This picture here to the right is Raw Cacao – which is chocolate in its most raw form. There’s no dairy, sugar, or preservatives added, and it hasn’t been cooked or heat treated to destroy all it’s precious enzymes.

The cacao plant is where all cocoa and chocolate products come from. Raw Cacao is just what it sounds like – the beans of the plant without all the extra junk added.

Chocolate in its natural state is actually a superfood, and it’s literally one of the most nutritious foods you can eat, and it can even help you lose weight.

Basically, the more superfoods you eat instead of processed food, the faster you lose weight. Superfoods = fast metabolism.

Raw Cacao has been used by many cultures in Central & South America for thousands of years now because it’s not only yummy, but has tons of healthy antioxidants and minerals as well. In fact, it has over 25,000 antioxidants in just ONE tablespoon, and 7 grams of fiber per ounce!

It’s also a wonderful source of:

• Flavanols – which help support a heart-healthy lifestyle.

• Polyphenols – may reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

• Magnesium – low levels of magnesium are linked to everything from allergies, migraines, asthma, fibromyalgia, anxiety, and ADD

• Fiber – A high-fiber diet may reduce your risk of type-2 Diabetes, colon cancer, and countless other health issues and diseases.
And ALL of these amazing nutrients above actually helps you loss weight! That’s right, chocolate is ACTUALLY a health food, when it’s in its natural state.

So you’re probably asking yourself “but how does it taste?” I make tons of tasty recipes with raw cacoa, like raw chocolate pudding, superfood chocolate, and raw truffles (all recipes found in my cookbook www.RoseCole.com/Cookbook), and these usually go faster during the holidays than the junk food!

Of course the raw chocolate isn’t very sweet, so I suggest using an all-natural sweetener like stevia or agave nectar.

Cacoa comes in a few different form. Cacoa nibs (shown in the pic above) is great all by it’s self, or in trail mixes and recipes, and cacao powder (my personal favorite) is awesome for smoothies or prepared with all-natural sweeteners recipes like my famous Superfood Candy Recipe (Superfood Candy Recipe).

Other ways to use raw cacoa:

•  Blend RAW cacao with Virgin Coconut Oil & Agave for instant Raw Chocolate Syrup! Add on top of raw ice cream or fresh fruit, AMAZING!

•  Make any cookie, brownie or pie INSTANTLY more chocolaty delicious & nutritious — just add a tsp or more of RAW Cacao powder.

Raw Cacao is starting to show up everywhere, so you’re going to start seeing it more and more. You can find the best quality cocoa products at www.TrySunFoods.com. They carry Cacao nibs, and lots of protein bars and treats made with raw chocolate, but I think their Raw Cacao powder is AWAZING, and that’s the one I use in the candy recipe above.

Who says chocolate doesn’t grow on trees?! Watch this video from my recent trip to Costa Rica:

In love and service,