Raw Cacao

[Mike]

I've been taking cacao recently and it is nothing short of remarkable

[Bill Ryan]

I've been taking cacao recently and it is nothing short of remarkableMike, can you say more? Do you mean raw cacao, the basic ingredient of chocolate, with nothing else added? Assuming so, how do you take it, and how much, and what benefits do you experience?

(Raw cacao is available everywhere in Ecuador. I make wonderful home-made chocolate from it with added coconut oil and honey, nothing else. :muscle:)

[onawah]

I've been using raw organic cacao powder for a long time,and it has really helped me with my chocolate addiction.
(I eat organic as much as possible, but organic chocolate bars are expensive and always contain sugar (or some kind of unhealthy substitute).
What I do instead is use raw, organic cacao powder to make hot chocolate (but not too hot), cake frosting or fudge sauce with soft butter, cream or sour cream, raw honey, and a pinch of salt.
Heated slighly (not too much or it destroys the nutrients in raw cacao and honey), it makes a great fudge sauce to serve over ice cream.
I add vanilla just before eating, but not when I make up the mixture, otherwise it makes for an unpleasant chemical reaction.
Raw cacao powder is a health food, whereas heat-treated cacao, which is what usually happens to it when it's made into commercial products, is not.
Another great inexpensive health food is raw Maca powder.
See: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90334-My-Nerves-Are-Shot.-Now-what&p=1065843&viewfull=1#post1065843

[Sirus]

I've been taking cacao recently and it is nothing short of remarkableMike, can you say more? Do you mean raw cacao, the basic ingredient of chocolate, with nothing else added? Assuming so, how do you take it, and how much, and what benefits do you experience?

(Raw cacao is available everywhere in Ecuador. I make wonderful home-made chocolate from it with added coconut oil and honey, nothing else. :muscle:)

Please share your recipe;)

[Bill Ryan]

Please share your recipe;)Ha. A bunch of cacao, and some dollops of honey and coconut oil. It's different every time, and I just dip my finger in it to check it's sweet but not too sweet. :ROFL:

I melt it all in a pan, which takes just a few minutes. Then I pour it into a soup dish, which goes into the freezer to set. I sometimes add chia seeds, raisins, nuts, chopped dates, or anything else that comes to hand. It's better than anything I've ever bought commercially. :)

This is the end product: :heart:

https://avalonlibrary.net/Bill/chocolate_1.jpghttps://avalonlibrary.net/Bill/chocolate_2.jpghttps://avalonlibrary.net/Bill/chocolate_3.jpg

[Mike]

I've been taking cacao recently and it is nothing short of remarkableMike, can you say more? Do you mean raw cacao, the basic ingredient of chocolate, with nothing else added? Assuming so, how do you take it, and how much, and what benefits do you experience?

(Raw cacao is available everywhere in Ecuador. I make wonderful home-made chocolate from it with added coconut oil and honey, nothing else. :muscle:)

Sure no prob.

It's organic cacao powder, no sweeteners added (not to be confused with cocoa). I mix it in a full fat yogurt with brewers yeast, creatine, and collagen, and it's been like rocket fuel. Even on it's own it has almost the same effect. I've taken countless supplements over the years and this one stands alone. It's really something else.

I take 2 doses a day. Each dose = 1 tablespoon.

Even the best supplements I've used over the years only allowed a painfully slow crawl up the ladder to health, one rung at a time. This stuff has shot me miles up the ladder in one go, and I can actually see some daylight and possibilities.

As I've mentioned many times over the years, I've really been struggling with this mitochondrial heart stuff. I saw a study that involved a group of people suffering from mitochondrial heart failure that took cacao over the course of 3 months and nearly totally recovered. I'm pretty jaded now, but that made an impression on me. I noticed a difference on only my second dose. My heart feels more relaxed, I breathe easier, I think faster and clearer, and my overall endurance has improved significantly. I'm excited to see where I'll be in 3 months. I'll keep everyone filled in on my progress.

P.S. that cacao chocolate you make sounds delicious!

[onawah]

Raw cacao generates stem cells
reel/1985559468606465

Or click here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9A6BiqKoW8o

The HEALTHIEST POWDER for Your Body and Overall Health! Dr. Mandell
motivationaldoc
9.58M subscribers
Dec 19, 2023

"Cacao is extremely high in antioxidants, which help protect your cells from oxidation and aging. Raw cacao contains more than 20x’s the amount of antioxidants in blueberries (ORAC value score). It's packed with flavonoids. These nutrients have been shown to help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the brain and heart.
Cacao improves circulation and hydration in the skin. Circulation stimulates new blood flow to the surface of the skin, keeping it healthy and glowing
Cacao is a potent anti-inflammatory, it soothes redness and blemishes, improving the skin’s complexion.
Cacao has high amounts of iron and magnesium and is the richest food source of these nutrients."
4PmXyZM_Y-o


I've been using raw organic cacao powder for a long time,and it has really helped me with my chocolate addiction.
(I eat organic as much as possible, but organic chocolate bars are expensive and always contain sugar (or some kind of unhealthy substitute).
What I do instead is use raw, organic cacao powder to make hot chocolate (but not too hot), cake frosting or fudge sauce with soft butter, cream or sour cream, raw honey, and a pinch of salt.
Heated slighly (not too much or it destroys the nutrients in raw cacao and honey), it makes a great fudge sauce to serve over ice cream.
I add vanilla just before eating, but not when I make up the mixture, otherwise it makes for an unpleasant chemical reaction.
Raw cacao powder is a health food, whereas heat-treated cacao, which is what usually happens to it when it's made into commercial products, is not.
Another great inexpensive health food is raw Maca powder.
See: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90334-My-Nerves-Are-Shot.-Now-what&p=1065843&viewfull=1#post1065843

[Bill Ryan]

I've been using raw organic cacao powder for a long time,and it has really helped me with my chocolate addiction.
(I eat organic as much as possible, but organic chocolate bars are expensive and always contain sugar (or some kind of unhealthy substitute).
What I do instead is use raw, organic cacao powder to make hot chocolate (but not too hot), cake frosting or fudge sauce with soft butter, cream or sour cream, raw honey, and a pinch of salt.
Heated slighly (not too much or it destroys the nutrients in raw cacao and honey), it makes a great fudge sauce to serve over ice cream.
I add vanilla just before eating, but not when I make up the mixture, otherwise it makes for an unpleasant chemical reaction.
Raw cacao powder is a health food, whereas heat-treated cacao, which is what usually happens to it when it's made into commercial products, is not.
Another great inexpensive health food is raw Maca powder.
See: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90334-My-Nerves-Are-Shot.-Now-what&p=1065843&viewfull=1#post1065843I've been aware of this for quite a long time, and a couple of weeks ago, very much on a whim, I started treating myself to raw cacao daily just to see what would happen.

In Ecuador, raw cacao looks like this: just big dark slabs of cacao with nothing else added.

https://avalonlibrary.net/Bill/raw_cacao.jpg

Of course, this means it's been heated and melted, but I don't know the full details. What I did was break it up into small fingernail-sized pieces, then adding it to hot milk. (I tried pulverizing it in a coffee grinder, but that didn't work as it's too solid.) The natural lactose in the milk means (for me!) that I feel I don't need to add any honey or sweetener.

I was impressed with the result. Over two weeks I've gradually lost 5 lbs (2 kg) in weight, without intending to or even trying in any way. I seem to need less sleep, and my appetite seems to have dropped a little. Everything else is unchanged, and my energy and general sense of well-being is all the same.

The weight loss thing is interesting. I don't need to lose weight, and I've always been the same weight as I was 30 or 40 years ago. (I feel fortunate that way!) I've written on the Water Fasting (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?101104-Water-Fasting) thread that one always needs to be aware of what I all one's minimum healthy weight, and if one's fasting it's important to stop right there, because it's definitely possible to go too far. So with my new cacao regime I'll just continue exactly as I've been doing, watching with interest to see what happens.

My best guess right now is that the cacao seems to be some kind of natural metabolism regulator. And (if that's correct!) I'll gradually reach my optimum weight (whatever that is!) and then stay exactly there — all with zero effort, which would be kinda fun if that's the case. I promise to report back in a few weeks' time. :)

[onawah]

Not to be nitpicky, but from my own personal experience, I'd say that generally it's more beneficial to eat foods raw rather than cooked (unless there is something in particular that's toxic and needs to be destroyed by heating).
(It's criminal that more attention has not been paid to that crucial issue by the "experts".)
Additionally, if a seed, legume, nut or grain can be soaked and sprouted before eating, the nutritional value goes up exponentially, particularly in terms of enzymes.
I used to work with Viktoras Kulvinskas, who I think at 86 is still going strong at his healing center in Costa Rica (https://www.viktoras.org/index#app-store )
...Author of the bestseller "Survival into the 21st Century" (and many more books), co-founder of the Hippocrates Health Institute with Anne Wigmore.
I got into eating exclusively raw, live, sprouted, fermented and cultured foods, did a lot of juicing, and it was amazing how quickly and how much my health improved.
In the case of cacao, if the seeds could be fresh picked, then soaked and sprouted, then dehydrated and ground into powder and refrigerated, that would be really good medicine.
You can't go wrong with creating more stem cells!

From:https://drwilliamli.com/health-benefits-of-cacao/
"The impressive bioactive profile of cacao has nutritionists everywhere reaching for their dark chocolate bark and raw cacao powder. But is all chocolate created equal? The answer is a resounding, no. Before we jump into the specific nutrient properties of the beloved snack, let us back up and look at it from the top.

Cacao vs. Cocoa: What is the Difference?

You have likely noticed that some chocolate products are either marketed as “cacao” or “cocoa.” Some foods are labeled as “cacao nibs” while others may say, “cocoa powder.” But what does the different terminology mean?

Chocolate is made from cacao beans, which are technically considered seeds. Full agreement does not exist on when exactly to use the different terms. Some say products utilizing the entire cacao pod should be deemed “cacao” and the pressed powder should garner the name “cocoa.” Others believe the raw versions should be labeled “cacao” while the roasted and more processed varieties should be called “cocoa.” In my opinion, the terminology should not matter nearly as much as the ingredient list and flavonoid levels. So long as unnecessary additives like sugar are not added to the product, both cacao and cocoa can be extraordinarily nutrient-dense.

Health Benefits of Cacao/Cocoa

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, determined that bioactives called procyanidins in cocoa have potent antiangiogenic effects through their ability to stop the signals activating blood vessel cells, which can lead to various diseases such as cancer, skin diseases, age-related blindness, diabetic ulcers, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and more.

Cacao has also been shown to improve stem cell function. At the University of California, San Francisco, researchers explored whether a chocolate drink made with cocoa containing high levels of flavanols could influence stem cells and blood vessel health. Participants who drank the high-flavanol beverage had twice as many stem cells in their circulation compared to the people who drank the low- flavanol cocoa, showing that the more flavanols contained in the product, the more stem cell benefits it boasts.

Cacao also positively impacts the gut microbiome. A study conducted by Louisiana State University researchers found that fiber in cacao feeds healthy gut bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. These beneficial bacteria generate compounds with anti-inflammatory properties that also improve glucose and lipid metabolism. Cacao may even help correct disruptions to the microbiome caused by chronic stress – not to say that every time you are feeling anxious you should emotionally eat chocolate."

[grapevine]

Heads up for onawah and Bill:
IWRsssnSsds

I also take a few squares of Green & Blacks 85% chocolate in either oat or coconut milk but had no idea of its regenerative properties. It's absolutely delicious too . . .

[RunningDeer]

The Ancient Secret of Real Chocolate




You think you know chocolate? Prepare to have your mind blown. For decades, we've been consuming a sugary, mass-produced imitation. This video unveils the lost art of making REAL, "bean-to-bar" chocolate using ancient, traditional methods.

Follow the entire satisfying ASMR journey, from harvesting the strange-looking Cacao Pod to fermenting, roasting, and stone-grinding the beans into a pure, liquid chocolate liquor. This is the secret the big corporations don't want you to see. This is what real chocolate tastes like.


KU2pEMAdHUE

[onawah]

Chocolate in that form is heated and processed and so not nearly as nutritious as raw cacao powder, which is also much more versatile.
Add it to warm (not hot) milk with some raw honey for an even more healthy drink.
I mix it with cooled melted butter, a little salt and some raw honey to make a delicious topping for ice cream, pudding, etc. or just to eat alone.

Heads up for onawah and Bill:
I also take a few squares of Green & Blacks 85% chocolate in either oat or coconut milk but had no idea of its regenerative properties. It's absolutely delicious too . . .

[grapevine]

Still on the theme of Chocolate . . .
mCNVnXW072k
In the USA and UK white chocolate must contain at least 20% cocoa butter but unfortunately doesn't contain the same nutritional values as dark chocolate.

[Bill Ryan]

(Mod note: I've copied a bunch of posts from other threads to start this new topic :muscle:)

~~~

An update on my own raw cacao regimen. I wrote this above (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?130184-Raw-Cacao&p=1680575&viewfull=1#post1680575) 3 weeks ago:


My best guess right now is that the cacao seems to be some kind of natural metabolism regulator. And (if that's correct!) I'll gradually reach my optimum weight (whatever that is!) and then stay exactly there — all with zero effort, which would be kinda fun if that's the case. I promise to report back in a few weeks' time. :)I do suspect now that raw cacao is at least partly what's known as an adaptogen. (https://www.bswhealth.com/blog/all-about-adaptogens-do-these-healing-herbs-really-work) (Well-known examples are ginseng and turmeric, which balance all kinds of metabolic processes.)

I promised I'd report back about my ongoing raw cacao regime. Very gradually, easily and effortlessly, my bodyweight has been dropping, and I'm now pretty close to my minimum healthy weight. I didn't have to lose much, just a few pounds, but I'm now the same weight (and shape and size! :P) as I was when I was 25.

I usually reach that, if ever I feel I want to, with water fasting or an exact keto diet. See these interesting Avalon threads:


Water Fasting (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?101104-Water-Fasting)
A major key to a long and healthy life: fasting or a ketogenic diet (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?89036-A-major-key-to-a-long-and-healthy-life-fasting-or-a-ketogenic-diet)

But with my raw cacao regime (just a few ounces of raw cacao each morning in hot milk), I'm achieving the same effect. And it's NOT a keto diet, as besides regular protein, including plenty of nuts and seeds, I'm eating lots of potatoes and fruit (including high-starch things like bananas) — just no wheat, which I usually avoid anyway.

And unlike being on a fast or a keto diet, I see nothing at all right now to discourage maintaining this for months on end or longer. I can't detect any downside. I'm still seeming to need less sleep (but I don't feel that's a problem), and the only thing I'm watching right now is making sure I don't lose TOO much weight, as despite not being extra-hungry at all I may have to make myself eat a little more to ensure my weight stays stable and doesn't drop any further.

I do know that this thread may be of limited value to those who can't find raw cacao easily! But though I've never tried this myself, the regular news program Redacted (YT channel here (https://www.youtube.com/@RedactedNews/streams)) often advertises Black Forest Supplements as a sponsor with a discount if you enter https://blackforestsupplements.com/redacted. They sell High Flavenol Cocoa (https://blackforestsupplements.com/products/cocoa-flavanols-1200mg-10x-stronger-than-regular-cocoa), which looks like this:


https://blackforestsupplements.com/cdn/shop/files/WhatsApp_Image_2025-04-30_at_1.35.08_PM.jpg?v=1752772097&width=950

Their text reads:
Black Forest Supercharged Cocoa delivers 10x the flavanol concentration of ordinary cocoa — with 600mg of flavanols plus 600mg of high-purity flavonoids. Together, these powerful compounds support cellular resilience, healthy blood flow, immune function, and the body’s natural inflammatory response, while promoting clean, sustained energy. My disclaimer: I've not tried this at all, and I'm only sharing the info here as one possible way of readers getting hold of raw cacao if there don't seem to be many (or any) other sources. (There must surely be other providers in the US, Europe and Australia which I don't know about at all.)

[TrumanCash]

For past several years I've been starting my mornings with organic mochas--organic coffee, organic cacao powder, organic cream from grass-fed cows, monk fruit extract for sweetener, cinnamon and collagen.

The Navitas organic cacao that I can get locally is apparently not raw as it does not state raw on the package. I used to buy it on sale for about five bucks but now the Navitas website has it for sale at fifteen bucks for 8 oz!

To avoid sugar I use liquid Lakanto Monk Fruit Extract. I don't use their other granular sugar product as it is mostly erythritol, which is usually made from GMO cornstarch.

5555655559

I also add organic cinnamon.

Organic coffee
Organic Navitas Cacao Powder
Organic/grassfed cream
Organic Lakanto Monk Fruit Extract
Organic Cinnamon
Organic/Grassfed Collagen


Does anyone here know of a US source for raw organic cacao powder?

[onawah]

Vitacost has Now brand raw organic cacao powder 12 oz. for $9.89.
https://www.vitacost.com/Images/Products/500/NOW/NOW-Foods-Organic-Raw-Cacao-Powder-733739066787.jpg
I buy most of my supplements from Vitacost and if you are a member they will send you email messages about special offers, and if you fill your cart but don't make the purchase, after a few days they will send you an offer for 10% off the entire order. Shipping is free (in the US--I'm not sure about other countries) for orders of $49 or more. Their prices are generally higher than other, similar sites but they carry a lot more choices.

[onawah]

Raw organic Maca powder is another inexpensive, remarkable addition you can make to your daily regimen.
See: https://themacaexperts.com/maca/learn-about-maca/10-amazing-health-benefits-of-maca/
I was in a women's group when I began going through "the Change" and when one of the women began taking Maca and told us about how much it was helping her, we all tried it and got remarkable results--and it's good for both sexes.
When my doctor saw how much it was helping me (no more hot flashes or mood swings and improved energy), he began recommending it to his other patiens.
I get Foods Alive Organic Superfoods Maca Powder RAW -- 8 oz for $9.69 from Vitacost and use a tablespoon in my morning fruit juice and aloe smoothie with Phoenix Rising Biolumina Spirulina (the best on the market, imho).

[Mari]

Delicious and excellent - great for drinks, baking etc.

This is where I buy mine from:

https://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/organic-raw-cacao-powder.html

[Raskolnikov]

My wife began dragging me to this guy's, David Avocado Wolfe's, health conferences around 2009 or so and we proceeded to completely overhaul our diets, cutting the processed and adding amazing raw foods like goji berries, hemp hearts, chia seeds, reishi and chaga mushrooms, coconut oil and ghee, raw powdered supplements of the highest nutrient content now termed "superfoods," chlorella, spirulina, and liquid chlorophyll, bought only raw unpasturized goat and sheep cheeses which became increasingly hard to find, and copious amounts of raw cacao (both nib and powdered) in smoothies, our coffee and hot chocolate, ice cream, anything we could put it in. We spent a lot of money on the high quality ingredients, but as Wolfe used to say, "You can spend your money on high quality ingredients now or you can spend it on hospital bills later."

"Cacao is 10, 15, 20 times greater in antioxidents than green tea, 30 times higher than red wine, 15 times higher than blueberries..."

(Title meant cacao not cocoa)

Gm69os9LIZo

https://shop.davidwolfe.com/

[grapevine]

. . . and how do you feel right now? How long before you felt the difference if any, and are you still indulging in the foods of the Gods now?

[Raskolnikov]

. . . and how do you feel right now? How long before you felt the difference if any, and are you still indulging in the foods of the Gods now?

If that was for me grapevine, we felt fantastic almost immediately, dropped a little weight, had fewer digestion problems, less brain fog, and a noticeable increase in our energy levels. We still feel great and try to eat as healthy as possible but aren't making the same kind of money we did while living in San Francisco so aren't buying most of that stuff anymore. But raw cacao will always be in our diets, it's too good. A mocha made with fake chocolate just ain't the same...

[rgray222]

I've been taking cacao recently and it is nothing short of remarkableMike, can you say more? Do you mean raw cacao, the basic ingredient of chocolate, with nothing else added? Assuming so, how do you take it, and how much, and what benefits do you experience?

(Raw cacao is available everywhere in Ecuador. I make wonderful home-made chocolate from it with added coconut oil and honey, nothing else. :muscle:)

Sure no prob.

It's organic cacao powder, no sweeteners added (not to be confused with cocoa). I mix it in a full fat yogurt with brewers yeast, creatine, and collagen, and it's been like rocket fuel. Even on it's own it has almost the same effect. I've taken countless supplements over the years and this one stands alone. It's really something else.

I take 2 doses a day. Each dose = 1 tablespoon.

Even the best supplements I've used over the years only allowed a painfully slow crawl up the ladder to health, one rung at a time. This stuff has shot me miles up the ladder in one go, and I can actually see some daylight and possibilities.

As I've mentioned many times over the years, I've really been struggling with this mitochondrial heart stuff. I saw a study that involved a group of people suffering from mitochondrial heart failure that took cacao over the course of 3 months and nearly totally recovered. I'm pretty jaded now, but that made an impression on me. I noticed a difference on only my second dose. My heart feels more relaxed, I breathe easier, I think faster and clearer, and my overall endurance has improved significantly. I'm excited to see where I'll be in 3 months. I'll keep everyone filled in on my progress.


Mike, are you still taking this, and do you still feel as strongly about the results it delivers? Also, where are you getting your cacao?
Thanks

[Rawhide68]

I'm Raw but not Cacao

Having tryed eating nutmeg nut in high doses back in the days made me high but sick as a cow for at least 5 days.
:p

[seekingtruth]

Read this thread the other day and immediately ordered a kilo of organic raw cacao powder. Early days but so far have made chocolate milk, mocha coffee and hot chocolate. All are incredible, the flavour is unreal. But the mocha had a noticeable effect over a standard morning coffee - I definitely felt more alert, without jitters, and with a clearer mind, especially first thing in the morning.

Got some maca too, but I much prefer the cacao. Made a maca latte which was pleasant, slightly odd flavour, reminded me of Horlicks or similar.

Tomorrow I plan on making some chocolate bars (https://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/blog/crafting-chocolate-with-cocoa-powder-a-complete-guide/) to snack on, but I think cacao has now become my favourite supplement.

Thank you to all for bringing this into my life, it is awesome!

[onawah]

Maca is not so much a taste treat as a natural remedy, but the results can be amazing.
Once you experience some of those results, like supporting thyroid and adrenal function, erradicating hot flashes, mood swings, fatigue and the other symptoms of menopause, as well as erectile dysfunction naturally and without side effects makes up it for not being as tasty as cacao.
It has a kind of mild butterscotch flavor which I don't mind, but mixed with fruit juice, kefir and Spirulina in my morning aloe smoothie, it's really not very noticeable.
See:https://themacaexperts.com/maca/learn-about-maca/10-amazing-health-benefits-of-maca/


Read this thread the other day and immediately ordered a kilo of organic raw cacao powder. Early days but so far have made chocolate milk, mocha coffee and hot chocolate. All are incredible, the flavour is unreal. But the mocha had a noticeable effect over a standard morning coffee - I definitely felt more alert, without jitters, and with a clearer mind, especially first thing in the morning.

Got some maca too, but I much prefer the cacao. Made a maca latte which was pleasant, slightly odd flavour, reminded me of Horlicks or similar.

Tomorrow I plan on making some chocolate bars (https://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/blog/crafting-chocolate-with-cocoa-powder-a-complete-guide/) to snack on, but I think cacao has now become my favourite supplement.

Thank you to all for bringing this into my life, it is awesome!

[seekingtruth]

Thanks for the info onawah, yes thyroid function was one of the reasons I bought it. I understand it can take a little while before you can see effects so I will persist.

I'm now inspired to move away from bottled supplements like multivits, single nutrients, etc. to natural, wide-spectrum products like these.

[onawah]

It didn't take long before I began seeing results of taking maca.
When I was in my early 50s and had started going through the Change, my doctor did blood work and diagnosed me as having a hypothyroid condition, and started me on Armor Thyroid medication.
...Which I wasn't thrilled about but it was more natural than Synthroid, at least and I did feel more energy.
According to him, when he tested me again after the designated timespan on Armor, ( I think it was a month or two) my bloodwork tested as what he was aiming for.
But the next time I went back for a checkup, which wasn't more than another month or two, (during which time I had started taking Maca)he could not understand the new bloodwork results and asked me if I had made any changes to my diet.
I told him about Maca, and he was very interested, started researching it and ended up recommending it to a lot of his other patients.
I kept taking both Armor and Maca for awhile but eventually realized I didn't need Armor at all anymore, just upped my daily dose of Maca (I take about a tablespoon per day.)

Thanks for the info onawah, yes thyroid function was one of the reasons I bought it. I understand it can take a little while before you can see effects so I will persist.

I'm now inspired to move away from bottled supplements like multivits, single nutrients, etc. to natural, wide-spectrum products like these.

update: I forgot to mention my doctor reduced my Armor Thyroid prescription by half after he saw the bloodwork from my second examination.
I moved away and never went back to see him or had bloodwork done again, but I continued taking Maca, and stopped taking Armor altogether eventually, since I didn't feel I needed it anymore.

[John Hilton]

I whisk a heaped teaspoon of brown powder* with a little milk and a lot of cold water to drink every day.
*Variously called "Cocoa" or "Kakao" on the packet, dependent on supplier.

Like Bill, I also make solid "chocolate" by mixing coconut oil (liquid), kakao powder, turmeric powder, ground black pepper and cinnamon powder, and then freezing it for 15 minutes in a polythene bowl. I make it in a shallow layer (about 4 mm) so that it can be snapped into chunks. The quantities are arbitrary - "to taste".

Someone mentioned heart mitochondria. You might like to check out methylene blue.

P.s. I'm still 78 kg and not getting any thinner!

[TrumanCash]

Vitacost has Now brand raw organic cacao powder 12 oz. for $9.89.
https://www.vitacost.com/Images/Products/500/NOW/NOW-Foods-Organic-Raw-Cacao-Powder-733739066787.jpg
I buy most of my supplements from Vitacost and if you are a member they will send you email messages about special offers, and if you fill your cart but don't make the purchase, after a few days they will send you an offer for 10% off the entire order. Shipping is free (in the US--I'm not sure about other countries) for orders of $49 or more. Their prices are generally higher than other, similar sites but they carry a lot more choices.

Thanks for posting the raw organic cacao powder from Vitacost. As I posted previously I've just been using the Navitas organic cacao powder that is not labeled raw. So I ordered some of the NOW Raw Organic Cacao Powder from Vitacost. It is lighter in color than the Navitas brand. I have not noticed much of a taste difference between the two. However, I'm going to stick with NOW brand from now on since it is raw and it is considerably less expensive.

[Raskolnikov]

I highly recommend Mike Adams' products. He has his own high tech laboratory and tests everything before he sells it. A lot of the bigger/cheaper brands end up containing contaminents and heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, among others. I understand it's a bit more expensive but sometimes knowing you're eating uncontaminated food is worth it, especially when you're trying to get healthy. We bought a lot of health products in the beginning only to find out they were heavily contaminated with heavy metals, and these were green powders. Ya think you're getting healthy and it ends up being just as toxic if not more. Here's the link:

https://www.brighteonstore.com/pages/search-results-page?q=cacao%20powder**

And here's a multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 chocolate and cacao products in the USA published July of 2024:

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1366231/full

and an Australian article that discusses how heavy metals get into the cacao:

https://www.goodness.com.au/blog/heavy-metals-in-cacao-cocoa-products-what-you-need-to-know/

[onawah]

It's no wonder heavy metals are showing up everywhere, even in organically grown products, since they are being dropped in chemtrails everywhere, not to mention being put in vaccines and pharmaceuticals intentionally, all part of the elite's depopulation program.
Does that study provide a way to research the levels of heavy metals in individuals brands?
I've been taking EDTA ongoing, which helps rid the blood of heavy metals, and Biolumina Spirulina to help replete minerals which the EDTA depletes in the detoxification process. Also fresh aloe vera smoothies daily, as aloe helps rid the body of heavy metals. (Also anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial..)

I highly recommend Mike Adams' products. He has his own high tech laboratory and tests everything before he sells it. A lot of the bigger/cheaper brands end up containing contaminents and heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, among others. I understand it's a bit more expensive but sometimes knowing you're eating uncontaminated food is worth it, especially when you're trying to get healthy. We bought a lot of health products in the beginning only to find out they were heavily contaminated with heavy metals, and these were green powders. Ya think you're getting healthy and it ends up being just as toxic if not more. Here's the link:

https://www.brighteonstore.com/pages/search-results-page?q=cacao%20powder**

And here's a multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 chocolate and cacao products in the USA published July of 2024:

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1366231/full

and an Australian article that discusses how heavy metals get into the cacao:

https://www.goodness.com.au/blog/heavy-metals-in-cacao-cocoa-products-what-you-need-to-know/

[Raskolnikov]

It's no wonder heavy metals are showing up everywhere, even in organically grown products, since they are being dropped in chemtrails everywhere, not to mention being put in vaccines and pharmaceuticals intentionally, all part of the elite's depopulation program.
Does that study provide a way to research the levels of heavy metals in individuals brands?
I've been taking EDTA ongoing, which helps rid the blood of heavy metals, and Biolumina Spirulina to help replete minerals which the EDTA depletes in the detoxification process. Also fresh aloe vera smoothies daily, as aloe helps rid the body of heavy metals. (Also anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial..)

I highly recommend Mike Adams' products. He has his own high tech laboratory and tests everything before he sells it. A lot of the bigger/cheaper brands end up containing contaminents and heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, among others. I understand it's a bit more expensive but sometimes knowing you're eating uncontaminated food is worth it, especially when you're trying to get healthy. We bought a lot of health products in the beginning only to find out they were heavily contaminated with heavy metals, and these were green powders. Ya think you're getting healthy and it ends up being just as toxic if not more. Here's the link:

https://www.brighteonstore.com/pages/search-results-page?q=cacao%20powder**

And here's a multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 chocolate and cacao products in the USA published July of 2024:

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1366231/full

and an Australian article that discusses how heavy metals get into the cacao:

https://www.goodness.com.au/blog/heavy-metals-in-cacao-cocoa-products-what-you-need-to-know/

It looks like he tested 11 specific brands of cacao including Navitas here:

https://labs.naturalnews.com/heavy-metals-chart-Superfoods-Cacao.html

He just asks for your email to get the results. I wouldn't worry too much about giving him that info, he's pretty legit. Although my computer is jumping the shark and not letting me do this, keeps saying refresh and nothing. Maybe you'll have better luck.

[onawah]

No luck for me either. It looks like Adams needs work on his website. I was already getting his Brighteon newsletter, so he had my email address already.
I'm not much into cacao nibs, which is all he sells in pure cacao.


He just asks for your email to get the results. I wouldn't worry too much about giving him that info, he's pretty legit. Although my computer is jumping the shark and not letting me do this, keeps saying refresh and nothing. Maybe you'll have better luck.

[Raskolnikov]

No luck for me either. It looks like Adams needs work on his website. I was already getting his Brighteon newsletter, so he had my email address already.
I'm not much into cacao nibs, which is all he sells in pure cacao.


He just asks for your email to get the results. I wouldn't worry too much about giving him that info, he's pretty legit. Although my computer is jumping the shark and not letting me do this, keeps saying refresh and nothing. Maybe you'll have better luck.

Thinking that may be what's blocking us cause he's got mine too. Maybe it only works for fresh signups somehow...

[DNA]

I've been taking cacao recently and it is nothing short of remarkableMike, can you say more? Do you mean raw cacao, the basic ingredient of chocolate, with nothing else added? Assuming so, how do you take it, and how much, and what benefits do you experience?

(Raw cacao is available everywhere in Ecuador. I make wonderful home-made chocolate from it with added coconut oil and honey, nothing else. :muscle:)

Sure no prob.

It's organic cacao powder, no sweeteners added (not to be confused with cocoa). I mix it in a full fat yogurt with brewers yeast, creatine, and collagen, and it's been like rocket fuel. Even on it's own it has almost the same effect. I've taken countless supplements over the years and this one stands alone. It's really something else.

I take 2 doses a day. Each dose = 1 tablespoon.

Even the best supplements I've used over the years only allowed a painfully slow crawl up the ladder to health, one rung at a time. This stuff has shot me miles up the ladder in one go, and I can actually see some daylight and possibilities.

As I've mentioned many times over the years, I've really been struggling with this mitochondrial heart stuff. I saw a study that involved a group of people suffering from mitochondrial heart failure that took cacao over the course of 3 months and nearly totally recovered. I'm pretty jaded now, but that made an impression on me. I noticed a difference on only my second dose. My heart feels more relaxed, I breathe easier, I think faster and clearer, and my overall endurance has improved significantly. I'm excited to see where I'll be in 3 months. I'll keep everyone filled in on my progress.

P.S. that cacao chocolate you make sounds delicious!

I'm going to see about trying this I've heard good things about creatine as well but I've never taken it.

I've heard methylene blue is supposed to help mitochondria.
Just throwing that out there.
Take care and good luck

[RunningDeer]

https://i.imgur.com/iAECADL.gif @1:51:19 (https://youtu.be/5Jk5XCLAr6w?si=hPhirkuYaDbKoRNF&t=6677) - The benefits of Chocolate

5 Natural Medicines Big Pharma Are Hiding From You!
No.1 Herbal Medicine Expert




Is the root of every illness your gut? Could 5 simple herbs replace your medicine cabinet? Natural remedy expert Simon Mills reveals the herbal medicines that doctors overlook, and the herbs, spices, and daily habits to use instead!

Simon Mills is one of the most respected herbal practitioners of our time, with nearly 5 decades of clinical experience treating patients. He created the term ‘complementary medicine’ in the 1970s, has served as a special advisor to the UK House of Lords, and currently works as an Advisor and Author at Herbal Reality.

He explains:

How antibiotic resistance could kill millions and what natural remedies can do instead
The #1 hidden cause of chronic illness (that no one’s talking about)
How a common kitchen spice could kill 99% of cold viruses
The 8 plants that are threatening Big Pharma’s bottom line
The ancient medicinal plants we’ve been lied to about, and how to use them


5Jk5XCLAr6w



00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w) Intro
02:15 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=135s) The Power of Medicinal Plants
06:05 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=365s) Why Medicinal Plants Help Like Paracetamol Does
07:22 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=442s) How Western Culture Is Getting It Wrong
12:24 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=744s) Why People Should Care About Medicinal Plants
14:46 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=886s) Helping 10K+ People With Plants
14:48 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=888s) Patients Simon Has Helped
16:28 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=988s) Case Study: Healing Through Plants
23:41 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=1421s) The Gut Controls Almost Everything
27:35 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=1655s) The Dangers of Becoming Antibiotic Resistant
33:28 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=2008s) Alternatives to Antibiotics
39:42 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=2382s) Alternatives to Cold Drugs
52:36 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=3156s) Vitamin D and Zinc for Infection Protection
56:27 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=3387s) Garlic Benefits
59:57 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=3597s) Remedies for Chronic Pain
1:03:02 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=3782s) Arthritis Relief Medicinal Plant
1:09:15 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=4155s) Should We Take Anti-Inflammatory Pills?
1:12:49 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=4369s) The Superpower of Purple Vegetables
1:17:27 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=4647s) Your Diet Recommendations
1:18:23 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=4703s) Keto Diet and Sugar
1:20:24 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=4824s) Keto Diet and the Menstrual Cycle Link
1:22:58 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=4978s) Can PCOS Symptoms Increase From Sugar?
1:24:21 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=5061s) Medicinal Plants to Increase Fertility
1:27:41 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=5261s) Healing Benefits of Echinacea, Frankincense, and Myrrh for the Upper Body
1:34:38 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=5678s) Water Fasting and Long Fasts
1:35:58 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=5758s) Cancer Prevention
1:38:03 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=5883s) Cardiovascular Health Improvements
1:39:50 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=5990s) Benefits of Turmeric Consumption
1:42:24 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=6144s) Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics
1:44:14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=6254s) The Shocking Benefits of Curcumin
1:51:17 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=6677s) Cocoa Powder Healing Benefits
1:55:34 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=6934s) Shocking Link Between Alzheimer’s and Green Tea
1:57:28 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=7048s) Cholesterol and Statins — Is There an Alternative?
2:02:54 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=7374s) Omeprazole
2:09:19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w&t=7759s) How to Keep Up With a Fast-Changing World

[jaybee]

~
~


another member put me onto this thread and I ordered some raw, organic Cacao powder straight away from Ebay.. £9.99 for 500g....it arrived earlier and I've just made my first drink with it - I made a paste with about a tablespoon of cacao powder and milk... then added more milk and whisked it up with a fork - then added a big spoon of proper honey... locally made...whisked that in - and it tasted really nice - knowing that it's very beneficial makes it taste even better...

It was such a big bag that they had to send it in a little box....

Thanks to all contributors in this thread - and Mike for the OP.... :thumbsup:


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

edit to add.... I think I'm going to make some chocolate (cacao) truffles next - a very simple recipe with 3 ingredients (https://annikaeats.com/3-ingredient-chocolate-truffles/) ..... cacao, cream cheese and crushed up biscuit to give it some structure for shaping them...