Certified Organic Raw Chocolate Nibs

Due to recent documentation about possible negative side effects of eating
raw cacao, Rawganique no longer sells raw cacao in any form.

Organic RAW Cacao Bean Nibs — Theobroma cacao — Certified Organic & Kosher

We're excited to be introducing this delectable raw chocolate product to our customers. The raw organic cacao bean nibs are just made up of peeled raw cacao beans crushed up and nothing else. It takes about 400 cacao beans to make 1 pound of raw chocolate nibs, good for all your raw smoothies as well as decadent raw chocolate desserts. Perfect for those chocolate lovers who prefer to live without all the additives, GMO products (in non-organic soy lecithin, etc...), chemicals, and sugars put into traditional "cooked" chocolate products. Now you can get all the energy and natural "high" from chocolate without all the other things in regular chocolate bars that you probably don't need.

Organic Cacao has been extensively cultivated in Mexico, Central and South America for thousands of years. At one time it formed the currency of many native peoples, who consumed it in large quantities in a variety of ways.

Raw Chocolate contains more than 300 known chemicals. Scientists have been working on isolating specific chemicals and their combinations that may explain some of the pleasurable effects of consuming chocolate. Caffeine is the most well known of these chemical ingredients, and while it's present inchocolate, it can only be found in small quantities. Theobromine, a weak
stimulant, is also present in slightly higher amounts. Although caffeine and theobromine have relatively weak stimulant effects in cacao, it is possible that in combination, these and other potentially bioactive constituents do influence our liking for chocolate.

Researchers have found that raw cacao named Theobroma by Linnaeus and means "food of the gods", includes substances that are chemically and pharmacologically related to the brain lipids anandamide. The word anandamide is derived from ananda, Sanskrit for 'bliss'. These N-acylethanolamines in cacao target the endogenous cannabinoid system of the brain, slightly mimicking the psychotropic effects caused by plant-derived cannabinoid drugs either directly (by activating cannabinoid receptors) or indirectly (by increasing anandamide levels in the brain). These findings don't mean that eating chocolate will get you high, but rather that there are compounds in chocolate that may be associated with the good feeling that
raw chocolate consumption provides. Other chemicals in chocolate may inhibit the natural breakdown of anadamide. This means that natural anandamide (or introduced anandamide) may stick around longer, making us feel good longer, when we eat chocolate.

Phenylethylamine (PEA) is the chemical found in the brain of happy people. Fall in love, and your PEA level shoots up. You become peppy and full of optimism. If things go wrong in your life, especially your love life, your PEA level drops and you become listless and tired. Raw Chocolate is loaded with PEA.

In unfermented cacao beans, pigment cells make up about 11-13% of the tissue. The pigment cells contain approximately 65%-70% polyphenols and 3% anthocyaninins by weight.

Numerous in vitro studies have shown that polyphenolic compounds are powerful antioxidants that can protect cell membranes and cellular DNA from the damaging effects of free radical induced oxidative damage. The result of several epidemiologic studies indicate that regular consumption of foods rich in polyphenolic compounds is associated with reduced risk of developing
cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Recent experimental studies in both animals and humans have shown that increasing polyphenol intake can protect LDL cholesterol from becoming oxidized (a key step in developing
atherosclerosis), lower blood pressure in hypertensive subjects, reduce the tendency of the blood to clot and elevate total antioxidant capacity of the blood.

The anthocyaninins give rise to the purple color of unfermented beans. Anthocyaninins encourage connective tissue regeneration and are anti-inflammatory. They promote blood flow and reduce cholesterol, in addition to being antioxidants. Anthocyaninins seem to stabilize and protect capillaries from oxidative damage and have been shown to stabilize connective tissue, promote collagen formation, improve microcirculation and help protect blood vessels from oxidative damage.

During fermentation of cacao beans, the anthocyanin is converted to quinonic compounds to give the bean its characteristic brown color. During this process, the bitterness of unfermented beans is reduced. During fermentation the polyphenols undergo a variety of reactions, including self-condensation and reaction with proteins and peptides. Approximately 20% of the
polyphenols by weight remain at the end of the fermentation process. Roasting and other cocoa processing activities also cause changes. The level of polyphenols will vary with the variety of cocoa bean and with the degree of fermentation.

Other substances in chocolate that have been discussed as pharmacologically significant include histamine, serotonin, tryptophan, phenylethylamine, tyramine, salsolinol and magnesium.

Rawganique.com provides Raw cacao as low-temp dried whole beans for true purity.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, nor is this information meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Raw Brazil Nut Chocolate Milk Recipe - Serves 2

2 Cups Fresh Coconut Water
4 oz. Raw Brazil Nuts
3 Tbls. Raw Cacao Nibs
2 Tbls. Mesquite Meal
1 Tbls. Maca Powder or Maca Premium
1 Tsp. Non-GMO Lethicin
1 Pinch Natural Sea Salt

Begin by blending the Raw Brazil Nuts with the coconut water. Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag and save the pulp for another recipe. Next take the strained milk and blend it with the Cacao Nibs, Mesquite Meal, Maca, Lethicin, and Salt. The longer you blend this, the darker and more chocolate looking it gets. Guaranteed to give you great energy for many hours!