I eat raw cacao every day, in many different ways.

It’s a Chocolate World

Chocolate is everywhere in our society. However, most of it is highly processed, cooked, laden with dairy and flavored with refined sugar. It’s the processing of the chocolate that makes it a health hazard. It’s a strange world that has turned one of the most powerful, natural, nutrient-dense foods into an unhealthy, ubiquitous food item.

Raw cacao, which is highly nutritious, will be one of the foods that health and wellness advocates will want to know about — and use.

These days, cacao is more readily available than just a few years ago, in various natural forms throughout the United States. The most common forms are beans with skins still on (whole beans), nibs (broken beans), and powder (ground beans). However, I prefer raw, certified organic (or the equivalent), skinless, whole cacao beans. Perhaps your preference will be different from mine.

I suggest you start at Sunfood.com because that site will have the widest variety of the best available. When you get to the site, simply search for "cacao" to bring up the current selection of products. If you prefer to purchase in a local store, just read the label carefully. Pictured at the right is the way I purchase most of my cacao.

At the moment of writing this article, this item is out of stock at Sunfood.com. When I talked with one of the support persons, he said that the manufacturer has not been able to keep up with the demand. I purchased some nibs locally. Right away, I noticed the difference in taste. NaturalZing.com also has wonderful raw cacao.

The Real Stuff

Chocolate is made from Cacao (or Cocoa) Beans. Cacao is chocolate; chocolate is cacao. However, when you start with the one ingredient cacao and add healthy ingredients without cooking, you retain the antioxidants, minerals, and neurotransmitter rejuvenating properties.

The raw cacao bean is one of nature’s most outstanding superfoods due to its mineral content and wide array of unique and varied properties. Since many of the special properties of cacao are destroyed or diminished by cooking, refining, and processing, it’s important to consume it raw.

Cacao is hard. To eat it, you need to break it down. Typical ways are with mortar and pestle, high speed blender, regular blender, or your teeth.

Cacao is bitter. Bitter is one of the important tastes, but rarely do we eat bitter items alone. I can eat cacao straight — and often do! — but I think that’s an acquired taste. I also rarely eat a whole handful of cacao on its own. More likely, I eat 3-4 beans alone. Cacao beans are easy to transport in a suitcase, purse, or pocket for superfood nutrition on the go.

Sweeteners for Cacao

Stevia is the sweetener of choice by many people wishing to avoid refined sugar and the mainstream alternatives. In the US, stevia is marketed (by law) as a nutritional supplement and cannot be marketed as a sweetener.

Honey is extremely sweet to my taste, so I only use a very small amount occasionally.

Dates are a living food. Other dried foods serve as interesting sweetening and texture to cacao dishes.

Other natural sweeteners also go well with cacao, such as, dried fruit, mesquite pod meal, carob, yacon syrup.

Please note: I no longer recommend Agave nectar There are a few extremely expensive agave nectar products that are more healthy than most on the market. Since I’m not familiar with the brand names, I am simply avoiding agave and recommending it.

Uses

I add raw cacao to nearly every type of meal. It’s an essential ingredient of my Raw Fruit Smoothies and Vegetable Soups, and, in particular, Raw Food Energy Soup. Cacao adds valuable minerals that are often lacking in restaurant foods, so I’m certain to carry some with me at all times.

Cacao was used as money by the ancient Aztecs — so to them, money did grow on trees. But, make no mistake, they ate cacao also. So they associated both their wealth and their health with cacao.

Recently, I wrote about a different approach David Wolfe is using
that associates food and money.
You can read that article or
go directly to David’s Food that Attracts Money Video.

David Wolfe has prepared several videos to introduce you to his Longevity Now Program. The introductory videos, of course, are free. If you access any of these videos from the respective link, you’ll also have access to the others.

Food and Money

I’ve seen how powerfully a change in food choices can change a person’s outlook on life. With a new perspective, all aspects of life change.

Some people are focused so strongly on not having enough money, which, of course, attracts more of not enough money. When trapped in negative thinking, it’s often a good idea to change the subject to another one.

Some people also have some rather negative relationships with food. "I can’t eat this." Or, "I shouldn’t eat that." Again, changing the subject to something more pleasant can be helpful.

Better yet, create ways to think and speak about positive aspects of food and money.

Both money and food are subjects you’re likely to be faced with every day — in fact, many times a day. When you find ways to think and speak positively about each, you experience a more satisfying relationship with both.

As I said in My Raw Food Story, I found enormous inspiration in studying about raw food cuisine when I chose to make a change in my food consumption. In fact, I had been a rather healthy eater before my illness, and didn’t attribute my illness to food choices. But the focus on eating healthy, living, raw, and interesting meals gave me a positive focus and direction.

David Wolfe’s perspective is very powerful, and based on far more research than my own. I encourage you to watch Foods that Attract Money.

Changing Habits Requires Discipline

The easiest thing to do today is what you did yesterday. Habits simplify life. However, when the actions that form the habits are destruction, you owe it to yourself to change the habits. This requires discipline.

Discipline involves consistent action that strengthens or empowers you. How will YOU stay healthy, stand strong, and still have fun along the way? Discipline creates freedom when you approach it to the proper mindset.

David Wolfe says, "Health is simple; illness is complex." Absolutely.

You can reach all your health and financial goals and achieve maximum healthy longevity without forcing yourself to do anything you don’t want to do!

Make positive choices.

Check out David’s Discipline Video.

Longevity Now Program

These videos introduce you to the Longevity Now Program that teaches you step-by-step how to achieve stunning longevity, beauty, vitality, and prosperity… all through tiny, effortless, fun-filled steps.

The videos are free, with valuable information. They lead you to the Program with a price tag. It’s a reasonable price, IF you listen to and apply the principles and techniques. You will change not only your food, but your health, and your prosperity.

It’s your choice. I encourage you to at least watch the videos.

This blog is all about making choices joyfully. I’ll share with you as much as I can from my heart. David Wolfe is one of the person’s I am genuinely delighted to introduce you to.

I’ve mentioned him many times on this blog. Now you can see him for yourself, on video, on a topic that’s near and dear to my heart: the immune system. David researches his subject thoroughly and offers his information simply, yet with great depth.

David has not been sick in 15 years. I can’t claim such a long time, but I can say that I’ve not been sick in 6 years and counting!

Is it possible to stop getting sick? Absolutely! Just imagine what you can accomplish if you are free of physical setbacks and full of productive energy.

I just finished watching David’s video that is different from what most people know and have been taught about health, sickness, and the immune system.

Watch David’s Video. It’s free, just give him your email address.

You’ll discover the secrets to having an unshakable immune system. The purpose of your immune system is to keep you healthy and protected. You need to understand how to feed and nourish it.

David Wolfe is the most recognized super-nutrition authority whose fans and clients include T. Harv Eker, Tony Robbins, Angela Bassett, Woody Harrelson, Mark Victor Hansen, and hundreds of thousands more. And he is living proof of what he teaches — just watch him.

In this video, David Wolfe reveals exactly how and why he has not been sick in 15 years. He gives step-by-step information, in this generous educational video. He explains what to eat and what to do for immediate immunity transformation.

Don’t miss this health-transforming video. It’s the first of four health-transforming, never-before-revealed Longevity Secrets Videos that David is sharing. I’ve attended many of David’s workshops. This man just keeps giving.

See three of my favorite books by David Wolfe in the right navigation bar.

This is a question asked by a reader. If you want to ask me a question so that I can respond in a blog article, click on the image above. You can also find a link in the top navigation bar.

Question from Belinda
How can I help my pregnant sister, Ellen, to deal with her mother-in-law who is criticizing her for being on a raw food diet?

Additional Comments from Belinda
Ellen’s mother-in-law (Gen) is so negative toward my sister when my sister really needs support in this difficult pregnancy. She keeps telling my sister that she’s not getting enough nutrients, nor is it possible on a raw diet. Gen is very fat, but all our family members are naturally thin. Gen keeps saying that sunflower sprouts are not enough as if that’s the only thing Ellen eats, but she eats lots of greens and superfoods.

Joy’s Response to Belinda

You raise two very important subjects: (1) eating raw to get all the nutrients necessary and (2) dealing with disagreeing others in ways that are empowering for all involved. I can respond to these two areas and give you some ideas. Keep in mind that I’m not trained to offer advice on pregnancy, and encourage Ellen to seek the advice of a health care professional.

It’s interesting to listen to the criticism that people who eat cooked foods express to those who are eating whole, real, natural foods. Keep in mind that this criticism is based on their familiarity or comfort, and is usually well-intentioned.

The fascinating dynamic, of course, is that eating foods raw is the most natural way — the way that humans ate for thousands of years. While I personally love the modern times, I recognize that many practices in these modern times have denatured foods.

Gen is absolutely right that sunflower sprouts are not enough! There are many other foods needed. I’m so glad that you and Ellen know about superfoods. I’ve listened to many, many of David Wolf’s lectures and read his books and articles. He’s worked with many athletes, who are extremely strong and vibrant. I met Gabriel Cousens 30 years ago and considered him to be one of the most vital persons I had met.

I think the research both these raw food leaders have done is awesome. You might search for suggestions on books or other resources specifically for pregnant women. Here’s one:

Chapter 30 of Gabriel Counsens’ book Conscious Eating is entitled "Nutrition for Pregnancy." I recommend that chapter; I recommend the whole book!

I was looking for some quotations that might be helpful when you speak to either Ellen or Gen. In my searching, I found a web site that I think beautifully captures some basic ideas, in small sound bites, including a passage from Genesis. Check out http://aliveandraw.com/foodfaqs.html And if these don’t quite resonate with you, Ellen, or Gen, perhaps you can think of some others.

Another suggestion is to find every way you can to agree with Gen; when you disagree, then you’re in an argument and usually no one is listening very much to the other.

So when Gen says (this is just an example to illustrate my point) "You can’t live on sunflower sprouts." You can answer, "You’re right about that, Gen. We love sunflower sprouts, and we also eat a lot of other foods." And, of course, there are many other follow up sentences after you’ve said she is correct.

There’s a time to educate and a time to be silent. Ellen will have to balance her food choices with keeping peace with her husband’s family. There are no easy answers to this. It’s life. I hope some of these ideas help.