Benefits Side effects and Overdose of Cacao ? Pleasant taste, accompanied by health benefits
We call cocoa the beans of the cocoa tree or the powder made from them. The history of its cultivation begins in Central America. The Aztecs knew the plant from the 14th century, when it was sacred to them.
Cocoa was then seen as a gift from the god Quattzecoatl and was highly prized. The grains obtained from its fruit were used not only for ritual donations, but also as a means of payment.
Cocoa beans were used to make a slightly spicy drink with a lot of spices, which had little to do with the taste of today’s cocoa. The drink was made from water, cocoa, corn, vanilla and hot black pepper. In Europe, cocoa first found its way to monasteries and the royal court, where it was very popular among court ladies. The government of the German Emperor Charles V, realizing the importance of this product, wanted a monopoly over cocoa. But as early as the 17th century, smugglers were actively importing cocoa into the Netherlands.
The first licenses for the production of chocolate were invented by the Italians. In England, “Chocolate Houses” is more visited than coffee and tea lounges. In the 19th century, the first bars of chocolate appeared, and Jean Neauss invented the first candy with a filling.
The cocoa tree grows only in warm and humid climates, in the shade of huge trees, in the heart of tropical forests surrounded by lush, bright greenery. It is distributed mainly in North and South America, Australia and some islands in Asia. Difficult to grow, the tree grows on fertile, loose soils, with a constant temperature of 20-28 ° C, reaching 10-15 m in height. It bears fruit twice a year – the main harvest is in October-February and intermediate – in May-June.
The fruits contain seeds (cocoa beans) with a variable amount of cocoa. They can be round, flat, convex and have a grayish, bluish or brown tinge. A nice, healthy tree can give up to 2 kg of beans a year.
Table of Contents
What does cocoa contain?
- Fats – Cocoa beans contain a large percentage of butter (buttermilk). The composition of cocoa butter includes the glycides of palmitic (23-25%), stearic (31-34.5%), oleic (39-43%) and linoleic (up to 2%) acid. Cocoa butter is a homogeneous, relatively dense crispy mass with a yellowish color. It has a faint odor and a pleasant oily taste.At a temperature of 30-34 ° C it turns into a transparent, oily and yellowish liquid. It must be stored in suitable packaging to avoid rancidity. The high fat content distinguishes cocoa drink from all other invigorating drinks. Thanks to them, it has a high caloric and nutritional value
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Vegetable protein – is relatively rich in protein, depending on the variety. Despite the great variety of amino acids in cocoa protein and an approximate amount of pure protein of 25%, cocoa and plain chocolate are not as important a source of protein as might be expected. This is because less than 40% of proteins are actually used by the body and some of them are lost or converted during processing.
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Sugar – Cocoa beans contain a lot of carbohydrates, but most of them are starchy, soluble and insoluble fiber. Very few are simple sugars. 100 grams of cocoa powder contains about 37-40 g of carbohydrates.
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Antioxidants – Cocoa beans contain polyphenols (close to those in wine), which in turn have good antioxidant properties that are good for health. These compounds are called flavonoids and include catechin, epicatechin and procyanidin. Flavonoids increase the resistance of capillaries, stimulate the heart, have diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, affect the metabolism of iodine and calcium in the body.
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Theobromine – Theobromine is a very mild stimulant with a mild diuretic effect. It is important to know that it can be toxic to animals such as dogs, cats, parrots and horses.
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Caffeine – Cocoa beans contain a small amount of caffeine, much less than coffee or even tea.
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Phenylethylamines – they are weak antidepressants and stimulants, similar to those produced by the human body dopamine and adrenaline.
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Serotonin – Cocoa and chocolate can increase serotonin levels in the brain. Essential Minerals – Cocoa beans are rich in many essential minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.
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Vitamins – A, B1, B2, B3, B5, C, E.
Unlike caffeine, theobromine does not increase performance, but helps to more quickly restore the body’s physical strength when high stress is required (for astronauts, divers, pilots, athletes, miners, etc.). Undoubtedly, this also applies to people engaged in hard mental work.
This effect of cocoa is due not only to its high caloric content and small amounts of caffeine contained in it, but above all to the stimulating effect of theobromine on the central nervous system. The content of tannins is also high – about 5%; of pectin, of carbohydrates.
Health benefits
- Cocoa beans contain a very useful substance – flavanol, which is able to significantly improve blood circulation in the brain.
- Cocoa lowers blood pressure.
- Daily consumption of a flavanol-rich cocoa beverage can reverse the life-threatening damage to blood vessels associated with diabetes.
- Helps with people with depression or premenstrual syndrome.
Side effects and overdose
Due to the high fat content, cocoa is not well tolerated by biliary and hepatic patients, by those suffering from various digestive disorders (gastritis, enterocolitis, etc.). When used in large quantities, cocoa can cause irritation of the gastric mucosa, more pronounced in people suffering from gastritis, diseases of the intestines, liver and bile ducts. It was proved that 15 g of cocoa powder diluted with 300 ml. water, cause a strong secretory reaction on the part of the stomach. If the same cocoa drink is prepared with fresh milk, it leaves the stomach more slowly and the irritation is less.
Cocoa contains a high percentage of oxalic acid, which is why it is unsuitable for people prone to the formation of oxalate sands and kidney stones. Sometimes causes allergic disorders: hives, eczema, migraines, hemorrhoids.
Recipes with cocoa
- Butter protein ice cream with almonds and cocoa
Application of cocoa
As a flavoring of protein powders and bars, to supplements against pollen allergies – due to its stimulating immune effect.
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Benefits Side effects and Overdose of Cacao
