“On Valentine’s Day, the tradition of giving chocolate is a timeless symbol of affection.” Says Larry Graham, President of the National Confectioners Association, or so he would like us to believe. And now that the media is continually reporting on the scientific research showing the many health benefits of eating chocolate, sales this month are sure to be high. Consumers, however; aren’t being told the whole story. So here’s the naked chocolate truth!

Chocolate comes from cacao beans which are the seeds of the cacao fruit.  Cacao in essence is raw chocolate.

Raw chocolate means that the cacao has not been heated or processed.  By not heating or processing the cacao, you retain all the nutrients that may give you some of those reported health benefits. Raw chocolate (the cacao bean) contains a large amount of minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients.

This is real CHOCOLATE and the way it was originally enjoyed by the Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs, who used raw, organic chocolate not only as a royal treat ,but as a medicine and even currency. Cacao, by the way, literally means “food of the gods”.

Most, if not all, store bought chocolate products, however, are highly processed leaving very little, if any, of the nutrients from the cacao in the product.  What’s worse is that most chocolate products are also made with refined sugar and unhealthy fats.  The result is a product that not only has virtually none of the health benefits that have been attributed to chocolate but one that also contributes to weight gain and chronic illnesses.

The good news is that there are some awesome companies out there selling real, raw chocolate that not only tastes good but is also a healthy alternative for you.

Here are couple that I feel good about recommending:

Sacred Chocolate

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Gnosis Chocolate

Both of these chocolates can be purchased here:

Sunfood Nutrition

Now you know where to get real chocolate that you can enjoy in moderation without any of the guilt !

I do want to caution you here, cacao (chocolate) like coffee and many teas, has caffeine and is a stimulant. Stimulants affect people differently and can wreck the adrenals. I do not recommend the use of cacao on a regular basis but as a real, whole food, guilt-free treat to enjoy once and a while.

If all this talk about raw, naked chocolate goodness has peaked your interest and you would like to learn more about cacao and also get some enticing, mouthwatering recipes, check out the book Naked Chocolate by best selling author and raw foodist, David Wolfe.

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All products mentioned in this article can be purchased here:
Sunfood Nutrition

What do you think about chocolate after reading this article? Are you going to try some cacao?

Click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page to leave your comments and questions.

Alicia Castellano, CHHC, AADP

Alicia is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor with a passion for helping others transition into a healthy lifestyle and create extraordinary lives for themselves. She lives in Houston,Texas where she runs a private practice. Alicia loves to dance, loves music and has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and learning.

Visit Alicia and add her as a friend on TWITTER | FACEBOOK | MYSPACE

Simple Steps for a Smooth Transition to Organic Living

Part 2

This is the second article in a series of articles on organic living.  To read the first one click here. 

It can be overwhelming and let’s face it expensive to clean out your entire house of all the conventional items, in one shot. Try replacing the products you already use with organic ones as you run out. This approach makes the task of turning green into a doable shift. We will start today with tips to help you tackle your kitchen.

1. Start in the kitchen and open your fridge. Pick a produce item that you eat regularly and make a pledge to look for an organic counterpart during your next supermarket trip. Keep in mind the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen when starting out. (For a complete shopper’s guide of pesticides in produce you can visit www.foodnews.org.) The items with the most pesticides, and ones to buy organic first are: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes. The cleanest conventional produce items, and the ones you can stock up on with less worries are: onions, avocados, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mangos, asparagus, frozen sweet peas, kiwis, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant. This is a great list to remember especially if you are on a budget and can’t buy all organic at first. As you can see from this list there are a few frozen items thrown in, so before long you will have things in tip top shape in your freezer as well.

2. Next take a look at your condiments. It’s amazing how many bottles of hot sauce and mustard I had on my fridge door when I first set out to do this. Instead of throwing everything out and starting over, I allowed myself to begin looking for an organic replacement for my Dijon mustard, after I squeezed the last drop out of my old stand-by. Then during my next shopping trip it was time to replace that good old ketchup bottle. Each time I ran out of an item, then and only then would I replace it. In no time I had a completely organic range of tasty add-ons to spice up my meals. Both my taste buds and my pocketbook were thrilled!

3. Now it’s time to move to your staple items in your cupboards. These can be your dried spices, grains, legumes, granola, nuts, dried fruit, or baking ingredients. Just like with your fridge and freezer items, take this one step, or item at a time. A great budget saver here is to shop in the bulk bin aisle of your health food stores. I love these bins for another reason too. They allow me to experiment with new items, with relatively little cost. You can buy a handful of a different dried fruit, or go wild and try out a new spice that would have seemed wasteful if you bought a whole bottle and didn’t end up liking it. This category can also house some convenient foods you need to have on hand. Maybe your little one just loves Mac- n-cheese and you don’t always (or ever) have the time to make a healthy one from scratch. Well you could start by replacing their favorite conventional boxed item with an organic version. Not only will you be saving their bodies from the pesticides, preservatives, and antibiotics, but you’ll also be eliminating a lot of the unhealthy fats and chemicals that are contributing to childhood obesity. This is a small change that can reap a big reward- peace of mind!

So as you can see, by implementing these 3 simple steps, you can be well on your way to cleaning out all those nasty chemical ridden foods and restocking your kitchen (and your bodies) with foods that will nourish you. It can be easy on you and your food budget!

Stay tuned as we move to your bathroom and address what’s lurking in your personal care products next. You won’t believe what that miracle wrinkle cream is really feeding your skin. No worries though, because there’s plenty of options that will leave you healthy and beautiful!

Written by: Jennifer Wisnew

Jennifer Wisnew, CHHC, AADP

Jennifer is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor, dedicated to her clients with a unique approach to build a life that truly brings them joy! She is the owner of Life Renovated Health Counseling, located in the lower Hudson Valley region of New York. Jennifer is an animal lover who loves cooking, reading, gardening, dancing and researching.