Chocolate can reduce my acne? Here’s how…

Well, I’ll be honest. I used to be a choco-holic. I had to end that craziness when I realized that the amount and quality of chocolate I was eating was contributing to my headaches, weight gain and sensitive skin.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I still enjoy chocolate, I just eat the best quality kind. Raw! That’s right, raw cacao is a different animal when it comes to chocolate treats. Without being exposed to high-heat, processing chemicals or unhealthy preservatives raw cacao is much easier for the body to digest. There are some well-documented benefits to choosing raw cacao over the processed stuff that you find in chocolate bars, candy and ice cream:

Antioxidants: Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea.

Neurotransmitters: By increasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters in our brains, cacao promotes positive outlook, facilitates rejuvenation and simply helps us feel good.

Essential Minerals: Cacao beans are rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

The benefits of raw cacao are impressive, and I’ve noticed that when I eat it my skin doesn’t react like a teenager’s and my energy is only slightly elevated, compared to the acne and sugar highs I used to experience.

Here’s how I like to eat it:

2 TB raw cacao powder

3 TB raw almond butter

1 TB brown rice syrup

Combine all in a bowl and smooth together into an even paste. Use as a dip with apple slices – yum! Easy!