374 replies to this topic

[health_nutty]

What are your opinions on mixing cocoa with milk?

It tastes a lot better that way, but will the milk significantly interfere with the absorption of cocoa's beneficial components?

If not dairy milk, what about soy milk?

This is a valid concern since the casein in milk has been shown to inhibit at least some of the benefits of tea.

[EmbraceUnity]

What are your opinions on mixing cocoa with milk?

It tastes a lot better that way, but will the milk significantly interfere with the absorption of cocoa's beneficial components?

If not dairy milk, what about soy milk?

This is a valid concern since the casein in milk has been shown to inhibit at least some of the benefits of tea.

Interesting about the casein in milk. So it seems there is now yet another reason to stay away from milk.

[tintinet]

I don't drink milk qua milk, and use it rarely. I usually mix organic mixed raw and roasted cocoa with fresh ground fresh brewed organic coffee- mocha brain and body blaster!

BTW, this brings to my mind my favorite Arnold Schwartzenegger quotation, from the film Pumping Iron :

Reporter: "Arnold, do you drink milk?"

AS: "Milk is for babies! I drink BEER!"

[malbecman]

It seems like a massive ORAC score, does it sound right?

Boily,

Keep in mind that the ORAC score is just one simple in-vitro (test tube/petri dish) that the USDA
and food scientist use to compare the potential antioxidant capabilities of different foods.
The whole picture is a lot more complicated, esp. with metabolism, absorption, genetics, etc.

Of course, it still provides a starting point but its as not as black and white as 0-60mph or 1/4 mile
times in a car.

That ORAC score does look in line with some of the papers on Pubmed, eg PMID 16719535
The paper has the units as per gram, your quote has them listed as per 100 grams.

[steelheader]

Yesterday I received my shipment of raw chocolate, nibs and powder, from Navitas, on Amazon.com.

I expected the raw chocolate to be bitter. To my taste it's not bitter. It's obviously sugar free and I like that. I made a hot drink with the powder by whipping it in hot water and really liked it. It was complex, but not, IMO, bitter. The nibs were great with a mashed banana.

Could you experienced raw chocolate eaters give some input? Is this non-bitter (to me) raw chocolate the good stuff? Or should it be bitter?

[OutOfThyme]

Yesterday I received my shipment of raw chocolate, nibs and powder, from Navitas, on Amazon.com.

I expected the raw chocolate to be bitter.  To my taste it's not bitter.  It's obviously sugar free and I like that.   I made a hot drink with the powder by whipping it in hot water and really liked it.  It was complex, but not, IMO, bitter.  The nibs were great with a mashed banana.

Could you experienced raw chocolate eaters give some input?  Is this non-bitter (to me) raw chocolate the good stuff?  Or should it be bitter?

You haven't lived until you've sprinkled a tablespoon of nibs on a small dollop of Vanilla Tofutti ice cream. That's my treat twice a day.

I buy the same brand of raw organic nibs, steelheader. Its what my local healthfood store conveniently sells. No complaints here. I never tried nibs until I began visiting this forum. I see full membership in my future. Thanks ImmInst!

[Mind]

I got my nibs las weekend and I think they are GREAT!. To me they are not very bitter, but I think it is an aquired taste. I have been eating unsweetened baker's chocolate for a couple years now so the nibs do not taste any more bitter...they might even be a little less bitter.

[Mind]

One other thing. What is the best way to store the nibs? I just put the bag I got in the mail (pretty sturdy food grade plastic) in the refrigerator. I plan to eat the nibs over the course of 2 or 3 weeks. Will they keep just fine? Seeing that they are very dry, I think it is not likely they will spoil. Maybe I should freeze half of them. Any suggestions?

[maestro949]

I buy a brick of Green and Black's Organic Chocolate bars when they go on sale. I've tried the purer chocolates and cocoa powders but ech, blech, ack, spt...

Close enough?

[edward]

Here is a link to download the government's database of the flavonoid content of various foods... From what I see Green Tea is very high... The only representative of cocoa is dark chocolate which has considerably less of all the catechins

http://www.nal.usda....a/Flav/flav.pdf

[health_nutty]

Here is a link to download the government's database of the flavonoid content of various foods... From what I see Green Tea is very high... The only representative of cocoa is dark chocolate which has considerably less of all the catechins

http://www.nal.usda....a/Flav/flav.pdf

Thanks for the link!

[OutOfThyme]

One other thing. What is the best way to store the nibs? I just put the bag I got in the mail (pretty sturdy food grade plastic) in the refrigerator. I plan to eat the nibs over the course of 2 or 3 weeks. Will they keep just fine? Seeing that they are very dry, I think it is not likely they will spoil. Maybe I should freeze half of them. Any suggestions?

I'll throw in my two cents.
If I was storing the cocoa long-term I'd store it in a plastic bag (no less than 3 mils thick) in the freezer. I don't see a problem keeping it in the fridge short-term either. That's where I've been keeping mine.

[steelheader]

Here is a link to download the government's database of the flavonoid content of various foods... From what I see Green Tea is very high... The only representative of cocoa is dark chocolate which has considerably less of all the catechins

http://www.nal.usda....a/Flav/flav.pdf

If this information from USDA is correct, we can get as much epicatechin from a 5 oz apple as from an oz of dark chocolate.

[shifter]

Thanks for that link boily. I ordered and got 1kg of nibs. I had found a similar product in Australia but it was much more expensive for the nibs so didn't get http://www.powersupe...ower/index.html/ I like their goji and maca though.

I ate some of the raw nibs and it wasn't unpleasent at all. They gave one of their chocolate bars free in the order too Best chocolate bar i've ever had.

This is chocolate I cant feel guilty for eating!!!!

I found an Australian website that sells raw cacao, looks like a good product. Copied what was on their website page:

http://www.livingear.../Raw_Cacao.html

I currently take a supermarket brand at 20 grams a day, this stuff has to be a lot better.....

Certified Organic Raw Criollo Cacao (cocoa) - beans, nibs, powder and butter
Our cacao beans and nibs are the original heirloom royal criollo cacao from Xoconusco in Mexico. By buying this organic raw chocolate you are supporting a sustainable project that is rescuing this original heirloom variety of cacao, which has been grown by the mayans of Xoconusco since they originally domesticated the cacao tree over 3,000 years ago.

The certified organic indigenous growers use an age old system of permaculture, where the cacao trees are planted under the native forest canopy, along with other fruit trees, such as mango, avocado, papaya etc. All of these trees add their distinctive nuances to the fine multi-floral flavor of this exquisite cacao. [Find out more about the growers and history of this unique single origin cacao.]

Our raw cocoa powder and butter comes from Peru where raw Peruvian criollo cacao nibs are cold pressed into anti-oxidant rich cocoa powder and highly sensual cocoa butter.

At no stage in the processing of any of our raw cacao products does the temperature go above 45 degrees Celcius (113 Farenheit).




Antioxidants
Raw Cacao beans contain 10 grams of flavonol antioxidants per 100 grams, which is an incredible 10%. Research has also demonstrated that the antioxidants in cacao are highly stable and easily available to human metabolism. In the adjacent table you can see that raw cocoa powder has set the world record for antioxidants with nearly 4 times the amount of antioxidants as Goji Berries. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale was developed by the United States Department of Agriculture to measure the ability of antioxidants to absorb free radicals, which normally cause cell and tissue damage. The higher the ORAC score, the higher the level of antioxidants present in the food.

ORAC scores for the Top 10 Antioxidant Foods (per 100 grams)
1) Raw cocoa powder* 95,500
1) Raw cacao nibs* 62,100
2) Roasted cocoa powder 26,000
3) Goji Berries* 25,300
4) Acai Berries* 18,500
5) Dark Chocolate 13,120 
6) Prunes 5,770
7) Raisins  2,830
8) Blueberries  2,400
9) Blackberries 2,036
10) Kale  1,770
Source: US department of Agriculture/Journal of American Chemical Society 
*Brunswick Laboratories MA, USA

Magnesium for the Heart and Brain
Raw cacao is the primary dietary source of magnesium, the most deficient mineral in western civilisation. Magnesium is the most important mineral for a healthy functioning heart. It also plays a key role in producing energy for the neurons in the brain from glucose. So when there is an abundance of magnesium the brain works with clarity and focus.

Mood elevators and Anti-depressants
Cacao is a great source of serotonin, dopamine, anandamide and phenylethylamine (PEA), four well-studied neurotransmitters, which are associated with feelings of well being and help alleviate depression. Both PEA and Anandamide (the bliss chemical) are found in abundance in the brains of happy people and are particularly released when we are feeling happy. Both of these nuerotransmitters are present in raw cacao in large enough quanitities to affect the brain and lift our moods. Cacao also contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors) that keep neurotransmitters in the bloodstream for longer without being broken down.

We have all experienced the positive feelings associated with eating chocolate, now we have access to pure raw unadalterated chocolate in the form of organic raw cacao. This is much more potent than the processed chocolate and doesn't have any sugar or dairy products blocking the positive effects of all the goodies in raw cacao. My experience is that eating 11 raw cacao beans is enough to experience a blissful sense of well being.

[malbecman]

I will add one comment. I"ve been ingesting ~20 gram of Ambrosia cocoa powder daily, usually mix it in my coffee to make a nice bittersweer mocha (no sugar). I've definitely noticed a jacked-up feeling for the first hour or so which I'm attributing to the theobromine content. (I'm a habitual caffeine abuser/user and the caffeine content in cocoa is pretty low anyways)

[boily]

Thanks for that link boily. I ordered and got 1kg of nibs. I had found a similar product in Australia but it was much more expensive for the nibs so didn't get http://www.powersupe...wer/index.html/ I like their goji and maca though.

I ate some of the raw nibs and it wasn't unpleasent at all. They gave one of their chocolate bars free in the order too  Best chocolate bar i've ever had.

This is chocolate I cant feel guilty for eating!!!!

Good to hear! I'll be ordering from them soon, sounds like your a happy customer. Livingearth.com.au have many great sounding products, at reasonable prices,and even better, here in Australia!

Where you from shifter?

[Athanasios]

Order your Cocoa now, there is going to be a supply disruption coming in the next few weeks/months due to a drought.

http://money.cnn.com...on=money_latest

Chocolate prices spike
Cocoa comes near four-year high after drought hits world's key grower.
March 22 2007: 4:22 PM EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Chocolate lovers may notice their habit is getting more expensive in the coming months, following a rally that sent the price of cocoa close to a four-year high after a drought hit the world's key grower.

A withering dry spell that farmers called the worst in living memory has hit Africa's Ivory Coast, the main grower of cocoa beans used to make chocolate. This, combined with tight supplies, has caused price spikes in New York and London cocoa markets....

[doug123]

Iwire: News Source

Chocolate does it again, and this time without sugar
By William Atkins   
Monday, 26 March 2007 

Chocoholic researchers find that unsweetened cocoa improves blood vessels, which is a good indicator of a healthy heart. 

Valentine Yanchou Njike, of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and a team of co-researchers gave 8 ounces (227 grams) of unsweetened cocoa, sweetened cocoa, and or a placebo to 45 people who fasted from 8 to 12 hours and then ate one of the above three foods first thing in the morning.

After the six-week experiment, the 39 subjects who completed the study saw these results: unsweetened cocoa improved the function of blood vessels by 2.4%, while sweetened cocoa improved blood vessel function by 1.5%. The placebo decreased function by 0.8%.

Specifically, the researchers tested the ability of the subjects’ upper arm arteries to flex, which is called flow mediated dilation (FMD). This test was performed by measuring high-frequency ultrasound before and after eating the chocolate or placebo.

The researchers see these initial results as promising for the health benefits of unsweetened dark chocolate.

[malbecman]

8 ounces/227grams (?!?!?) of unsweetened cocoa used in this study for daily ingestion??? [:o]

That is a lot and way more than most people would normally consume....

-M

Iwire: News Source

Chocolate does it again, and this time without sugar
By William Atkins   
Monday, 26 March 2007 

Chocoholic researchers find that unsweetened cocoa improves blood vessels, which is a good indicator of a healthy heart. 

Valentine Yanchou Njike, of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and a team of co-researchers gave 8 ounces (227 grams) of unsweetened cocoa, sweetened cocoa, and or a placebo to 45 people who fasted from 8 to 12 hours and then ate one of the above three foods first thing in the morning.

After the six-week experiment, the 39 subjects who completed the study saw these results: unsweetened cocoa improved the function of blood vessels by 2.4%, while sweetened cocoa improved blood vessel function by 1.5%. The placebo decreased function by 0.8%.

Specifically, the researchers tested the ability of the subjects’ upper arm arteries to flex, which is called flow mediated dilation (FMD). This test was performed by measuring high-frequency ultrasound before and after eating the chocolate or placebo.

The researchers see these initial results as promising for the health benefits of unsweetened dark chocolate.

[doug123]

8 ounces/227grams (?!?!?) of unsweetened cocoa used in this study for daily ingestion???  [:o]

  That is a lot and way more than most people would normally consume....

-M

Iwire: News Source

Chocolate does it again, and this time without sugar
By William Atkins   
Monday, 26 March 2007 

Chocoholic researchers find that unsweetened cocoa improves blood vessels, which is a good indicator of a healthy heart. 

Valentine Yanchou Njike, of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and a team of co-researchers gave 8 ounces (227 grams) of unsweetened cocoa, sweetened cocoa, and or a placebo to 45 people who fasted from 8 to 12 hours and then ate one of the above three foods first thing in the morning.

After the six-week experiment, the 39 subjects who completed the study saw these results: unsweetened cocoa improved the function of blood vessels by 2.4%, while sweetened cocoa improved blood vessel function by 1.5%. The placebo decreased function by 0.8%.

Specifically, the researchers tested the ability of the subjects’ upper arm arteries to flex, which is called flow mediated dilation (FMD). This test was performed by measuring high-frequency ultrasound before and after eating the chocolate or placebo.

The researchers see these initial results as promising for the health benefits of unsweetened dark chocolate.

Yes, I agree that 8 ounces (or half a pound) is quite a bit of chocolate to consume.

But a 2.4% improvement in blood vessel function in 6 weeks is nonetheless impressive. I imagine some of these benefits are possible with lower doses.

And this probably gives researchers a bearing on where to look to next as well; i.e. if the these multi faceted benefits of cocoa are as good as they seem from the preliminary evidence reported in the beginning of this thread, novel new delivery systems can be developed -- such as in pill or drink form. And perhaps newer and more powerful pharmaceutical versions of the active responsible for these benefits are yet to be discovered or synthesized.

For those not interested in going back to the beginning of the topic to review what these multi faceted benefits are, here's another take on the same story from another news source:

Iwire: News Source

Flavonoid-rich cocoa found healthy for the brain   
By William Atkins 

Friday, 09 March 2007

By studying differences in people living on and off the group of islands called Kuna, researchers found that people who regularly drank cocoa rich in flavonoids had less chance of having dementia, diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School (Boston, Massachusetts, United States) found that native people living on the island group Kuna, off the Caribbean coast of Panama in Central America, did not have high blood pressure when young and old. However, if these natives left their homeland for the Central American mainland, their blood pressure went up.

After about fifteen years of research to find a cause for this difference, the researchers found that Kuna natives drink several cups of cocoa each day. However, if they move away from Kuna, then that habit did not continue or did not continue in exactly the same way.

The researchers eventually found the crucial link. They discovered that cocoa drank by Kuna natives is very high in the compounds called flavonids, while the cocoa drank on the mainland is not rich in flavonids.

Derived from plants, flavonoids is a class of secondary metabolites that have been shown in previous studies to improve the body’s response when attacked by carcinogens, allergens, and viruses. If proven true, flavonids have the potential to help prevent cancers and cardiovascular diseases. (Other foods and drinks shown to contain flavonid compounds include fruit, vegetables, tea, and red wine.)

Because flavonid compounds have a bitter taste, they are often removed from cocoa made by manufacturers in large quantities in most countries.

To confirm their findings, the researchers gave flavonoid-rich cocoa to 50-year-old and older people, while another group of the same age range was given cocoa without flavonoids. Their study found that the flavonoid-rich group had blood flow in the brain that was 10 to 15% better than the brain flow in the non-flavonoid group.

Within their study, the collaborators mention that some chocolate and cocoa manufacturers are beginning to realize the health benefits of flavonoids. As a result, they are reintroducing them into their products.

Take care.

[health_nutty]

2.4%??? That seems very insignificant. Am I missing something?

Iwire: News Source

Chocolate does it again, and this time without sugar
By William Atkins   
Monday, 26 March 2007 

Chocoholic researchers find that unsweetened cocoa improves blood vessels, which is a good indicator of a healthy heart. 

Valentine Yanchou Njike, of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and a team of co-researchers gave 8 ounces (227 grams) of unsweetened cocoa, sweetened cocoa, and or a placebo to 45 people who fasted from 8 to 12 hours and then ate one of the above three foods first thing in the morning.

After the six-week experiment, the 39 subjects who completed the study saw these results: unsweetened cocoa improved the function of blood vessels by 2.4%, while sweetened cocoa improved blood vessel function by 1.5%. The placebo decreased function by 0.8%.

Specifically, the researchers tested the ability of the subjects’ upper arm arteries to flex, which is called flow mediated dilation (FMD). This test was performed by measuring high-frequency ultrasound before and after eating the chocolate or placebo.

The researchers see these initial results as promising for the health benefits of unsweetened dark chocolate.

[doug123]

News Source: Eurkalert

Small changes in blood supply to certain parts of the body can often mean the difference between life and death -- especially for patients with compromised endothelial function or other coronary heart problems:

Contact: Joan Aragone
jaragone@pubaff.ucsf.edu
415-476-2557
University of California - San Francisco

Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate boosts blood vessel function, study suggests

UCSF scientists are publishing sweet results of a study examining chocolate's effects on blood vessel function in healthy people. The team reports that small daily doses of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate consumed over a two-week period improved blood vessels' ability to dilate, or expand. They also report that a particular flavonoid thought to be beneficial for blood vessel function, epicatechin, was absorbed at high levels in the blood.
"This is the longest clinical trial to date to show improvement in blood vessel function from consuming flavonoid-rich dark chocolate daily over an extended period of time," says lead author Mary Engler, PhD RN, professor of physiological nursing in the UCSF School of Nursing. "It is likely that the elevated blood levels of epicatechin triggered the release of active substances that vasodilate, or increase, blood flow in the artery. Better blood flow is good for your heart." The study appears in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Previous clinical studies have shown the beneficial effects of chocolate on the function of blood vessel endothelium [the inner lining of blood vessels] after either a single dose or several doses of chocolate over a few days.

Flavonoids, a group of chemical compounds with antioxidant properties, are derived from a variety of plants. They have been shown to promote several beneficial effects in the cardiovascular system, including decreasing oxidation of LDL cholesterol (a harmful process that allows cholesterol to accumulate in blood vessels); inhibiting aggregation of blood platelets (which contributes to the risk of blood clots that produce stroke and heart attack); and decreasing the body's inflammatory immune responses (which contribute to atherosclerosis).

In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, eleven people received 46 grams (1.6 ounces) of dark, flavonoid-rich chocolate every day for two weeks, while ten others received dark chocolate with low-flavonoid content. At the end of the two-week trial, Engler and her team recorded the ability of the principal artery in the arm, the brachial artery, to expand. The brachial artery's dilation measurements correlate well with those of the coronary arteries that supply the heart.

The team measured the artery's "flow-mediated dilation" using ultrasound to obtain the brachial artery's diameter immediately after deflating a blood pressure cuff that had been inflated for five minutes on study participants' forearms. "This measurement actually gives us a "videoclip" of an individual's vascular health, and can be helpful in determining whether one is at risk for heart disease," says Engler. The induced increase in blood flow after the cuff is deflated causes release of many dilator substances, such as nitric oxide and prostanoids, which relax, the artery. Flow-mediated dilation is expressed as the percentage maximum change in vessel diameter from baseline.

In the high-flavonoid group, flow-mediated dilation increased from an initial 10.2 percent at the beginning of the study to 11.5 percent at the end of the study, while in the low-flavonoid group dilation decreased from 10.7 percent at the beginning of the study to 9.74 percent at the end of the study. The mean increase in flow-mediated dilation between the two groups showed a statistically significant difference, says Engler.

"Improvements in endothelial function [the ability of the artery to dilate] are indicative of improved vascular health and a lower risk for heart disease," Engler says. "Arteries that are able to dilate more have increased blood flow, and this is especially important for the heart." 

Engler and her group also found that concentrations of the cocoa flavonoid epicatechin soared in blood samples taken from the group that received the high-flavonoid chocolate, rising from a baseline of 25.6 nmol/L to 204.4 nmol/L. In the group that received the low-flavonoid chocolate, concentrations of epicatechin decreased slightly, from a baseline of 17.9 nmol/L to 17.5 nmol/L.

The authors also found that the participants did not have increased blood cholesterol levels after these daily snacks of chocolate for two weeks.

The study was funded by the UCSF School of Nursing. Chocolate for the study was provided by the American Cocoa Research Institute, Vienna, VA.

In the past five years, scientists have developed increasingly accurate methods of detecting flavonoids. Only a few years ago, dark chocolate was found to contain more flavonoids than any other food that's been tested so far, including such flavonoid-rich foods as green and black tea, red wine and blueberries, says Engler. "Many people don't realize that chocolate is plant-derived, as are the fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy heart. Chocolate is made from the cacao bean found in the fruit pod of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao)."

Standard manufacturing of chocolate destroys about a quarter to half of its flavonoids. Now, some companies are using processing methods with reduced heat and alkalization, which can preserve as much as 70 percent to 95 percent of the chocolate flavonoids.

The UCSF study suggests that the beneficial effects of eating small doses of chocolate can be found in eating chocolate with higher amounts of cocoa , i.e., at least seventy percent cocoa content, says Engler. Additional information on current chocolate research can be found at the Chocolate Information Center website (http://www.chocolateinfo.com) sponsored by Mars, Inc, she says.

The current study supports many other studies that have shown benefits from cocoa flavonoids, Engler says. "Even though we still have a long way to go before we understand all of chocolate's effects, for now, there's little doubt that in moderation and in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet and exercise we can enjoy -- and even benefit from -- moderate amounts of high-flavonoid dark chocolate."

Engler's co-author, Marguerite Engler, PhD, RN, presented an abstract of this research at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in New Orleans in November 2002. Mary Engler and her team also presented the work at the Experimental Biology 2003 meeting in San Diego in April 2003. The abstract was published in The FASEB Journal in conjunction with that meeting.

Other researchers who participated in the study are Amanda Browne, RN, BS, Elisa Chiu, RN, MS, Michele Mietus-Snyder, MD, all from the Department of Physiological Nursing, UCSF School of Nursing; Chung Y. Chen, PhD, Ho-Kyung Kwak, PhD, Paul Milbury, MS, and Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, FACN, all from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University, Boston, MA; Mary J. Malloy, MD, Cardiovascular Research Institute at UCSF, and Steven M. Paul, PhD, Office of Research, UCSF School of Nursing.


###

Take care.

[edward]

Here is a link to download the government's database of the flavonoid content of various foods... From what I see Green Tea is very high... The only representative of cocoa is dark chocolate which has considerably less of all the catechins

http://www.nal.usda....a/Flav/flav.pdf

Correction to my post. Dark Chocolate is high in (-)-Epicatechin 41.5 mg/ 100 g and relatively high in (+)-Catechin 11.99/ 100g. Compared to Green Teas 8.47mg and 2.73 (brewed, I'm sure an extract would have more). Furthermore green tea is rich in 9 different flavanoids whereas cocoa seems to be only rich in those 2. It seems to me that Green Tea gives you more bang for your buck, but supplementing Cocoa is definitely healthful and due to perhaps some of the other non flavonoid bioactive substances in it, might be a positive addition to one's diet.

[edward]

Basically, according to the FDA Green Tea has over 120 mg/ 100 g (high in 9 different flavonoids) of Total Flavonoid content. Versus Dark Chocolate Total of roughly 50 mg / 100 g (mostly epicatechin and catechin). Again raw cocoa powder or nibs are probably higher but again good quality green tea extract seems to be a better bet.

[health_nutty]

Basically, according to the FDA Green Tea has over 120 mg/ 100 g (high in 9 different flavonoids) of Total Flavonoid content. Versus Dark Chocolate Total of roughly 50 mg / 100 g (mostly epicatechin and catechin). Again raw cocoa powder or nibs are probably higher but again good quality green tea extract seems to be a better bet.

gram for gram this is true, but a serving of cocoa powder much more than a serving of green tea powder.

[health_nutty]

This study showed a 37% increase in blood flow:

"The study had participants consuming a Hershey dark chocolate cocoa mix with sugar (230 calories); a Hershey mix that was artificially sweetened (45 calories); and a placebo mix made of sweetened whey powder (250 calories).

At the end of the study each person had consumed each preparation for six weeks, with four-week breaks between to allow each mixture's effects to dissipate.

The study, funded by Hershey and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was presented this weekend at the American College of Cardiology meeting in New Orleans.

Doctors used ultrasound to measure blood flow in an artery in the arm, a test that corresponds well to heart disease risk.

The artificially sweetened cocoa mix was associated with about a 37% improvement in blood flow. The sugared cocoa was associated with a 23% improvement, suggesting that sugar interferes with the beneficial actions of flavonoids. The placebo mix resulted in a 12% reduction in blood flow."

http://www.jsonline.....aspx?id=582024

[shifter]

Just done another order of cocoa. 5kgs of nibs, 500grams of powder and 1kg of the butter. Still have most of the 1kg nibs I ordered. Should last me some time

Whats the butter like? What temps are required to keep it nice and spreadable for bread? Is it much like coconut oil that it can be rock hard or liquid at room temp? Or spreadable right from the fridge...

Hey Boily, i'm from Canberra.

[lucid]

I just ordered 4 lbs of raw organic powder and then a lb of nibs. Hopefully it will be tasty. Im thinking about eating it in my morning yogurt mix.
Active yogurt, kellogs all-bran, peanuts, cocoa powder, cocoa nibs.