Chocolate benefits: but which kind?

Because who doesn’t love chocolate? Now you can eat it without being health-conscious about it. But Cacao, Cocoa, or Carob? Let’s dig in!

Americans alone consume about 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate each year. That’s a lot of chocolate! The thing is, the types of chocolate we consume aren’t always beneficial for us. The typical brands of chocolate that are available to us in stores contain lots of added sugars, emulsifiers, and are so processed that we’re forced to miss out on all the great minerals and antioxidants that chocolate naturally contains! Luckily, there are options.

Cacao

Not to be confused with cocoa, cacao is its less processed sibling. Cacao comes from the Theobroma Cacao tree in the form of a bean. Although the flavor of the bean is bitter, it can be eaten raw. Some health benefits of eating raw or minimally processed cacao beans are:

• Lower blood pressure
• Regulated insulin levels
• Boost of antioxidants
• Source of many nutrients

Once the cacao bean is dried, fermented, and heated at a low temperature, it becomes the cacao which we’re sold. Cacao is sold in forms such as nibs, chips, bars, and powder to name a few. There are pros in switching from conventional chocolate to cacao. Some of these are:

• Cacao is less sweet
• No added sugars or artificial sweeteners
• Still a great source of antioxidants and minerals (i.e. magnesium, iron, potassium and more!)

Cocoa

You’re probably thinking hot chocolate, but here’s a side to cocoa you might not know. Cocoa actually comes from the same tree and bean as cacao. The key distinction between the two is that cocoa is processed at much higher temperatures than cacao. While this results in a sweeter flavor, it yields less health benefits as the additional heat causes for dissipated antioxidants and nutrients. Cocoa is also sold in forms we may readily recognize, such as chocolate chips, and powder. They key here is finding plain cocoa, as most commercial versions are heavily processed, and again containing added sweeteners and fillers. Cocoa also tends to be less expensive than cacao, for those of you looking to save a buck.

Carob

If you’ve never heard of carob, I’m here to introduce you. Carob technically isn’t chocolate, or even from the same tree as cacao and cocoa, but it can be used as a healthy alternative. It tastes similar to chocolate and has amazing benefits. Some of these include:

• No caffeine
• No gluten
• Lots of fiber
• Antioxidants

Carob is also low in fat and sugar content, yet naturally sweet. It contains many vitamins, minerals, and even protein. It has also been known to ease upset stomachs and diarrhea, and is helpful for those with digestive issues. Some people even swear by carob for weight loss. It too can be eaten raw, or it can be used in cooking and baking just as one would chocolate. Like cacao and cocoa, it is available to buy in different forms such as powder and chips.

No matter which one you decide to go with, the less additives it contains, the better for you. So, go ahead and indulge in those cravings, your body will thank you!