Have you ever found yourself saying the words “chocolate is the key to my heart”? Well, we have some good news, science thinks that it is too. Well, really it thinks chocolate’s true origin cacao is the key, but still a win! When consuming the cacao bean in its purest form, it stays nutrient rich and we get to enjoy it’s endless benefits; including keeping our heart happy.
You can find our raw cacao here.
Looking after the heart is essential for our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
There’s a reason the heartspace is referred to as the ‘centre’ and that’s because it’s linked to every inch of our being. From controlling the flow of blood around our bodies, to generating our ability to feel, the heart is what helps us to function in every aspect of our life. It’s imperative that we keep it healthy.
But, in our modern day, hectic lives having a healthy heart is something that is easily compromised by our lifestyles. As a result, heart disease is the leading cause of premature death globally, and around 44,000 people under 75 die each year in the UK alone. It’s essential that keeping our hearts healthy becomes even more of a focus. Luckily, there’s a lot we can do to make a difference. Regular exercise, a healthy, balanced diet and keeping our stress levels lower are all great ways to keep our hearts happy.
So where does cacao come in?
Cacao is one of the richest sources of flavonoids on the planet, which are a group of antioxidant compounds essential for a healthy diet. Researchers have found that increasing the amount of flavonoid-rich foods you eat can significantly reduce risk of heart disease. A study published in the Journal of Translational Medicine analyzed food questionnaires and health data from 1,658 people and found that the more flavonoids people had, the lower their risk of developing heart disease, having a non-fatal heart issue, and dying of heart disease.
In another study published in the journal Nature Communications, eating a diet rich in flavonoids, compounds found in plant-based foods and drinks, can reduce your risk of dying from cancer and heart disease. The study analyzed data from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort that collected information on the diets of 53,048 Danes over 23 years.
Cacao also has the remarkable ability to allow the arteries in the body to relax and expand to allow more blood to flow to the heart. With more blood pumping into the heart, it’s overall function dramatically improves and it is more equipped to look after the rest of the body more effectively.
How does all this affect my emotional well-being?
If you are familiar with the chakras, you will know that the energy in the body is made up of seven points. There are three in the upper body and three in the lower, which are connected together by the anahata chakra; the heart. For energy to flow freely through the body, the chakras need to be open. When energy is able to flow through the heart chakra we are able to find love, forgiveness and compassion easily and have a more positive outlook on life as a result. But, if this chakra experiences any blockages and the energy is prevented from flowing freely we may feel anger, grief, hatred and jealousy… all emotions that create a more negative outlook on life.
These blockages can occur for many reasons, from things you have experienced in your past, feelings of unworthiness or trying to find a way to protect yourself from unwanted emotions. It’s important to remember that blockages are temporary and there are several things you can do to release the energy and allow it to flow.
Can cacao help the heart chakra?
Over 2,000 years ago the ancient olmecs who first discovered this amazing plant knew about it’s heart healing and empowering benefits, but it is only now that science is proving this to be correct. It is believed that cacao holds properties that open up the heartspace and allow any blockages to be freed. Through cacao ingestion, our self-awareness and emotional intelligence is heightened allowing the blockages surrounding fears, trauma and self-doubt to be released. With energy able to flow into the heart chakra, struggle is released and relaxation, clarity and inspiration are left. Essentially, our hearts are left happy, which enables us to feel happiness more easily too.
Just a cup of cacao a day can be enough to offer both the nutrients and energy that the heart needs to be healthy. In a single cup, there’s all the tools required for the heart to do it’s best at improving our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
Try a cup today: