Cacao Powder

Cacao

About Cacao Powder

Cacao powder comes directly from cacao beans without all the processing that goes into creating “Cocoa” or chocolate.  Cacao comes from a tree that is native to the Americas.  It’s believed that Cacao has been consumed since 1500 BC.

Nutrition Benefits of Cacao

Cacao is loaded with antioxidants.  Lets put into perspective at how loaded chocolate is.  One way to measure antioxidant density is through something called an ORAC score.  Cacao scores 95,500 mmol per 100g while blueberries (also known for antioxidants) scores 2,400. Many of the antioxidants in cacao are flavonoids, including anthocyanidin.

Nutrition Facts

Always discuss
with your doctor

This information is not meant to replace your doctor, but to work in tandem with your doctor’s advice. This website makes it easy for you and your doctor to select the best foods and the best smoothie recipes that you should be eating.

My Nutrition Advisor does not diagnose, cure, or treat disease.

doctor
Recipe

Cacao Powder scores well for 25 health goals

This ingredient was scored for various health goals Learn more.

recommended products with Cacao Powder

Our superfoods and protein are tested and certified for quality. Learn more

Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality Certified for Quality
Recipe

The Research

Blood Pressure: Score 100

Summary:

Contains phenols and flavonols, which have been shown to be beneficial to circulation and blood flow. Cacao has been shown to lower both diastolic and systolic blood pressure and improve the formation of vasodilative nitric oxide. Cacao is associated with a decrease in mortality. It also improves insulin resistance. Chocolate is an ingredient used in a couple of the recipes provided above.

References:
Academic Review:

Circulatory System (Cardiovascular): Score 100

Summary:

Improves insulin resistance, reduces serum insulin levels and parameters associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Cacao has a positive effect on inflammatory mediators in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease. It improves endothelial function. It reduces blood pressure and raises nitric oxide levels. It has therapeutic value in the partial prevention of heart remodeling and atrial fibrillation. The Kuna Indians have low rates of heart attack, diabetes and cancer, which may be due to high intake of cacao. Cacao is found in the Ancient Chocolate Superfood Mix.

References:
Human Studies:
Academic Review:

Erectile Dysfunction: Score 100

Summary:

Improves insulin resistance, reduces serum insulin levels and parameters associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Cacao has a positive effect on inflammatory mediators in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease. It improves endothelial function. It reduces blood pressure and raises nitric oxide levels. It has therapeutic value in the partial prevention of heart remodeling and atrial fibrillation. The Kuna Indians have low rates of heart attack, diabetes and cancer, which may be due to high intake of cacao. Cacao is found in the Ancient Chocolate Superfood Mix.

References:
Human Studies:
Academic Review:

Diabetes (Type 2): Score 98

Summary:

Human: Cocoa Flavanols reverse vascular dysfunction in diabetics. The Kuna Indians may have a reduced frequency of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer due to their very high intake of flavanol rich cocoa. It improves insulin resistance, reduces serum insulin levels and parameters associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Animal: Cacao inhibits diabetes induced cataract formation. It may exert potential effects on reducing hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, liver steatosis and related inflammation.

References:
Animal Studies:
Human Studies:
Academic Review:

Asthma: Score 96

Summary:

Cacao is found in the Ancient Chocolate Superfood Mix.

References:
Academic Review:

Contains magnesium (125% RDA), which reduces hospital admissions and improves lung function in adults with asthma. It also significantly improves severe acute asthma in children. Contains selenium (20% RDA), which may be a useful adjunct to medication for patients with chronic asthma. Contains zinc (45% RDA), which is beneficial for children with asthma.

Anemia: Score 94

Summary:

Cacao is found in the Ancient Chocolate Superfood Mix.

References:
Academic Review:

Contains iron (66% RDA) Contains magnesium (107% RDA), which may be associated with hemolytic anemia.

Stress - Adrenal: Score 94

Summary:

Human: Daily consumption of dark chocolate for 2 weeks reduces the urinary excretion of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamines, while reducing other metabolic indicators of stress.

References:
Human Studies:

Fat Loss: Score 94

Summary:

Human: Cacao improves insulin resistance, reduces serum insulin levels, and parameters associated with cardiovascular disease. It reduced abdominal circumference and improved cardiovascular disease markers.

References:
Academic Review:
Human Studies:

Thyroid: Score 93

Summary:

Cacao is found in the Ancient Chocolate Superfood Mix.

References:
Academic Review:

Contains magnesium (125% RDA), which Prevents exercise induced reduction in thyroid hormone. Contains selenium (20% RDA), which is related to a healthy thyroid. Low selenium levels in the thyroid tissue may increase thyroid cancer risk. Selenium may reduce antithyroid peroxidase antibodies’ levels in patients with Hashimoto disease. In areas with selenium deficiency there is a higher incidence of thyroiditis due to a decreased activity of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity within thyroid cells. Low serum selenium was associated with a larger thyroid volume and a higher prevalence of thyroid enlargement. Contains zinc (45% RDA). A deficiency may contribute to thyroid cancer and increase thyroid volume. It prevents exercise induced reduction of thyroid hormones and testosterone.

Look Younger: Score 92

Summary:

Animal: Cacao may increase life span and exhibits metal chelating properties. It may protect the skin from sun aging damage. In Vitro: Cacao has anti-wrinkle, skin-whitening and sunscreen effects.

References:
Animal Studies:
Lab Studies:

Cholesterol: Score 92

Summary:

Cacao improves arterial lining function in people with high cholesterol. Cacao may reduce blood lipids and insulin resistance. Cacao is found in the Ancient Chocolate Superfood Mix.

References:
Human Studies:
Animal Studies:

Skin Health (Psoriasis, Eczema, etc.): Score 92

Summary:

Animal: Cacao may increase life span and exhibits metal chelating properties. It may protect the skin from sun aging damage. In Vitro: Cacao has anti-wrinkle, skin-whitening and sunscreen effects.

References:
Animal Studies:
Lab Studies:

Colon Health: Score 90

Summary:

Human: Cacao derived flavanols are effective prebiotics as demonstrated in healthy human volunteers.

References:
Human Studies:

Alzheimers: Score 90

Summary:

It reduces neuronal cell death in a manner relevant to Alzheimer’s disease. It holds promise in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

References:
Human Studies:
Lab Studies:
Academic Review:

Cancer: Score 90

Summary:

Human: Cacao potentially inhibits angiogenesis. The Kuna Indians may have a reduced frequency of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer due to their very high intake of cacao. Animal: It has anti-lymphoma properties. Cacao may merit further clinical investigation as a chemo-preventive agent that helps prevent colitis associated cancer. Cocao polyphenols protect rats from prostate cancer. It is cytotoxic to a broad range of human cancer cell lines. It has cytotoxic MCF-7 cancer cells but not in normal cells.

References:
Human Studies:
Academic Review:
Animal Studies:
Lab Studies:

Heart Attack: Score 90

Summary:

Human: The Kuna Indians may have a reduced frequency of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer due to their very high intake of cacao.

References:
Academic Review:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Score 90

Summary:

Human: Cacao derived flavanols are effective prebiotics as demonstrated in healthy human volunteers.

References:
Human Studies:

Anxiety: Score 90

Summary:

Cacao contains Anandamide, (aka the “bliss chemical”) which is a neurotranmitter often produced in your brain. Anandamide has been associated with improving motivation and increasing pleasure. A human study concluded that “Our results indicate that anandamide participates in the modulation of emotional states and point to fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibition as an innovative approach to anti-anxiety therapy.”

References:
Human Studies:

Detoxification: Score 88

Summary:

Animal: Cacao may increase life span and it exhibits metal chelating properties.

References:
Animal Studies:

Eye Health: Score 88

Summary:

Cacao may be useful in the treatment of glaucoma. Cacao inhibits diabetes induced cataract formation. Cacao is found in the Ancient Chocolate Superfood Mix.

References:
Academic Review:
Animal Studies:

Athletic Performance: Score 88

Summary:

Contains epicatechin, which has been shown in an animal study to induce metabolic and structural changes in skeletal and heart muscles resulting in greater endurance capacity. Cacao is found in the Ancient Chocolate Superfood Mix.

References:
Animal Studies:

Liver: Score 88

Summary:

Animal: It may exert potential effects on ameliorating hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, liver steatosis and related inflammation.

References:
Animal Studies:

Prostate: Score 88

Summary:

Animal: It prevents testosterone induced hyperplasia in a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia. It protects rats from prostate carcinogenesis.

References:
Animal Studies:

Allergy: Score 88

Summary:

A cocoa enriched diet helps prevent anti-allergen IgE synthesis.

References:
Animal Studies:

Lung Cancer: Score 84

Summary:

Animal: It may be a chemopreventative agent that helps prevent colitis associated cancer.

References:
Animal Studies:

How Our Scoring System Works

For each health goal, we assigned a score to each recipe and each ingredient. This helps you better understand the correlation that medical research is suggesting between foods and benefits to various health goals. Our scoring system is based on REAL RESEARCH published on pubmed.gov. This is a website that curates over 25 million different biomedical journals.

pub-logo

 

What we consider when creating your scores:

  • 1Type of Study (human, animal, lab, or academic review)
  • 2Amount of Research
  • 3What the Research Says
  • 4How much of the ingredient we use (for the recipes)