Here’s one that hits close to home: chocolate. It’s a worldwide phenomenon and a snacking bliss that’s been enjoyed since before you can remember. Actually, when you think about, how long has chocolate really been around? Chocolate bars with sugar, dairy and other additives certainly haven’t been around for centuries! Let’s take a look at a quick overview of how cacao came to be known in today’s world, and how much things have changed. I give you: “The Secret History Of Chocolate”.

Theobroma cacao was first native to South America (regions of the Amazon and Venezuela) as well as Central America and even key areas of Mexico. Cacao trees grow well in tropical climates and other areas with temperatures consistently in the 70s and 80s (degrees Fahrenheit). Because of this, as well as trading incentives, cacao from Venezuela was planted off the coast of Africa for the first time in the late 1500s. Thus began the incredible growth of cacao as an export for various nations in Africa over the next few hundred years!

What’s really exciting to me is what chocolate REALLY is…the cacao bean, sometimes called a nut, of the fruit of the cacao tree. Although more and more adults are starting to catch on to the true nature of the chocolate, the kids that are devouring sugar candy being sold as “milk chocolate” have no idea what true chocolate really is. What’s happened is that we’ve fallen completely out of touch with real, genuine food. The solution? Learning and education – exactly what you’re up to right now :)

If you’re not familiar with how cacao is grown, the trees produce bright, vibrant fruits year-round that often resemble American footballs in shape. These range from deep shades of a red-orange-yellow color all the way to a dark bluish-purplish color. They’re incredible to view – you just can’t help but wonder at them. They’re often harvested 2-3 times a year.

Breaking open these fruit pods, you’re likely to find a few dozen cacao beans in each (surrounded by the white, pulp-like fruit inside). It’s these cacao beans that are real chocolate – raw chocolate at it’s best. Raw cacao beans are loaded with nutrition, especially coming from the alkaline minerals that are becoming harder and harder to get in today’s food supply! Things like magnesium, iron, chromium and a number of other factors can all be found abundantly present in the raw cacao bean. So what are today’s chocolate bars?

It’s almost as if the history of chocolate has been hidden from us all this time. We’ve grown up on cacao beans that have had the oil pressed out of them, turning into cakes, and then been powdered into cacao powder or cocoa powder. This in itself is fine, but it’s what happens next that really makes the difference (although a lot of the nutritional value can be lost here, depending on the pressing process). What happens next?

Besides the myriad of other processing stations for mass-produced chocolate, poor-quality additives are blended into the mix. Dried milk powder, refined sugar and all sorts of artificial flavor chemicals are mixed together into a liquid that becomes a “milk chocolate” bar. My personal stance? No thanks!

Now, this is clearly not how every company operates. Mass production? Absolutely. Some of the new, up-and-coming organic chocolate brands? No way. The industry has come a long way quickly as people have demanded higher quality ingredients and products from manufacturers. We now recognize that it’s the not the synergy of dairy, sugar and chocolate that makes us feel good – it’s just the cacao, real chocolate.

The Mayans and Aztecs recognized the inherent value of the cacao bean centuries before the milk chocolate bar was first produced in 1879. When Cortez came to Tenochtitlan in the 1500s, he was surprised to find a currency not of gold, but of cacao beans. Did you read that? The ancient currency of choice was raw chocolate! Cacao drinks were prepared and enjoyed in their civilization, and it seems that chocolate played an even bigger role back then than it does today!

The secret history of chocolate may never be fully understood by our civilization. We’ll continue to uncover new history and information on chocolate as we move forward, as well as new nutritional discoveries as we advance in our understanding. For now? Think over and wonder about the history of chocolate during the day today. And more importantly, don’t settle for the cheap stuff :)

Sources: Wolfe, David. Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future. Berkeley: North Atlantic, 2009. Print.

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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I’d be surprised if you said you haven’t heard at least one person mention the media coverage of superfoods like acai, pomegranate and raw chocolate (cacao). It’s almost been a frenzy lately, and more and more people are wondering how to make sense of it all. When we get down to it though, there’s really nothing crazy about it – rather, it all comes down to a simple understanding of antioxidants and their pivotal role in maintaining vibrant health, youth and longevity.

The antioxidants we get from our diet go to work in the body preventing oxidation of the cells. What does this mean? It means that antioxidants are our first line of defense in protecting the very structure of our cells. Oxygen is an amazing, healing force in the body – but the cells themselves can’t be oxidized, and antioxidants are our natural defense system. If that was the first time that you’ve really heard it explained for you, then you may have just had one of those “aha” moments: anti and oxidant (anti-oxygen)!

So what’s the real cause behind the momentum we’re currently seeing with superfoods like acai, pomegranate and raw chocolate? It’s not because people found out that they’re among the highest antioxidant foods in the world – and they are. It’s because they found out what that means for them in their daily lives.

And what does it mean? Essentially, we’ve discovered that antioxidants are an age-old fountain of youth! Oxidation of cells is what causes a breakdown or deterioration of the physical body. This is seen as the signs of aging – or wrinkles, breakdown of tissue, disease, poor circulation, and too many other symptoms to list! Oxidation of cells and their impaired ability to reproduce or replicate perfect copies in the body has been known for years to be the real cause of aging. Just consider that the human body as a whole is actually a collection of an estimated 50-100 trillion cells, hopefully working together in harmony and seen collectively as your body.

Your body can look good on the outside for a great deal of time, but if your cellular health is in jeopardy, the clock is ticking! On the other hand, if you dive into the practices that bring about radiant cellular health, you’ll find that your body (again, a harmonious collection of cells itself) will reflect that in spades.

So start letting some antioxidants find their way into your diet! You don’t have to follow the latest media trends, you just need the background knowledge to make your own educated decisions. Among the highest ranking in the world are indeed raw chocolate (cacao), acai and pomegranate, but also favorites like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, raisins, kale and spinach. What’s the theme? Fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants! The closer you are to a natural human diet, the younger, fitter and more energy-filled you’ll be! Go grab a handful from the fountain of youth, and I’ll see you here next week.

Unleash Your Vitality,

John Brackett

P.S. You can probably find most of these in your local grocery store, but I also recommend surfing around on Sunfood Nutrition, which is loaded with products containing all kinds of combinations of superfoods like the ones mentioned above. Lots of wild snacks available if you’re looking for a little more adventure in your food!