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The Benefits Of Cacao Powder & How To Get In

Like most fads, the term “health food” or “superfood” has somewhat gotten out of hand. It seems any real, wholesome food now comes with the catchphrase when really, all real & unprocessed food is good for you. But if you follow along my blog, you’ll know that there are a few ingredients I always gravitate towards- and raw cacao powder is one of them (especially for desserts, check out these Healthy Almond Chocolate Butter Cups!)

Benefits of cacao powder, superfood, health, healthy, wellness, chocolate, homemade, clean eating paleo,, healthy eating

 

This post contains affiliate links. For more information click here.

Along with pure maple syrup, raw cacao powder is probably one of my most go-to ingredients (with Organic Traditions being my favorite source!). this is because, when combined, these two ingredients create a deliciously tasty and unprocessed chocolate flavor.

Since I am a chocolate fiend (chocolate macadamia balls anyone?) I pretty much use cacao powder in everything.

On top of being a delicious source of chocolate, the benefits of cacao powder are insane and plentiful!

Because cacao powder isn’t roasted (like cocoa powder) it still contains many of its living enzymes and health properties. Below are just a few of the awesome benefits of this raw chocolate powder.

 

Extremely High Antioxidant Content

Most of us know that antioxidants are “good for you”.  They improve your heart health, lower disease risk and can help protect you from some form of cancers.

But here’s the best part: cacao powder has 40 times the antioxidant content than blueberries. This is insane and an unbelievable perk of consuming chocolate in one of its purest forms!

 

Cacao Powder Is One Of The Highest Sources Of Plant Based Iron

Iron is a key component for our bodies metabolism. It’s a necessity to carry out certain enzymatic reactions and we need both sources of iron to complete those functions.

While the iron in cacao powder is non-heme, if paired with a food high in Vitamin C you’ll absorb as much as possible.

 

More Calcium Than Cow’s Milk

We’ve been bombarded with the “fact” that we need milk to get our calcium.. but we don’t. In fact, there’s lots of calcium in non dairy sources (leafy greens, almonds etc) and that’s another one of the benefits of cacao powder- it contains a lot of calcium!

 

There's lots of calcium in non dairy sources and cacao powder is one of them.. and a potent one at that! Click To Tweet

 

Cacao Helps Elevate Your Mood

There’s a reason females want chocolate when upset.. or sad.. or angry.. or on a Tuesday 😛 Okay I eat chocolate any time. But seriously, cacao powder has been shown to boost your mood and work in similar ways to an anti=depressant. One of the benefits of cacao powder is that it literally helps make you happy 😀 If that’s not a win I don’t know what is!

 

Full Of Magnesium

Need a little pick me up? Grab some cacao powder and whip up a hot chocolate! Cacao powder is full of magnesium which helps protect against osteoporosis, lower blood pressure and fight fatigue.

 

Truly, cacao powder is one of a kind. That said, if you’re used to creamy milk “chocolate” you may be in for  shock. Cacao powder isn’t pumped full of sugar making the taste a bit more similar to dark chocolate and sometimes (when you’re not used to it) a bit bitter. I personally find that when mixed with maple syrup it tastes utterly delicious, but experiment and find out what you love (bananas, honey, maple syrup, dates and stevia all give a great chocolate taste!)

So now that you’ve fallen in love with cacao powder and plan on making this utterly healthy switch in your pantry… what the hell are you going to do with it?

 

Below are a few of my favorite ways to add in a bit more healthy chocolate to your daily diet.

 

Smoothies

Bananas, cacao powder and dates make an insanely delicious smoothie, smoothie bowl or ice cream. This is easily one of my go-to ways to have a chocolate fix!

 

Balls

No bake chocolate macadamia protein balls are gooey, protein filled and delicious! They're easy to make and are a perfect grab and go snack

Whip up some chocolate energy or protein balls to snack on during busy days!

 

Chocolate Topping

If you need a healthy chocolate topping for protein bars, desserts or to lick off your spoon- use cacao powder!

 

Hot Chocolate

Dairy free, healthy hot chocolate. Homemade, easy, quick, recipe, dessert, treat, vegan, peppermint

Who doesn’t love a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. Only this hot chocolate will come with a zillion benefits!

Don’t forget to pin these awesome benefits of cacao powder!

Benefits of cacao powder, superfood, health, healthy, wellness, chocolate, homemade, clean eating paleo,, healthy eating

 

Have I convinced you yet? If you haven’t jumped into the cacao craze I hope I’ve given you reason to start! The benefits of cacao powder are endless and it not only does it transform into a decadent chocolate that can be added to smoothies and desserts but it’s healthy too!

Looking for more healthy tips? Check out 5 Ways To Get Chia Seeds Into Your Diet and 10 Tips To Drink More WaterChia seeds are full of health boosting nutrients and easily put into recipes. Here's how to sneak them into your meals, snacks and food.

Need help boosting your water intake for a healthier lifestyle? Try these ten tips to keep you hydrated.

Boost Your Energy With These 5 Snacks
Tired from chasing toddlers all day? Need a mid afternoon boost? These tasty snacks can help!
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Comments

  1. Farrah says

    01/22/2018 at 1:23 pm

    I have a bag of cacao powder I got not too long ago but haven’t had a chance to use yet–can’t wait to try these ideas out! :] I may be starting with the hot chocolate! 😛

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear says

      01/22/2018 at 9:08 pm

      Haha hot chocolate is definitely a win! I use it in my new chocolate chunky monkey smoothie too 😉 Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Joleisa says

    01/22/2018 at 3:20 pm

    I must admit that ive not heard of that powder before. Have to do some research. It sounds healthie though so i wanna check it out. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear says

      01/22/2018 at 9:08 pm

      definitely look into it.. everyone loves chocolate!

      Reply
  3. Amanda says

    01/22/2018 at 3:30 pm

    I’ve never used this so it was really helpful reading about all the ways to start using cacao powder! Thank you so much for sharing! Have a wonderful day!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear says

      01/22/2018 at 9:09 pm

      Glad I could help Amanda.. it makes everything so yummy!

      Reply
  4. Tiffany @ The Chi-Athlete says

    01/23/2018 at 12:16 am

    Some awesome tips and info, lady! Thank you!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear says

      01/23/2018 at 2:09 am

      No problem- it’s one of my favorites!

      Reply
  5. Parth Rathod says

    01/24/2018 at 4:43 pm

    It is yes tasty and is good for health
    thank you for sharing

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear says

      01/24/2018 at 9:51 pm

      My favorite kind of treat!

      Reply

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Hey There! I’m Shelby, a strength and nutrition coach in everyday life as well as mama to two beautiful girls! I’m a chronic foodie, workout junkie and feeder of stray cats. I love heavy lifting but am a firm believer that as a mama you’ve got to do whatever the hell that works FOR YOU and I’m here to give you a few ideas. I believe food is fuel but indulgences are a must because well, as you’ll see… I’m a chocolate fiend!


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