The Astonishing Truth About the World's Greatest Food

Have you ever heard of raw chocolate?

"All chocolate comes from cacao beans-the seeds of the cacao fruit, which grows on a jungle tree. Cacao beans taste like dark chocolate, because they are dark chocolate. The key to chocolate's super qualities seems to be eating it in its raw, natural state as a cacao bean. When cacao beans are excessively heated, melted, processed, chemicalised and added to dairy products, they lose key nutrient qualities of texture, psychoactive properties, brain nutrition and more. Other properties of the cacao bean are still present yet diminished by cooking, such as dark chocolate flavours, antioxidants, aphrodisiac qualities, mood elevation and others." -Naked Chocolate, David Wolfe

I have spent the past few years studying the benefits of raw food nutrition. I began this journey when I attended a Tony Robbins seminar called Life Mastery in December of 2003. This week long seminar was all about gaining physical mastery of our bodies through the highest quality nutrition and healthy living in order to be able to awaken to optimal living on every other level of our Being...

"When our health improves, every other area of our life improves simultaneously." - David Wolfe

As we cleansed throughout the week, eating nothing, only drinking vegetable juice or fruit smoothies, and drinking daily doses of wheat grass and Udo's oil, we learned from some of the greatest wellness experts in the world, including Deepak Chopra and David Wolfe, among many others. David Wolfe is considered to be one of the world's leading experts on raw food nutrition and living. He has been a raw foodist, that's right, eating no cooked food whatsoever, for over a decade. I have heard him speak in person a few times over the past couple of years in Dallas, when his speaking schedule has brought him into town.

The more I learn about the benefits or raw food nutrition, which just makes so much sense as it's obviously the state in which food is most alive (filled with the most Life Force or Prana) and most nutritious and healthy, the more I feel inspired to live this way. Last year in September, I decided I would challenge myself to eat raw food for a whole month. I called it the True Yoga Challenge and myself, as well as, ten students from my studio, embarked upon the challenge together. We did allow ourselves to eat light cooked meals on the weekend, if we wanted to, but throughout the week, we only ate raw food. It was one of the most challenging experiences I have ever been through, but so worth it. It transformed my whole life and completely cleansed my body, mind and spirit. During this time, I began to experiment with superfoods. Superfoods are foods with incredibly nutritious and high medicinal values. Examples of superfoods are: raw chocolate (cacao), goji berries, spirulina, blue-green algae, bee pollen, maca, etc. If you search for these online, I'm sure you can find a listing of them or visit David Wolfe's website to learn more. You can also purchase superfoods at Whole Foods.

The two superfoods I experimented with during this time were raw chocolate (cacao) and goji berries. I most definitely noticed feeling a euphoric state.

"A neurotransmitter called andamide was isolated in chocolate by neuroscientist Daniele Piomelli in 1996. Anandamide is an endogenous cannabinoid naturally found in the human brain. Anandamide is a type of lipid (oil) known as "the bliss chemical" because it is released while we are feeling great. In fact, anandamide is derived from the Sanskrit word "ananda" meaning bliss."

But the benefits of raw chocolate go way beyond just feeling blissful when we consume it. In nature, the primary source of magnesium is cacao. Did you know that magnesium is the most deficient major mineral in the diet of civilisation and yet is one of the most important of all minerals.

"Over 80% of the United States' population is deficient in magnesium. Other sources of magnesium include seaweeds such as kep and dulse, unprocessed wheat seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, chlorophyll-rich green vegetables, cleansing fruits such as cassia (senna) and/or sea salts." - Naked Chocolate

I'm learning more about Magnesium and what I'm learning is how important it is for a healthy body, mind and spirit.

"Magnesium supports the heart, increases brainpower, causes strong peristalsis (bowel movements), relaxes menstrual cramping, relaxes muscles, increases flexibility, helps build strong bones and increases alkalinity. Magnesium, as a primary alkalinne mineral, opens up over 300 different detoxification and elimiation pathways." - Naked Chocolate

So you might be wondering what all of this has to do with Yoga. Well, besides being healthy for you, cacao can help to open up the heart and promotes flexibility.

"Dr. Bernard Jensen's research on the heart indicates that this organ requires two minerals more than any other, magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is the primary mineral missing when heart problems occur. Magnesium increases the overall vigour of the heart muscle. This mineral also decreases blood coagulation thus lowering blood pressure and helping the heart pump more effectively. An abundance of magnesium is effective in decreasing angina pain and in lowering some types of high blood pressure." - Naked Chocolate

Chocolate to the Mayans and Aztecs was referred to as yollotl eztil (heart blood). Chocolate, as we know it, is known for its sensual love vibration. Chocolates are always given as love offerings. Interestingly, the magnesium levels and antioxidants in cacao support the heart directly. We have often heard that "chocolate opens the heart" - which is actually true." - Naked Chocolate

And, as far as flexibility goes...

"The cacao bean is a phenomenon, for nowhere else has nature concentrated such a wealth of valuable nourishment in so small a space."-Alexander Von Humboldt, German scientist

"Rudolf Steiner wrote that chocolate 'tends to loosen the life body from the physical.' We have found that cacao expands flexibility creating a feeling of festive relaxation. The magnesium and MAO inhibitors increase physical flexibility and the methylxanthine stimulants add several hours of additional power and strength." - Naked Chocolate

Afer the month of eating only raw food last September, I went back to a moderate diet of cooked food. Recently, however, I have begun to delve back into the benefits of raw food nutrition. My focus is not on eating only raw foods, but rather, how can I eat to feel the best I can feel and be. As a result, I've delved back into raw chocolate. When I was at Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago, they had a sample of a raw Cacao Snack, called:

Quick Cacao Hemp Snack

1/2 cup hemp seeds (raw, shelled, available at Whole Foods)
3 tablespoons cacao nibs (available at Whole Foods)
3 tablespoons raw honey, to taste (or agave nectar) (Also available at Whole Foods)
2 teaspoons raw almond butter

Stir all ingredients in a bowl and serve. For a cold "energy fudge" make a double or triple batch, spread the mixture into a fudge or brownie tray, cover with saran wrap, and store in your refrigerator or freezer. It will solidfy into the healthiest fudge ever! Cut into squares and eat anytime.

So, I bought all the ingredients and I've bee eating this stuff and it's amazing. When I eat it, I feel uplifted, energized, full of life, and it tastes good. I strongly believe in the benefits of raw food nutrition and in the life enhanced benefits of superfoods. I hope this information will inspire you to begin learning about how raw food can literally change your life, uplift your heart, and have you feeling the very best you can be. If you have any questions about how to get started with incorporating raw food nutrition into your life, I'd love to hear from you. Please send me an e-mail at Leanne@trueyogainc.com.

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