack. This is a great way to add more nutrients to your diet- it will still taste like a snack, so you will not feel like you are missing out on anything.
Conclusion
Those were the main 8 benefits of cacao powder that we thought you should know. Overall, cacao is very good for your heart health and blood circulation. If you want to enjoy the benefits, there are many ways to take cacao powder as well.
If cacao powder isn’t up your alley though, we have a ton of plant-based supplements you may want to check out instead. From immune support supplements to gut-health supplements to a nutrient-packed multivitamin, we’ve got your health and wellness covered!
Sources
https://www.aop.com/blog/6-reasons-why-eating-chocolate-while-studying-is-healthy
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/increasingly-chocolate-makers-turn-science