Some cultures believe regular intake of cocoa will extend your life..... a hot cup of rich creamy dark cocoa will enhance your well-being, good news yeh.... keep reading, there's more reason to make hot cocoa a part of your daily ritual.
- Although cocoa is found in many other products, such as chocolate, drinking a hot cup of cocoa is the best way of harnessing its health benefits.
- Cocoa contains flavanoids that help blood vessels work more smoothly, help to reducing the risk of heart disease.
- Cocoa contains antioxidants known as flavanoids which help protect against free radicals that cause cell and tissue damage.
- Cocoa contains theobromine which is a mild stimulant that is a factor in the mood elevation that accompanies its ingestion.
- Cocoa contains tryptophan (an essential amino acid), which helps regulate moods.
- Aphrodisiac: The seratonin and other chemicals in cocoa are thought to act in a sexually stimulating way.
- Cocoa is the name for the dark bitter solids derived from the cacao seeds and the butter from which it is separated.
- Cocoa contains beneficial vitamins and minerals, including copper, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.
- Consuming cocoa releases endorphins, the body’s natural “feel-good” chemical.
- Cocoa is known as an antidepressant and an aphrodisiac. It contains phenylethylamine, which can cause feelings similar to being “in love.”
- Cocoa is a fruit that, when harvested naturally or organically, supports human health as well as the environment. Natural and organic cocoa with minimal processing have the greatest health benefit, richest flavor and a positive impact on the earth.
- Although you can enjoy cocoa either hot or cold, the hot version tends to trigger the release of more antioxidants than its cold counterpart.
Vanilla is the only edible fruit of the orchid family, the largest family of flowering plants in the world.
- It's a tropical orchid, and there are over 150 varieties of vanilla, though only two types - Bourbon and Tahitian -- are used commercially.
- The Totonaca people of the Gulf coast of Mexico were probably the first people to cultivate vanilla; they considered the fruit was given to them by the gods.
- Vanilla is the world's most labor-intensive agricultural crop, which is why it's so expensive. It will take up to three years after the vines are planted before the first flowers appear. The fruits, which resemble big green beans, must remain on the vine for nine months in order to completely develop. Surprisingly, when the beans are harvested, they have neither flavor nor fragrance. They develop these distinctive properties during the curing process.
- When the beans are harvested, they are treated with hot water or heat and are then placed in the sun every day for weeks-to-months until they have shrunk to 20% of their original size. Then they will rest for a month or two to finish developing their full flavor and fragrance. By this time their aroma is quite remarkable and potent.
- The dairy industry uses a large percentage of the world's vanilla in ice creams, yogurt (fresh and frozen), and other flavored dairy products. Despite all the wonderful ice cream choices available in the market place, Vanilla has alway been #1 choice by far.
- Because vanilla is so much in demand, and because it's so expensive, synthetics are often used instead of natural vanilla. In fact, 97% of vanilla used as a flavor and fragrance is synthetic.
Cinnamon has a long history both as a medicine and as a spice. It is the brown bark of the cinnamon tree, which is available in its dried tubular form known as a quill or as ground powder. There are 100 types of varieties of cinnamon but the two most common varieties are Chinese and Ceylon. Ceylon is harder to find and slighty sweeter.
- Cinnamon's unique healing abilities come from three basic types of components in the essential oils found in its bark. These oils contain active components called cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, and cinnamyl alcohol, plus a wide range of other volatile substances.
- The cinnaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets.
- Cinnamon's ability to lower the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes also puts it in the category of an "anti-inflammatory" food that can be helpful in lessening inflammation.
- Cinnamon's essential oils are "anti-microbial" food, and has the ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the commonly problematic yeast Candida.
- Seasoning a high carb food with cinnamon can help lessen its impact on your blood sugar levels. Cinnamon slows the rate at which the stomach empties after meals, reducing the rise in blood sugar after eating.
- Cinnamon may also significantly help people with type 2 diabetes improve their ability to respond to insulin, thus normalizing their blood sugar levels.
- Just smelling the wonderful odor of this sweet spice boosts brain activity!
- In addition to its unique essential oils, cinnamon is an excellent source of the trace mineral manganese and a very good source of dietary fiber, iron and calcium.
- Cinnamon has also been valued in energy-based medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, for its warming qualities. In these traditions, cinnamon has been used to provide relief when faced with the onset of a cold or flu, especially when mixed in a tea with some fresh ginger.
- While there are approximately one hundred varieties of Cinnamonum verum (the scientific name for cinnamon), Cinnamonum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) and Cinnamomun aromaticum (Chinese cinnamon) are the leading varieties consumed. Ceylon cinnamon is also referred to as "true cinnamon", while the Chinese variety is known as "cassia".
- Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known. It was mentioned in the Bible and was used in ancient Egypt not only as a beverage flavoring and medicine, but also as an embalming agent. It was so highly treasured that it was considered more precious than gold. Around this time, cinnamon also received much attention in China, which is reflected in its mention in one of the earliest books on Chinese botanical medicine, dated around 2,700 B.C.
- Cinnamon is amazing and isn't just for toast, you should try to use it every chance to enhance your health and flavouring of foods.
Rice is known as one of the most important foods in the world, supplying as much as half of the daily calories for half of the world's population.
- There are over 8,000 rice varieties. Rice is categorized by its size as being either short grain, medium grain or long grain.
- Rice is a very ancient food, it was believed to have been first cultivated in China around 6,000 years ago.But recent archaeological discoveries have found primitive rice seeds and ancient farm tools dating back about 9,000 years.
- Another way that rice is classified is according to the degree of milling that it undergoes. This is what makes a brown rice different than white rice. Brown rice is the whole grain with only its inedible outer hull removed. Brown rice still retains its nutrient-rich bran and germ. White rice, on the other hand, is both milled and polished, which removes the bran and germ along with all the nutrients.
- Brown rice is a good source of magnesium which has shown in studies to be helpful for reducing the severity of asthma, lowering high blood pressure, reducing the frequency of migraine headaches, and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
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