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IN South America Cocoa beans have long been famous for their benefits and harm. Latin Americans have long loved it for some of its properties; who better to ask about this miracle than them. True, to make store-bought products, cocoa goes through several stages of processing, so it is simply useless to expect the same effect as “homemade” beans.

Now “chocolate trees” are grown mainly in African countries (Ghana, Niger, Nigeria...), as well as in some countries in Asia and South America. All these countries have pleasant climatic conditions for plants, but we can also try to grow a cocoa tree by creating a good microclimate. Real plants reach a height of approximately 9-12 meters, but they created a miniature for us up to 170 centimeters high - they can be grown in an apartment.
Cocoa beans are the fruit of the cocoa tree, which is widely used in Food Industry, on the tree have a bright Orange color. They are used completely for industry, without waste.

Benefits of fruits

We have already figured out what cocoa beans are; their benefits are no less interesting than their history. In order to understand the benefits of our product, you need to consider the nutritional value table.

• 55% is fat
• 15% proteins
• 7% starch
• about 5% fiber

In addition, cocoa beans contain a lot various vitamins and minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins B and PP. Do cocoa beans have beneficial features– definitely. For those who are not in the know, we will explain in more detail. B contains a certain proportion of vitamins D, which is extremely rare in plants. Thanks to this, and also melanin, Cocoa powder is used in the cosmetics industry.

The benefits of cocoa beans are reflected in the reduced risk of contracting diseases such as:

• stroke
• heart and vascular diseases
• diabetes

In the fight against strokes

Scientific research from Harvard University shows that residents of the coast of Panama are much less likely to suffer from hypertension ( High blood pressure is a direct path to stroke). According to scientists, this is all due to the benefits of cocoa beans, which are useful in the prevention of heart disease. The average Panamanian drinks about five cups of cocoa a day, and suffers from heart disease several times less often than a resident of another place on the planet. Panamanians use the properties of grains in the right way, don’t they?

But it is worth paying attention that cocoa beans, the health benefits and harms of which have been studied quite extensively, pose a danger to those already suffering from heart disease, because they contain caffeine. If you already have some heart problems, you should not take the fruits of the chocolate tree as a preventive or medicinal product.

For diabetes

Until recently, it was generally accepted that the consumption of such products with diabetes mellitus Absolutely forbidden. Now, experts are more lenient about this particular product. Doctors helped us make a list of benefits of cocoa beans for diabetes:

• Contains many vitamins
• Promote metabolism (metabolism)
• Helps the body cleanse itself

To ensure that “chocolate” beans do not harm you, you need to adhere to the rules for its use. We will not clarify whether cocoa beans can be eaten or drunk, its properties are valid in any form - you can consume cocoa in the morning or throughout the day, but never do it in the evening. The drink should exclude sugar or its substitutes, and it should also be warm.

Prevention of cancer

The composition of bean grains contains many antioxidants. Preservatives have the ability to protect cells from damage and can reduce the risk of cancer. In the early 2000s, French researchers proved that cocoa substances inhibit the growth of most cells affected by this disease. The properties of the plant in the field of oncology have not yet been sufficiently studied; many things remain a mystery today, but already known studies give hope.

Harm and dangers

The main benefits of raw, ground, melted or other types of cocoa beans will be for
most people. But there is also an opposite side to cocoa beans; to save time, we have prepared another list:

• May increase blood pressure.
• High in calories.
• Possible nervousness.
• Insomnia (insomnia).

There are a number of other possible negative consequences eating beans cacao(English), but all these points concern people sensitive to to various stimuli. If your health allows you to enjoy all the delights of this excellent plant, it will only bring you benefits.

Both cocoa powder and butter can be made from cocoa beans. But the cocoa beans themselves have more benefits than the powder obtained from them, so the use of these nuts in their raw form has earned great popularity among our contemporaries and has become one of the attributes of a healthy diet.

Composition and calorie content

Cocoa beans are a unique product in its composition, which is distinguished by a significant amount (about 320) various types antioxidants, among which polyphenol occupies one of the key positions. It is generally difficult to find in any other known food product.

Did you know? Cocoa came to the European part of the world in 1519 thanks to the Spaniards.

• caffeine;
• theobromine;
• theophylline;
• phenylethylamine;
• melanin.

Essential fatty acids:

• linoleic;
• stearic;
• palmitic.

100 grams of cocoa beans contain:

• copper - 2275 mg;
• potassium – 747 mg;
• phosphorus - 500 mg;
• sulfur - 83 mg;
• chlorine - 50 mg;
• magnesium - 80 mg;
• calcium - 28 mg;
• sodium - 5 mg;
• zinc - 4.5 mg;
• iron - 4.1 mg;
• manganese - 2.85 mg;
• molybdenum - 40 mcg;
• fluorine - 30 mcg;
• cobalt - 27 mcg.

• fats provide - 85%;
• proteins - 9%;
• carbohydrates - 6%.

• A, B1, B2, PP, E - in small quantities.

Did you know? Until recently, cocoa beans served as small currency among the Indian populations of central America. In addition, today the indigenous people of America are considered long-livers due to the constant consumption of cocoa beans and products made from them.

What are the benefits of cocoa beans?

A rare combination of large quantities useful substances in cocoa beans contributes to:

Did you know? In many parts of the world, cocoa is presented as a drink of longevity. Even Swiss doctors advise everyone after passing the forty-year age threshold to systematically use this product.

Separately about losing weight

Although cocoa is not low in calories, this drink is quite helpful if you want to lose weight, since it contains most of the vitamin and microelement components necessary for normal functioning. human body, especially when you have to be on a strict diet.
The only condition is not to add sugar to the product. To restore strength, one cup of this delicious drink per day with the possible addition of milk is enough.

Important! For men, regular consumption of cocoa is especiallyhealthybecause it strengthens protective functions body from early strokes, heart attacks, prostatitis, and also makes it possible to lead a productive sex life until old age.

Possible harm

But, like any product, cocoa beans have their contraindications:

Important! Before three years old Cocoa is strictly not recommended for children. If parents take a risk and give their child this product, then it must at least be natural (dark brown color without any flavoring or flavoring impurities with a chocolate aroma).

How to eat cocoa beans

With the systematic consumption of products made from cocoa beans, a person is able to feel a surge of strength every day, an improvement in physical, emotional, and intellectual capabilities. These grains can be consumed both raw and processed. Exist various options products obtained from them.

Raw

Eating raw cocoa beans is the least labor-intensive, easiest way, and today it is becoming increasingly popular.

Options delicious to eat There are plenty of these grains in their raw form, for example, to level out the bitter taste and also greater benefit They can be coated with honey and combined with nuts before enjoying.

But to fully experience the unforgettable, pristine taste of chocolate, you need to chew 1 tablespoon of the grains. To remove the skin from the grains, you need to place them in boiling water for a few minutes.

Did you know? The skin of cocoa beans is also valuable; when ground, it produces excellent scrubs for the body and even the face.

Cocoa powder drink

Since childhood, everyone has been familiar with the taste of cocoa. You can make this absolutely natural drink yourself. To do this, grind the cocoa beans in a coffee grinder to a uniform powder consistency and pour boiling water over it.
If desired, this delicacy can be flavored with milk and sugar can be added. The taste of such a product remains unforgettable.

Did you know? On average, about forty cocoa fruits or more than a thousand grains are needed to produce 1 kilogram of powder.

Cocoa beans are very useful fruits. Their use is multifaceted, because it is not only consumed as food, but also used in cosmetic or pharmaceutical areas. The main thing is if you want to improve your health with the help of this useful product- observe the measure.

How to make chocolate from cocoa beans: video

Cocoa - varieties, benefits of products (butter, powder, cocoa beans), medical use, harm and contraindications, drink recipe. Photo of chocolate tree and cocoa fruit

Thank you

Cocoa is a food product of the same name, widely used in various fields such as cooking, cosmetology and pharmaceutical industry. Currently, the most widespread use of cocoa is in the food industry and cosmetology. And the use of cocoa for medicinal purposes is recorded somewhat less frequently. However, there are currently a number of scientific research, proving the undoubted benefits of cocoa not just as a quality food product, and the product with medicinal properties. Let's consider the options for using cocoa in medical purposes, as well as the beneficial properties of this product.

What is cocoa?

However, in everyday life, the word “cocoa” refers to several products obtained from the fruits of the cocoa tree, for example, cocoa butter, cocoa powder and cocoa beans themselves. In addition, the name cocoa is also given to a drink made from powder.

Cocoa powder is used to make icing for confectionery products, and it is added to the dough to impart a chocolate flavor. And cocoa butter is used to make many confectionery products (chocolate, candies, etc.). In addition, cocoa butter is successfully used in cosmetology and the pharmaceutical industry for the manufacture of suppositories, ointments and other dosage forms for local and external use.

Thus, all cocoa products are quite widespread and known to almost all people, and they are obtained from cocoa beans collected from the chocolate tree.

Chocolate tree (cocoa) is an evergreen species of the genus Theobroma, family Malvaceae, and grows in tropical regions around the world - South America, Africa, islands South-East Asia. Accordingly, cocoa beans are currently produced in Asia (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia), Africa (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo) and Central America (Brazil, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela).

The cocoa tree is large, its height reaches 12 m, and the branches and leaves are located mainly along the periphery of the crown in order to catch as much as possible sunlight. The tree has flowers, from which later, after pollination, fruits grow, which are attached not to the branches, but directly to the trunk of the chocolate tree. These fruits are similar in shape to lemons, but somewhat larger than them and equipped with longitudinal grooves on the skin. Inside, under the skin, there are seeds - approximately 20 - 60 in each fruit. These seeds are the cocoa beans from which cocoa powder and cocoa butter are obtained, which are widely used in cooking, cosmetology and the pharmaceutical industry.

Technology for producing cocoa powder and cocoa butter from beans very interesting. So, after collecting the fruits from the chocolate tree, the beans are removed from them (see Figure 1).

Picture 1 – Appearance fresh cocoa beans extracted from the fruit of the chocolate tree.

Cocoa beans, freed from the fruit shell, are laid out in small heaps on banana leaves. They are also topped with banana leaves and left to ferment in a sunny place for a week. Under the leaves, the temperature reaches 40 - 50 o C, and under its influence the sugars contained in the beans are fermented, turning into alcohol and carbon dioxide. In other words, exactly the same process occurs as during the fermentation of berries or fruits when making wine. Since a lot of alcohol is produced, some of it turns into acetic acid, which saturates the beans and prevents their germination. Due to impregnation acetic acid cocoa beans lose their white color and acquire a characteristic chocolate-brown color. Also, during the fermentation process, the cocoaamine contained in the beans is broken down, thereby reducing the bitterness of the seeds.

After fermentation is complete (about 7 to 10 days after placing the beans under the banana leaves), the beans are taken out and spread in a thin layer in the sun to dry thoroughly. Drying can be carried out not only in the sun, but also in special automated drying machines. Sometimes fermented cocoa beans are not dried, but rather roasted over a fire.

It is during drying that cocoa beans receive their characteristic Brown color and the smell of chocolate.

Next, the shell is removed from the dried beans, and the seeds themselves are crushed and cocoa butter is squeezed out in presses. The cake remaining after pressing the oil is ground to obtain cocoa powder. Finished cocoa powder and cocoa butter are supplied to the world market and are subsequently used in the food industry, cosmetology and pharmaceuticals.

In addition to cocoa powder and cocoa butter, Cocoa vella is obtained from dried beans, which is a crushed peeled shell. In countries former USSR Cocoa Vella is not widely used, but in the world this product is used as an additive to livestock feed.

Various parts of the fruit of the chocolate tree have been used by people as food since ancient times. The first mention of a drink made from cocoa fruits dates back to XVIII century BC, to the period of the existence of the Olmec people in Central America. The methods of preparing a drink from cocoa fruits were adopted by the Mayans and Aztecs from the Olmecs.

And Europeans learned the taste of a drink made from cocoa beans only after the conquest of the American continent, when the Spaniards brought it to their country. During the period of importing cocoa beans from Central America, the drink made from them was very expensive, and therefore accessible only to royalty.

During the 16th century, cocoa was prepared from powder with the addition of vanilla and cinnamon, which were also very expensive spices during that time period. And in the 17th century, sugar began to be added to the drink, which significantly reduced its cost and contributed to its spread among the wider population. European countries. In the form of a sugar-sweetened drink, cocoa was used in Europe until 1828, when the Dutch scientist van Heuten came up with a way to extract butter from cocoa beans. Van Heuten obtained oil from beans and powder from the cake left after the oil was extracted, mixed them and created solid product– chocolate. It was from this moment that the victorious march of chocolate began, which gradually replaced cocoa as a drink from the diet of Europeans.

Cocoa varieties

But in fact, there are only two main varieties of cocoa - these are criollo And forastero. The cocoa beans most commonly referred to as criollo High Quality, obtained from varietal trees. Forastero includes cocoa beans of lower quality than criollo. However, one should not think that Forastero cocoa is of poor quality, because this is not true. In reality, the forastero variety is cocoa beans good quality, but without the characteristics of a premium product, they do not have any special zest, some superior properties, etc. That is, it is just an ordinary, good and very solid product. But criollo cocoa beans are a premium product with special excellent properties.

The specified division into varieties is used only in relation to raw cocoa beans. And after fermentation and drying, cocoa beans are usually divided according to their taste into bitter, tart, tender, sour, etc.

Cocoa products

• Cocoa powder;
• Cocoa butter;
• Cocoa beans.

Growing, harvesting, fermenting and drying cocoa beans - video

How chocolate is made from cocoa - video

How to determine the quality of cocoa powder - video

Photo

This photograph shows fresh cocoa beans being extracted from the fruit.

This photo shows cocoa beans after drying.

The photo shows cocoa powder obtained from dried beans.

The photograph shows cocoa butter, which is obtained from dried beans.

Composition of cocoa

Cocoa butter contains 95% fat and only 5% water, vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. Accordingly, cocoa butter contains biologically active substances mainly of lipid nature, such as oleic, palmitic, linolenic fatty acid, triglycerides, linalool, amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, etc. Cocoa powder contains only 12 - 15% fat, up to 40% protein, 30 - 35% carbohydrates and 10 - 18% minerals and vitamins. Accordingly, cocoa powder is rich in vitamins, microelements, sugary substances and biologically active compounds of protein structure (tryptophan, phenylethylamine, dopamine, serotonin, etc.). And cocoa beans contain 50–60% fat, 12–15% protein, 6–10% carbohydrates and 15–32% water with minerals and vitamins dissolved in it. This means that cocoa beans contain greatest number biologically active substances compared to powder and oil.

Let's consider what biologically active substances are included in all cocoa products, as well as the properties of beans, butter and powder.

Cacao butter contains wide range polyunsaturated fatty acids (stearic, oleic, palmitic, linolenic), triglycerides (oleo-palmito-stearin, oleo-distearin), esters fatty acids(amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, butyl acetate), methylxanthine, caffeine, phytosterols, polyphenols, sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose), tannins and vitamins A, E and C. Cocoa butter is white-yellowish in color and has a chocolate aroma. At normal air temperatures (from 22 to 27 o C), the oil is hard and brittle, but at 32 - 36 o C it begins to melt, becoming liquid. That is, cocoa butter melts at a temperature slightly below body temperature, as a result of which a chocolate bar containing this component is normally hard and dense, and melts pleasantly in the mouth.

Cocoa powder contains large quantities of potassium and phosphorus salts, as well as anthocyanins (substances that give a characteristic color), alkaloids (caffeine, theobromine), purines, flavonoids, dopamine, anandamide, arginine, histamine, cocohil, salsolinol, serotonin, tyramine, tryptophan, phenylethylamine , epicacetin, etc. In addition, the powder contains a wide range of microelements ( calcium, magnesium, sodium, chlorine, sulfur, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, molybdenum and fluorine) and vitamins A, E, PP and group B. High-quality cocoa powder must contain at least 15% fat, have a light brown color and be smearable when trying to rub it between your fingers. If you scoop cocoa powder into your palm, it will fall out poorly, and some of it will definitely remain on your hand, sticking to the skin.

Contains cocoa beans includes cocoa powder + cocoa butter. Distinctive feature Cocoa beans from butter and powder contain a large number of aromatic compounds (about 40, among which there is the terpene alcohol linalool), as well as organic acids (citric, malic, tartaric and acetic).

Useful properties of cocoa products

Cacao butter

Cocoa butter has the following beneficial effects on the human body:

• Reduces harmful effects ultraviolet and infrared rays on skin and reduces the risk of developing malignant tumors skin;
• Stimulates work immune system, reduces the incidence of colds and infectious diseases, prevents cancer;
• Increases life expectancy and slows down aging ;
• Improves the condition of skin, hair and nails, preventing them from aging and fading;
• Improves barrier functions skin, promotes the disappearance acne And blackheads ;
• Moisturizes the skin, eliminates dryness and increases its elasticity by activating the process of collagen production;
• Accelerates the healing of wounds and cracks in the skin, including on the nipples of the breasts ;
• Has an antitussive effect;
• Has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects;
• Normalizes the condition of the walls of blood vessels, increases their elasticity, improves microcirculation, prevents atherosclerosis and preventing cardiovascular diseases;
• Reduces the level cholesterol in blood;
• Helps cure dermatitis and bronchial asthma.

Cocoa powder and the benefits of cocoa (drink)

Cocoa in the form of a hot drink prepared from powder with milk or water with sugar, has the following beneficial effects on the human body:

• Consuming cocoa in drink form has neuroprotective and nootropic effects, increasing resilience nerve cells to influence negative factors environment and improving functioning brain. Thus, thanks to the neuroprotective effect, brain cells tolerate episodes of oxygen depletion much better. fasting , injuries and others negative impacts, as a result of which the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease , dementia etc. And thanks nootropic effect After about 2 months of regular consumption of cocoa in the form of a drink, a person’s memory and attention improve, the thought process accelerates, thoughts and decisions become more accurate, clear, etc., which makes it much easier to cope with difficult problems.
• Improves cerebral circulation, thanks to which productivity mental activity person increases significantly.
• Due to the effects of flavonoids (epicatechin) and antioxidants (polyphenols), with regular consumption of cocoa in the form of a drink for 2 months, a person’s arterial blood levels are normalized. pressure.
• Reduces the risk of developing skin cancer by reducing the negative effects of ultraviolet and infrared rays on the structures of the skin.
• Reduces the risk of developing malignant tumors any localization due to antioxidants.
• Increases the body's overall resistance to various infectious and inflammatory diseases.
• Slows down the aging process in the body due to the effects of polyphenols.
• Improves general state skin, hair and nails.
• Normalizes mental condition person, contributing to cupping depression, eliminating anxiety, anxiety and fears, while improving your mood.
• Normalizes cholesterol levels and hormones in the blood due to the action of flavonoids and peptides.
• Reduces sticking platelets, preventing the formation of blood clots, which reduces the risk heart attacks , strokes And thrombosis.
• Improves hematopoiesis (education red blood cells , leukocytes and platelets), preventing blood tumors and deficiency of formed elements.
• Accelerates the healing of various wounds.
• Helps maintain normal blood glucose levels, not allowing it sharp fluctuations or increase, which prevents or significantly slows down the development diabetes mellitus.
• Improves the functioning of muscles and bones.
• Improves and normalizes work of cardio-vascular system, eliminating various functional disorders(For example, myocardial dystrophy, Tachy-Brady syndrome, etc.) and, thereby, preventing the development of severe organic pathology.
• Prevents anemia due to iron content.
• Restores muscle condition after active training in athletes and after physical activity in people of any age and gender.
• Tones and invigorates due to the content of caffeine and theobromine. Moreover, the tonic effect of cocoa is much milder than that of coffee, since the main active alkaloid in it is theobromine, and not caffeine. In addition, cocoa's low caffeine content makes it a invigorating drink can be used by people suffering from cardiovascular diseases (for example, hypertonic disease , heart failure etc.) and respiratory systems (bronchial asthma and etc.).

Cocoa beans

The beneficial properties of cocoa beans are as follows:

• Regular consumption of cocoa beans improves brain function due to the action of flavonoids and antioxidants. After 8 weeks of daily consumption of beans, memory, concentration, speed and accuracy of thinking, and decision-making ability improve complex tasks etc.
• Neuroprotective effect on the brain due to the content of antioxidants (polyphenols). Brain structures become more resistant to the damaging effects of negative factors, such as oxygen starvation, injuries, etc., as a result of which the development of Alzheimer’s disease is prevented, senile dementia and etc.
• Normalizes arterial pressure due to the action of flavonoids and antioxidants. According to a study by Italian scientists, consumption of beans for 2 months normalizes arterial pressure.
• Improves metabolism and DNA synthesis in cells due to the content of purines.
• Improves hematopoiesis and accelerates wound healing due to the content of iron, magnesium, chromium and zinc.
• Supports normal level glucose in the blood, preventing it sharp increase, due to the chromium content.
• Improves performance hearts, normalizes the functioning of the entire cardiovascular system, strengthens muscles and bones due to its magnesium content.
• Slows down aging due to the action of antioxidants (polyphenols).
• Reduces the risk of strokes, heart attacks, development diabetes mellitus and malignant tumors due to the effects of epicatechin.
• Improves skin condition, smoothes wrinkles and increases elasticity, and also prevents stomach ulcer due to the content of cocohil and sulfur.
• Improves the condition of skin, hair and nails due to the effects of antioxidants and intensive nutrition vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
• Increases the body's resistance to infectious diseases.
• Reduces the harmful effects of ultraviolet and infrared rays on the skin and reduces the risk of developing malignant tumors of the skin due to the melanin content.
• Increases sexual desire and brightness of sensations due to arginine.
• Relieves depression, anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, and also improves mood due to the antidepressant effect of serotonin, tryptophan and dopamine.

Cocoa improves brain function. Selection, storage and preparation of cocoa - video

Which is healthier: cocoa or chicory (nutritionist’s opinion) - video

Use of cocoa in medicine

Besides, Cocoa butter is used to treat the following conditions and diseases as part of complex therapy:

• . Take a small piece of oil and rub it around chest while simultaneously making it easy massage which will improve blood flow to respiratory organs and speed up recovery.

Cocoa beans and cocoa powder V medical practice do not apply. The only area in which cocoa is used in the form of a drink is preventive and rehabilitation medicine. According to recommendations in these areas of medicine, it is recommended to drink cocoa as a general strengthening and tonic drink to increase performance and better tolerate physical or psycho-emotional stress.

Cocoa reduces cholesterol levels and normalizes lipid metabolism - video

Cocoa for the prevention of thrombosis, heart attacks and strokes - video

Harm from cocoa

• Presence of caffeine. This component can be very harmful for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
• Unsanitary conditions for processing beans. Cockroaches live in the beans and are often not removed before grinding, causing these insects to end up in the cocoa powder. In addition, the beans lie on the ground and on surfaces that are poorly washed and treated with disinfectant solutions, as a result of which various microbes, soil particles, etc. may appear on them.
• Allergic reactions. Due to the presence of chitin (a component of cockroach shells) in cocoa powder, people may develop severe allergic reactions, since this substance is very highly allergenic. Unfortunately, any cocoa powder contains chitin, since cockroaches live in cocoa beans, and it is not possible to remove all insects from them.
• Mycotoxins and pesticides. Cocoa bean powder may contain residues of pesticides that were used to treat chocolate trees to control pests, as well as mycotoxins - harmful substances, produced fungi living on beans.

Contraindications to the consumption of cocoa and chocolate

• Gout(cocoa contains purines, and their consumption will lead to an exacerbation of gout);
• Diseases kidney(cocoa has a diuretic effect);
• Age under 3 years (cocoa is a highly allergenic product, so children under 3 years old are not recommended to drink it in the form of a drink, or eat it in the form of chocolate or beans);
• Increased excitability and aggressiveness (cocoa has a tonic and stimulating effect);
• Constipation (for constipation, you can only consume cocoa butter, and it is better to exclude beans and any products with cocoa powder from the diet, since they contain tannins, which can aggravate the problem);
• Diabetes mellitus (cocoa can be drunk only to prevent the disease, but when it has already developed, the product should not be consumed).

How to brew cocoa drink (recipe) - video

White cocoa with marshmallows (recipe) - video

My fast is coming to an end, so I can think about tasty treats. Today I discovered that I have very little cocoa beans left. I think I should order more. After all, without them it’s somehow not fun. Dessert is not dessert, candy is not candy 😉

What are they, how are they useful and where to buy cocoa beans?

Cocoa beans

Cocoa beans grow like this in an unusual way.

Inside these fruits are cocoa beans, similar to ordinary nuts.

They can be American, African or Asian in origin.

This also determines their taste, which varies from bitter, sour, tart to very delicate. Everyone can find their preferences here.

There are many varieties of cocoa beans. But for simplicity, there are two main varieties: criollo and forastero.

Criollo is a noble, high-grade raw material. But this crop produces a small harvest.

Forastero is a more productive variety and is well suited for consumer purposes.

Useful properties of cocoa beans
I would like to note right away that all the beneficial properties listed below are completely lost during the industrial preparation of chocolate, as it is processed.
The composition of cocoa beans includes fats, alkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins, organic acids and minerals. They contain a large amount of ash, fiber and other substances, B vitamins.
Aromatic substances play an important role. There are a large number of them here. They are the ones who give the beans their special chocolate taste.

Calorie content of cocoa beans 565 kcal, proteins 12.8 g, fats 53.1 g, carbohydrates 9.5 g.

Cocoa beans are capable of:

• have a positive effect on the brain, increasing reaction and thought processes
• relieve fatigue
• improve blood circulation
• cheer up and remove the blues
• increase the sexuality of a married couple
• enhance libido
• arginine contained in cocoa beans is one of the natural aphrodisiacs
• improve the quality of skin and hair
• increase estrogen levels in women
• with prolonged and regular use can significantly reduce the risk of developing tumors
• Thanks to the epicatechin content, cocoa beans can help reduce the incidence of stroke, heart attack, diabetes and even cancer
• promote wound healing, in addition, wrinkles are smoothed out, and the risk of stomach ulcers is prevented, as they contain cocohil. It promotes skin cell growth
• Magnesium improves heart function
• can improve vision
• improve performance
• have a powerful antidepressant effect, as well as improve tone
• provide positive action for colds
• at constant use normalize menstrual cycle, eliminate apathy and even rejuvenate
• metabolism improves
• Sulfur improves skin, nails and hair. In general, cocoa beans speed up and improve all processes
• the amount of antioxidants in cocoa is several times higher than in green tea, blueberries and blackberries
• a person who constantly consumes cocoa beans has a feeling of happiness :)

And what is important is that cocoa beans do not cause drug addiction.

Harm of cocoa beans

• It is not advisable for children to abuse cocoa due to the caffeine content
• caffeine has a unique effect on the heart, so people suffering from diseases of cardio-vascular system better to refrain from active use cocoa beans

possible to get negative effect if the cocoa beans are grown on a farm using pesticides

if you are allergic to cocoa beans

It is better not to consume cocoa beans before bed. They are invigorating)

How to use cocoa beans?

Of course, cocoa beans are very healthy in their raw form.

They are crispy and taste great. This way they retain all the useful unique properties.

The easiest way to use cocoa beans is to eat a few of them plain or, better yet, with honey. Delicious!

If you are trying cocoa beans for the first time, then immediately after eating a few pieces you will notice a surge of energy and an improvement in your mood, so you should not eat a lot of beans.

It is worth mentioning the skins of cocoa beans separately. It contains many useful substances. Therefore, it is recommended to grind the beans unpeeled and use them for cooking.
But, if you don’t like the crunchy taste of the peel, you can peel it, but don’t throw it away, but grind it separately and use it as a body and face scrub. A very effective remedy.

In addition to homemade chocolate and candies, you can make a cocoa drink from cocoa beans using water and milk.

Where to buy cocoa beans?
We can say that pleasure is not cheap.
Now I found on the Internet that 1 kg of beans costs about 1,300 rubles. Certainly, good price 🙂

But this will last you a very long time. After all, you only need to eat a few pieces a day.