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Common Name | Cacao |
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| Other Names | Chocolate, cocoa |
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| Parts Used: | seeds |
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 Remedies using Cacao
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Cocoa powder, extracts
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Chocolate is made from the fermented, roasted and ground beans taken from the pods of the tropical cacao tree. They have an intensely flavored bitter taste. There is plenty of good news for those of us who are chocolate lovers. Dark chocolate's cacao content has been shown to have positive effects on mood swings, coughing, high blood pressure and even contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay!
There are over 350 known chemicals found in chocolate, including stimulants like caffeine, theobromine, phenylethylamine and anandamide.
Theobromine, the alkaloid contained in the beans, resembles caffeine in its action, but its effect on the central nervous system is less powerful and does not have the sleep disturbing effects of caffeine. It may actually be a more effective cough medicine than traditional remedies making it a safe nightime calmer for children.
Phenylethylamine (PEA) is partly responsible for the "high" that you get from eating chocolate. PEA facilitates the release of dopamine a naturally occurring chemical into your body. The neurotransmitter anandamide, also found in chocolate is responsible for the prolonged pleasurable sensation of the previous mentioned PEA.
Chocolate enjoys an reputation as an aphrodisiac, which may explain the tradition of chocolates and Valentines day. It's interesting to note that most researchers claim that women prefer chocolate over sex. |
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| High blood pressure, cholesterol | | [454] Cacao is also employed in high blood pressure as it dilates the blood-vessels and chocolate has a positive effect on cholesterol levels.
(Grieve, Maude ) | | Tooth decay | | [574] Cocoa contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay
(Sheri Richerson ) | | Mood Enhancer | | [770] Natural Theobromine in chocolate produces an enjoyable "feel-good" effect in your brain. This positive feeling can help support your diet goals along with cardiovascular exercise and reduced calorie intake.
| | Cholesterol levels | | [771] Chocolate contains stearic acid, which does not raise bad cholesterol levels, and cocoa butter which is in chocolate, contains oleic acid, which actually may raise good cholesterol.
| | [769] Research published in the the FASEB Journal in February 2005 makes a strong case that dark chocolate can be a powerful cough suppressant. The theobromine content of dark chocolate may actually be a more effective cough medicine than traditional or over-the counter cold and cough remedies.
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| Theobromine is also the reason why animals can not eat chocolate,is not processed as efficiently in animals and can cause a toxic buildup in their systems. |
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Cacao was named Theobroma by Linnaeus, the word meaning 'food of the gods,' so called from the goodness of its seeds. Mexicans named the pounded seeds Chocolate, an Aztec word used to describe a number of raw and processed products that originate from the tropical cacao tree. The tall, handsome tree is generally cultivated on large estates under the shade of other trees, such as the banana and develops the pods continuously. When ripe they are cut open and the beans or nuts surrounded by their sweetish acid pulp are allowed to ferment so that they may be more easily separated from the shell.
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 In Mexico during the time of the Aztec kings the small seeds were utilized as coins twelve approximating to the value of 1d., the smallest actual coin in use then being worth about 6d. The seeds were necessary for small transactions. The method is still in use in some parts of Mexico. |
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Cacao Medicinal Uses
