I recently had a brief discussion about raw cacao with a client during
a consultation that I thought would be helpful to share with others.
This client was consulting with me about food sensitivities and wanted
to know if they could eat raw cacao. When someone has food
sensitivities, it means the integrity of the gut has been compromised,
what is sometimes called leaky gut. To heal the gut, a variety of
foods that are known to aggravate the gut should be removed from the
diet. In addition to the foods one is sensitive to, alcohol, caffeine,
wheat, gluten, sugar and chocolate should also be avoided, because
these foods tend to be harmful to the gut for everyone to some degree
or other if there are food sensitivities present.
As I attempted to explain that chocolate was one of these foods that
should be avoided, my client adamantly proclaimed that raw cacao was
indeed healthy. I attempted to explain that this was not true and why,
but they were clearly annoyed with me and changed the subject. We
moved on to other topics and finished our consultation.
My client, like many other people, has been misinformed by the big
movement in the raw food community to believe that raw cacao is one of
the healthiest foods in the world you can eat and you should eat as
much of it as you can. These statements are simply not true and are
motivated by addiction and money.
Manufacturers of raw cacao are making a great profit on this healthy
marketing hype and charging top dollar for something that really isn’t
much better for you than a cheap chocolate bar from the grocery story.
Chocolate addicts, like all addicts, are always looking for a way to
justify the usage or consumption of their drug of choice and get angry
when you try to tell them otherwise. Just like alcoholics love to hear
that a beer a day or a glass of wine has some health benefits, when we
all really know better. No matter how you cut it, eating chocolate, or
raw cacao, on a regular basis is not healthy.
Proponents of raw cacao and dark chocolate will say that their is a difference between raw and refined chocolate. The primary difference is that raw cacao
contains high levels of antioxidants and minerals, while refined
chocolate does not. However, the issues I am focusing on in this post
are true regardless of whether we are talking about refined chocolate, dark chocolate or raw cacao.
Supporters of the raw cacao craze tell us that it is healthy for us
because it is very high in antioxidants and magnesium. Well that may
be true, but you must look at the overall nutritional value of a food
to determine its level of healthiness, not just one component.
Raw cacao contains over 300 naturally occurring chemicals and many of
them are detrimental to the human body and mind when consumed on a
regular basis. Many of them could be considered toxins. Some of the
most potent, harmful and disconcerting include theobromind,
theophylline and caffeine. These chemicals have a devastating effect
on the central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, cardiovascular
and endocrine system and can result in depression, anxiety,
nervousness, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders, adrenal fatigue,
chronic fatigue, nausea, nervous disorders, osteoporosis, heart and
circulation disorders and many more. The chemicals in raw cacao are
actually much more potent than processed chocolate, because they are
presented to us in raw form.
It’s also high in oxalic acid which inhibits absorption of calcium.
Aflatoxin, which is a carcinogenic mycotoxin produced by certain
species of mold, that many people are sensitive to is also found in
very high numbers in cacao, but that is true of peanuts and pistachios
as well. Aflatoxins are also found in grains like rice, wheat and
corn.
In addition to that, raw cacao stimulates high levels of serotonin and
dopamine, two crucial neurotransmitters involved in regulating mood,
sleep and appetite, and the cycle of addiction, as well as high levels
of other chemicals like phenylethylamine and anandamide that
manipulate neurotransmitter activity and functioning.
This is why chocolate is so addictive. The presence of these chemicals
actually indicate that raw cacao is an addictive, stimulant drug. Raw
cacao over stimulates the reward pathway in the brain, just like hard
drugs like cocaine and morphine. Over stimulation of neurotransmitters
leads to depletion and depletion leads to addiction, as well as a variety of health issues like neurotransmitter imbalances, insomnia, depression,
anxiety, obesity, hyperactivity, chronic pain, fatigue and
nervousness. It stimulates feelings of euphoria which keep us coming
back for me. If high dosages of raw cacao are consumed,
hallucinations can occur.
These chemicals also have a detrimental impact on the adrenal glands
because they cause over stimulation to this organ as well. When the
adrenal glands are over stimulated, they are called upon to
continually release cortisol and other stress hormones, this is what
results in the feelings of alertness and energy when raw cacao is
consumed. Over time as the adrenal glands are called upon continuously
to release these hormones, they burn out. They no longer produce
cortisol as they should, which leads to adrenal fatigue and eventually
exhaustion. Adrenal fatigue or exhaustion leads to many chronic health
conditions and symptoms like excessive fatigue, inability to handle
stress, anxiety, depression and many more.
People become dependent on raw cacao or chocolate because now their
neurotransmitters and adrenal glands don’t function properly on their
own, they now need the raw cacao to perform their duties. They
experience fatigue, lack of concentration, depression, anxiety etc,
when it isn’t eaten, so they eat it all the time.
Other symptoms or conditions that can develop from the over
consumption of raw cacao may include abnormal growth of glands, panic
attacks, irritability, headaches, outbursts of unexplainable anger,
mood swings, impaired colon functioning, birth abnormalities,
irritated kidneys, trembling, damage to the liver, violence, paranoia,
PMS, OCD and dizziness.
We could sum this up simply by saying that raw cacao over stimulates
the heart, mind, nervous system and body. Over stimulation is never a
good thing. It leads to burn out, malfunction and degradation. To say
that it is a healthy superfood is simply ludicrous.
With all that being said, I’m not saying that you should never indulge
in raw cacao or chocolate, however consumption should be restricted to
special occasions and should be done so with your eyes wide open and
aware of the facts, not in a veil of delusion and lies. Not under the
false assumption that you are eating something healthy and not in a
state of denial and justification to continue a harmful addiction. An
occasional piece of organic cacao or chocolate that is sugar-free is
not going to do any long term damage, however it should not be part of
the diet on a regular basis.
Even I will allow myself to eat something that contains a little
chocolate or cacao in it, maybe three times a year, but I do so with
awareness and it is a small serving. However, most of the time if I’m
in the mood for a creamy chocolate experience, I will eat carob
instead. Carob is just as satisfying and doesn’t come with any of the
negative effects of raw cacao or chocolate.
In my personal experience, it does not matter if it is organic
processed chocolate, dark chocolate or raw cacao, they all give me the same negative effects. I can’t eat a big hunk of raw cacao or a chocolate bar
because both of them give me a headache, anxiety attacks,
hyperactivity, trembling and nervousness, racing heartbeat,
irritability and I’ll be up all night.
However, I can eat something like a Nana’s cookie or an ice cream
substitute made of coconut or nuts that has a small amount of raw
cacao or chocolate without a reaction. The proportion of cacao to the
other ingredients has to be very small. On the other hand, knowing
what I know about raw cacao and chocolate makes it something that I
can’t do in good conscience on a very frequent basis.
Some other very important and rather repulsive facts about chocolate
you also want to be aware of are revealed to us in “Poison with a
Capital C” “Every time you eat a chocolate bar, it may contain a
rodent hair and 16 insect parts and still carry the blessing of the
FDA.” And, “For chocolate powder or cakes there must not be more than
75 insect fragments in three tablespoons of powder.” And, “Four
percent of cacao beans may be infested by insects. Animal excreta
(such as visible rat droppings) must not exceed 10 milligrams per
pound.”
So that may be something you want to think about every time you have a
craving for a chocolate bar. On the other hand, I’m sure that this is
true of many mass produced foods like nuts, seeds and grains and we
aren’t aware of it. The mass processing of food would make it
inevitable that insects, rodents and their fecal material would make
it into our food supply. Disgusting to think about, but probably a
reality.
Here’s a few other web pages you may want to visit for more
information on raw cacao toxicity:
http://www.living-foods.com/articles/toxiccacao.html
http://www.thinkandgoraw.com/IsRawChocolateHealthy.htm
http://www.pearmagazine.com/online/2007/feb-mar/chocolate1.html
Anyone who lives with the challenges of any of these conditions should
severely restrict their consumption of raw cacao or avoid it all
together. Sugar addiction, alcoholism, drug addiction, PMS, irritable
bowel, leaky gut, food sensitivities, Candida overgrowth,
neurotransmitter imbalances or deficiencies, adrenal fatigue, chronic
fatigue, fibromyalgia, chemical sensitivities, hyperactivity,
attention deficit, diabetes, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety disorders,
mood swings, heart disease, high blood pressure, insulin resistance,
migraine headaches, hormone imbalances and anger management issues, .
Just because raw cacao contains antioxidants and minerals like
magnesium doesn’t mean it should be eaten. The extreme bitter taste of
raw cacao is natures way of providing us with an indicator of the
toxins it contains and is supposed to serve as deterrent. Antioxidants
and magnesium can be found in a variety of other healthier foods that
don’t contain the dangerous and harmful chemicals that raw cacao
contains. We can get those benefits elsewhere without the risks and
negative health effects.
12 responses so far ↓
George // Feb 24, 2010 at 11:44 pm
I bought some raw certified cacao powder a couple of days ago! I made a hot cup of cacao in the morning and I felt great for a few hours after but as the day went on I felt tightness in my chest and in my throat! I was struggling on my evening walk with the dog, I had to stop every so often to gasp for air! It was ridiculous! At night I got no sleep, My body was shut down! Because I was so exhuasted it was so hard to get up but I needed to breathe! I started acting psychotic slapping my self in the face and punching myself in the head! I was losing my mind! I thought I was going crazy and that I might die because I could not get air into my lungs! Not knowing that it was the cacao doing this I had another cup the next day! It was the worst two days of my life! The only thing that had changed in my diet was the cacao so I did a search on google and I found this website! This is a great article and has helped me mentally cause I am still not feeling better but at least now I know where the damage has come from! Cacao is toxic! Maybe I had to much (I had 2 teaspoons with milk a day for two days in a row) but how was I supposed to know? Most people says its healthy!
Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Feb 28, 2010 at 10:37 am
Hi George, Well that is a pretty powerful message from your body that this is not something your body likes. Always listen to your body, regardless of what the masses say. Glad you found this helpful.
Cynthia
Cathy B. // Jul 25, 2010 at 2:54 pm
I had a bad experience with raw cocoa recently also. I made some raw pudding with raw cocoa and coconut milk. I put about 2 heaping tablespoons in my pudding and ate the whole dish. A couple of hours later, my heart felt like it was pounding and like I might have a heart attack. I felt very anxious and unwell. This went on for several hours. NEVER AGAIN!
My new rule is that if something can KILL a dog in small amounts, it is probably not a good idea for me to eat it. This applies to xylitol, also, which can be fatal for dogs. I tried xylitol and it really wreaked havoc on my blood sugar.
Thanks for spreading the word, unpopular though it may be. I have psoriasis and I suspect I am going to find out that now that I am eliminating chocolate and raw cocoa from my diet that there is going to be a great improvement.
Cathy B.
Michelle B // Jan 27, 2011 at 10:25 am
Thanks for the information. I recently was turned on to the ‘wonders’ of raw cacao, and being a rawfoodist and a chocolate lover I thought it was my saving grace! But now two weeks later and a daily diet of raw chocolate squares (2-4 small squares per day), I feel awful. I noticed the mornings after eating cacao I would feel nauseus and headachey. I also experienced irritability and mood swings. This has carried on in varying intensities over the period. Then last night I thought I would confirm my suspicions about the cacao and ate 5 squares. About an hour later I noticed feeling awful and then today I have had the worst headaches and nausea. I know it now to be the cacao, having maintained my raw diet in all other ways. I have never experienced such awful feelings from eating dark cooked chocolate, although I am caffeine sensitive. So no more squares for me. Finally I am sad to say that I am a breast feeding mama, and wonder how this cacao habit has been affecting my baby girl.
Maryam // Mar 17, 2011 at 6:58 pm
This information is pretty essential! I turned raw vegan 4 years ago, and since then had included green smoothies almost every day in my diet. Here is where I would give myself a heaping spoonful of cacao.. and I never suffered any negative consequences other than needing cacao to be integral to the bliss my very green, and sometimes purple smoothie would give me. Now, four years later, i’ve moved to a new city, started to go to university and the dreaded ‘college diet’ comes sneaking up on me. All the sugars I was eating were natural, though in enormous quantities, such as up to 15 or so large, gooey, dates a day (dipped in almond butter, no less) and yes, dark chocolate bars consumed at an extraordinary rate , (again, dipped oh-so-naughtily) in almond butter.) although I was still vegan and this wasn’t a problem. then a couple months ago, my boyfriend arrived to live with me (who is recovering from ibs and so needs to eat a lot of nut butters, eggs, cheese, and meat to remain healthy) so the peanut butter consumption skyrocketted (as it is cheaper than almond) as well as i started to turn more vegetarian for the first time in 4 years, incorporating eggs and cheese into my diet. Soon I was finding that i would absolutely fiend out for cheese, or peanut butter, and especially chocolate and a combination of these three seemed to me the perfect snack or dessert! well, to cut a long story short, i am now suffering a couple weeks from candida and the one thing that seems to dig the deepest in my psyche is the lack of chocolate. I absolutely CRAVE it. when i was vegan, the chocolate was treated by my body as the perfect kicker to start off the day, every day. introducing those other animal products into my diet seemed to have compromised my immune system, not to mention the amount of sugary dates i was eating, and the amount of sugary fruits i would pile into my smoothie. (banana – you rascal.) I feel like chocolate truely is a drug and I’m still hankering for my fix – any idea on what a withdrawal could be like after four or so odd years?
Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Mar 20, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Hi Maryam,
Some people can get away with being a vegan for a period of time when they are younger, but it usually catches up with them as they get older. Meat is an essential component of the diet. It was not the meat that weakened your immune system, it was all the sugar and carbohydrates. Sugar depletes the immune system as well as destroys the body in many other ways. Please read these pages
http://www.holistichelp.net/sugar-addiction.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/12-reasons-you-should-eat-more-meat/
http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/why-alicia-silverstones-the-kind-diet-is-not-healthy/
http://www.holistichelp.net/good-carbs-bad-carbs.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/the-vegetarian-and-candida-diet-dilemma/
http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/which-diet-is-best-for-you/
http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/candida-diet-and-vegetarians/
http://www.holistichelp.net/healthy-diet-plan.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/paleolithic-diet.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/neurotransmitters.html
Other things to keep in mind. Peanuts are not nuts. They are legumes. Legumes are destructive to the gastrointestinal tract and should be avoided or restricted. Peanuts are also very high in alfatoxin. A toxin released by mold that is also destructive to the GI tract as well as the brain.
Sounds like you may have a sensitivity to the peanuts and dairy since you are craving them. We often crave the foods we shouldn’t eat. However, you may just be craving them because they too alter your neurotransmitters and give you a fix similar to your chocolate.
I can’t say how long or severe your withdrawal might be. It is likely to be pretty intense, but the worse should be over in a week. However, you’ll need to address all the other issues, that are mentioned in the pages I referred you to above.
Best
Cynthia
Katy // Jun 17, 2011 at 11:10 am
Hi Cynthia,
I just bought some raw cacao thinking I could have it on the anti-candida diet stage one but now I guess it will go to waste. Is it ok if I invest in carob chips/powder then to create candida friendly desserts when I need them? It’s not often but perhaps once or twice a week I need to satisfy that itch.
Also, a little off topic… You mentioned that the more you crave something the more likely you’re sensitive to it (something I’ve heard before as well).. Up until recently I was vegetarian but due to your post on candida and vegetarianism plus total lack of truly anti-candida diet friendly recipes I started to eat meat again. I’ve found myself craving fish the most and am really enjoying it to the point I want it almost every day. The only reason I don’t is because I try to limit it to 3 or 4 meals a week. Does this mean that I might be sensitive to fish?
Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 18, 2011 at 11:04 am
Hi Katy,
Carob is definitely better for you than chocolate or raw cacao. I recommend it in place of chocolate for an occasional desert, holidays and special occasions. You can visit this post where I’ve written a little bit about carob.:
http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/tidbit-tuesday-carob-the-better-choice/
But to summarize what’s on that page, carob is healthier because it contains more nutritional value and it doesn’t have any of the negative impacts on health that chocolate has. However, carob is a legume. Legumes are high in carbohydrates and feed Candida, Legumes are also high in lectins, which damage the GI tract and cause nutritional deficiencies, so they should be restricted.
I think twice a week is too frequent for someone with Candida. You want to break the habit of eating processed food and retrain your brain to desire healthier sweets like fruit and nuts. When you want something sweet, have some almonds, macadamias, walnuts etc. and a few slices of fruit together. The combination together is very satiating, thus eliminating that itch. Try to reserve the carob for a couple times a month and/or holidays. Visit these pages for more info on diet:
http://www.holistichelp.net/healthy-diet-plan.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/paleolithic-diet.html
When you use carob chips, make sure that you are getting the unsweetened kind and keep in mind that the unsweetened contain dairy, which adds a bit of lactose, (milk sugar), thus increasing the ability to flare Candida.
Best
Cynthia
Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 19, 2011 at 3:16 pm
P.S.
Hi Katy, I forgot to respond to your other question about cravings. It is possible you have a sensitivity to fish, but you may be craving what the fish provides you — omega-3s.
Most cravings have an underlying issue and it is that issue that needs resolved to resolve the craving. For example, people with a serotonin, dopamine or endorphin deficiency often crave sugar and carbs. It isn’t really the carb they are craving, it is what the carb does for them that they crave. Carbs and sugar temporarily increase serotonin, dopamine and endorphins, thus relieving many of the symptoms that make them miserable and crave like anxiety, depression, irritability, fatigue, etc. Unfortunately, the consumption of sugar and carbs actually depletes neurotransmitters even more and perpetuates the cravings. If one restores balance to the neurotransmitters with a high protein diet, changes in lifestyle and supplementation, then the craving for the carb and sugar will dissipate.
The same could apply to the fish. Fish are very in high in omega-3s. You may be deficient in omega-3 and therefore crave the fish, because it is giving you what you need.Unlike the sugar and carb scenario, fish will not deplete your nutrients. It will restore them, so eating the fish is not a bad thing on that level.
However, keep in mind that most fish is highly contaminated with mercury and other heavy metals, so eating it every day could be detrimental by causing heavy metal toxicity. Be sure you are eating Alaskan wild caught fish for the cleanest possibility. Additionally, you could also try supplementing with molecularly distilled fish oil. It has the toxins removed. If cravings persist, then there may be a sensitivity to fish and you may want to consider something like the ALCAT test.
Best
Cynthia
dawn // Jul 1, 2011 at 1:24 pm
i have been a ‘part-time’ raw fooder for about 4 years since being quite ill, hospital etc. i purchased many raw food books, and a couple of the authors here in the UK also have raw food websites selling products. they are good guys, and it seems cacoa does not affect them !
well its weird, but each time i eat cacoa, or even cacoa butter (in ‘white’ raw chocolate bars…) the next day i am AUFUL to live with, and i notice this most with my partner. i never realised for ages, just couldnt really understand why i was extra touchy and grumpy. i used to apologise for how badly i reacted to things. then after quite a while, i noticed it was the day after eating the raw cacoa.
i tried white chocolate bars, had the same reaction, then on reading the ingredients didnt realise it still had cacoa butter in them.
even the really yummy ‘naked’ bars you can buy in the heath food stores etc, the one with cacoa in had the same effect the next day.
interesting to read ‘i am not alone’…..!
Kassandra // Aug 22, 2011 at 7:28 am
Hello Cynthia,
I desperately need some advice regarding the chocolate withdrawal symptoms. My story goes back to childhood and has probably a lot to do with some inherited predisposition.
As long as I can remember myself, I fancied sugar, and chocolate was the star dainty among the others. As sweets are generally well regarded, or at least a craving for them is condoned, when one is a child, I grew up having more or less easy access to them. I was the one to go for groceries and the deal was that once I procured all the items on the shopping list, I could keep the change. I would then stash this change while eying some desired delicacy in the store and once I had enough, would buy the desired item.
Then, when I was 15, my parents left the country for a period of nine months, I was left (despite being in the care of my 18 year-old brother) largely on my own (but probably completely neglected is a better description). As I had to wait by the phone for my mom to call us with important information, but as the time or day of call was not established or certain, I spent several weeks largely alone in the apartment without any reliable food supply. Without being aware of it, but realizing it now, I ate one chocolate bar a day with little else in between.
And this has started my long love affair with chocolate ever since. Those nine months have imprinted painfully in my consciousness as it was for the first time in my life that I was hit hard with the shock that no one really cared for me (besides my mom who was very far at that time), everyone that I thought loved me (grandfather, uncles, even my own brother whom I idolized and adored) showed no interest in my life or my well being. I was, after all at the precocious age of 15 when it is quite easy to become pray of opportunistic male predators. Everyone was preoccupied with their own interests and concerns and as we recently moved to a new neighbourhood before my parents left the country, I was absolutely desolate in my loneliness.
Once we all moved to Canada shortly after (I was almost 16), chocolate became the mainstay of my diet and lifestyle, gradually increasing in frequency of consumption and in the percentage of cocoa in the chocolate. After almost 20 years of this, I began to have peculiar skin rashes, landing twice in the emergency room with prednisone and benadryl pumped into me through the IV. It affected mainly my head and neck, but lastly affecting my entire body. Of course, by this time I was also an emotional wreck: melancholia attacks, extreme mood swings, almost constant crying fits and bouts of deep and potentially dangerous depression. I lost the will to live…
It took me a long time to finally realize that it was the chocolate (besides the feeling of unrelenting longing for my homeland, the painful inability to integrate and, most importantly, to belong) as well as the sweets in general that were at the cause of all this. Of course, I probably would not have developed such a sensitivity to caffeine and other ingredients in the chocolate had I not had an intestinal infection (about 7 years after moving to Canada – at the age of 22) which was detected after quite some time. This left my intestines very sensitive and irritable to certain foods.
Now, at the age of 36 and relocated yet again to Europe where I am in the process of doing my PhD, I have finally faced the problem, went on a strict Candida diet for about three months and have permanently eliminated from my diet anything with caffeine as well as sweets and dairy.
My skin has finally returned to its beautiful, china-doll appearance, my mood swings, crying fits and relentless depression and feelings of helplessness have slowly disappeared.
It has only been about three months, however, and I am finding that I am still quite listless and quite tired all the time. I have to do an enormous amount of reading for my dissertation, but I find that I still have trouble concentrating with a feeling of fullness and fogginess in my head. It is alleviated somewhat by eating. I really would like to get my energy back (I will join the university gym as soon as the circumstances will permit) so as to be able to be the most productive for my studies and my research responsibilities.
Would you be able to recommend something for me to get rid of these unwanted symptoms? My diet is largely the Candida diet I followed for three months with some addition of fruits and 100% yeast-free rye bread and raw organic butter.
Your insights would be of great help as I am in new surroundings in terms of where I live at the moment and wold not know who to consult about this.
Thank you very much for your help and sorry for my long recountal.
Respectfully,
Kassandra
Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Sep 25, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Hi Kassandra,
Your story is a classic story of how addiction develops. Addiction regardless of whether we are talking about chocolate, sugar , drugs, alcohol etc. all has the same roots – disrupted or depleted neurotransmitters. There are many factors involved in this process like adrenal fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, food sensitivities, hypoglycemia, childhood abuse or neglect, chronic stress and many more. Each of these issues must be addressed. You can use the search function on my site and my blog to find an abundance of information on these topics, but here’s a few of them
http://www.holistichelp.net/adrenal-fatigue.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/customized-nutrition.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/neurotransmitters.html
Grains should not be part of the Candida diet. I recommend a slightly modified version of the Paleolithic diet.
http://www.holistichelp.net/paleolithic-diet.html
There are a variety of nutritional supplements that would be helpful, but we would need to discuss things in more detail to know which ones you need, I offer consultation by phone or skype since you are out of the country. My fees and options can be found on the following page:
http://www.holistichelp.net/counseling.html
But you can find some general info on this page:
http://www.holistichelp.net/neurotransmitters.html
Alternatively, you can find a chapter on each of these issues in my Sugar Addiction Book or my Anxiety and Depression Book.
http://www.holistichelp.net/sugar-addiction-recovery.html
http://www.holistichelp.net/anxiety-and-depression.html
Best Regards
Cynthia
Leave a Comment