One of the things you should do when you open a cocoa pod to enjoy is to keep the cocoa seeds and dry them. I often do this and there is a reason.
I had seen all the benefits of taking dark chocolates and thought that if most dark chocolates available, which are processed, would be that beneficial, raw cocoa seeds would be even more amazing.
What that means is that the cocoa must have lost some value in the process of making a dark chocolate.
At once, I remembered that God had given man all things to enjoy in its raw state.
Unavoidably, this means that raw cocoa seeds will contain even more benefits than the one processed.
On the inside of the cocoa pod are these seeds that you could throw in your mouth and lick. They are often white-coated and sweet, but there is this desire to get more from it when you take it.
You just have to satisfy that desire by doing what we recommend here.
So, after licking the fleshy white seeds, you have another amazing part of the cocoa which is the most important – the cocoa nibs or cocoa seeds.
This is the major part that gives you another cocoa tree. But sometimes, we love to eat the whole tree of cocoa. Funny, but we are taking about eating the seeds or nibs.
As we lick off the white coating of the cocoa seeds, we save the nibs and dry them. You can either use your oven or you dry in the sun.
These nibs or cocoa seeds are amazing nature’s gifts. They look rough, yet they are held together by what looks like invisible lines.
To a very large extent, the nibs are not together and this you will find when you pill off the brownish outer coating of the cocoa seed.
Right on the inside is this dark brown nib that contains the whole thing that a cocoa is.
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When you throw it in your mouth, you will find that it actually tastes a little bitter. It is not strange, because the marker of all things often blends sweet and bitter in a fruit.
For instance, when you find a sweet fruit, the seed will be bitter and it also goes the other way round. Check an orange fruit the next time you take an orange.
Health Benefits Of Cocoa Seeds
As a result, the cocoa seed is slightly bitter and that also corresponds with what you get when you eat the dark chocolate.
But beyond this bitter taste is a deluge of health benefits and we will highlight them here.
1. Cocoa Seeds Are Rich In Antioxidants
The cacao nibs contain many antioxidants that help reduce cell damage in your body. When you take foods that are rich in antioxidants, they help prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and cancer.
One very high antioxidant in cocoa seed is flavonoids.
In fact, study says it more heart-healthy flavonoids than red wine (1).
2. Improves Heart Health
Cocoa contains epicatechin and that makes it amazing for your heart.
You see, this compound is a form of polyphenol that is helpful. It provides health benefit by preventing or alleviating cardiovascular diseases.
Also, epicatechin is absorbed from the intestine as well as bio-available and bioactive in humans.
Cocoa, dark chocolate, red wine and tea are major known sources of epicatechin and related compounds (2).
3. Lowers Blood Sugar Level For Diabetics
Because of the presence of epicatechin, cocoa seeds are also something diabetics can snack on.
It helps to lower blood sugar level. Indeed, a study says the consumption of catechin-rich beverages prevents or decreases the secondary effects on diabetes and obesity conditions (3)
4. Cocoa Seeds Boost Digestion
You see, your digestive system is something that must be in a great state for you to benefit from the foods that you eat.
One of the things that help digestion and good bowel movement is fibre. Interestingly, cocoa seed is rich in fibre and that makes it amazing for your digestive system.
5. Improves Your Mood
This is one thing I have noticed. Each time I take cocoa seed, it improves my mood and it actually gives me a great feeling.
You should try it. The reason cocoa seeds works on your mood is because it contains healthy fats and other compounds.
These compounds increase the levels of the hormones serotonin and dopamine in your brain, which impacts your mood.
Two studies by Macht have also supported the view that chocolate’s psychoactive properties are solely taste-related (4, 5).
According to the studies, chocolate consumption can improve a negative mood state in the short-term, but that the improvement is likely attributable to chocolate’s palatability.
6. Boosts Your Brain Power
Also, the flavonoid in cocoa seed is helpful to your brain.
After a study, researchers found that consumption of cocoa significantly increased cognitive performance and reduced mental fatigue among the participants of the study.
7. Lowers Bad Cholesterol/Increases Good Cholesterol
According to studies Dark chocolate, which is made from the cocoa seeds, may increase “good” HDL cholesterol, which can help lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.
A study says dark chocolate significantly improves flow-mediated dilatation, insulin sensitivity, and lowers the bad cholesterol (6).
If you have high cholesterol, it is time to add some cocoa seeds to your diet and beat the figures down.
8. Cocoa Seeds Are Anti-inflammatory
Cocoa contains properties that are anti-inflammatory.
The compounds may help to lessen the risks of getting cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and depression.
These conditions are often triggered by chronic inflammation.
Also, cocoa can protect nerves from injury and inflammation.
9. Amazing For Your Skin
You remember how much cocoa butter creams got attention until people started adulterating them. Despite this perversion, cocoa is still amazing for your skin.
This is because cocoa seeds are really amazing for your skin.
Its anti-inflammatory compounds protect the skin from oxidative damage from UV radiation in topical preparations (7).
10. Boosts Fertility
Indeed, this is an amazing seed to add to your diet if you want to prepare your body for pregnancy.
Cocoa seeds are rich in essential minerals and vitamins that a woman who wants to conceive needs.
The seeds contain magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese. These minerals are important for fertility.
Basically, they help maintain hormonal balance and the acid-alkaline balance.
Also, cocoa contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and pantothenic acid. It has a reasonable amount of folate (vitamin B9) which is also very amazing for a woman who is trying to conceive.
We know that it may be too difficult to find cacao beans, but you can get cocoa powder (unsweetened) and use that instead of the usual sweetened chocolate beverage.