Cocoa came to me a few years ago through Evelina, the ambassador of “Kakavos Romanas” in Klaipėda. She introduced me to quality cacao, how to prepare it, its properties and benefits. I immediately felt that this person was living it, believing in it, sharing it wholeheartedly. First cup and I'm hooked. I experienced that cacao is wonderful, that it opens the heart to love, to warmth, and that with and through it I have had many wonderful encounters, many spiritual experiences. For me as a personal trainer, not only cacao helps me in meditation and keeping my focus, but it also gives me tons of energy. Cacao is for both body and soul. It connects, it creates a community, a circle of wonderful people. If you are looking for something to calm the mind and listen to the heart, start with cacao, it will take you where you need to go.
Quality cacao, dense with senses
Perkamiausios prekės
Venezuelan cacao mass
24,00 € – 80,00 €
Balinese cacao mass
24,00 € – 80,00 €
Peru cacao mass
24,00 € – 80,00 €
„Pamilti save, vadinasi, pradėti viso gyvenimo romaną“ - Oscar Wilde.
Benefits of cacao
Positive effects on the cardiovascular system
Cacao, properly grown and processed, has a positive effect on our heart, brain and overall physiology. Regular cacao consumption is associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Cacao products help to reduce blood pressure and the risk of thrombus (clot) formation. Cacao may also help to stop atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels. This is due to the antioxidants it contains, which reduce oxidative damage to cells, and the similar effect of flavonoids to aspirin, which reduces the risk of atherosclerotic plaque formation in blood vessels.
Source. Kerimi A, Williamson G. The cardiovascular benefits of dark chocolate. Vascul Pharmacol. 2015 Aug;71:11-5. doi: 10.1016/j.vph.2015.05.011. Epub 2015 May 27. PMID: 26026398.
Improves post-workout recovery
Studies have shown that consuming cacao -containing products before exercise speeds up psychological and metabolic recovery after exercise. The study also found that blood glucose levels remained more stable during exercise compared to a placebo group that did not consume cacao -based products before exercise. Theobromine in cacao also blocks adenosine receptors, briefly increasing the ability of muscles to contract.
Source. Latif R. Chocolate/cocoa and human health: a review. Neth J Med. 2013 Mar;71(2):63-8. PMID: 23462053.
Protects the nervous system
Cacao has been shown in scientific studies to improve blood flow to the brain. It also shows better intellectual performance and a lower risk of stroke in people who consume daily cacao-based products. A study in Switzerland found that people who had previously experienced high levels of anxiety after consuming cacao products for 14 days reported much lower levels of anxiety later on. This is due to an increase in the levels of the calming hormone serotonin in the body. Cacao also contains the methylxanthines theobromine and caffeine, which increase alertness and productivity.
Source. Katz DL, Doughty K, Ali A. Cocoa and chocolate in human health and disease. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2011 Nov 15;15(10):2779-811. doi: 10.1089/ars.2010.3697. Epub 2011 Jun 13. PMID: 21470061; PMCID: PMC4696435.
Reduces the risk of diabetes and obesity
High blood sugar and obesity are closely linked to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that cacao can reduce overweight, adipose tissue and triglyceride (fat) levels in the blood. Another area of research is cellular insulin sensitivity, which is particularly reduced in diabetes. Cacao can also help in this respect, as flavonoids in cacao have been shown to increase tissue insulin sensitivity. This may be useful in the treatment of diabetes to achieve optimal blood glucose levels.
Source. Latif R. Health benefits of cocoa. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2013 Nov;16(6):669-74. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0b013e328365a235. PMID: 24100674.
Helps fight allergies
An allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to a particular allergen. This is especially true for people with atopic skin. In a study, a cacoa diet was found to lead to a decrease in total immunoglobulin E, tumour necrosis factor and interleukin-10 (factors responsible for allergic reactions). This demonstrates that flavonoids in cacao may be of particular help in the treatment of allergic diseases.
Source. Montagna MT, Diella G, Triggiano F, Caponio GR, De Giglio O, Caggiano G, Di Ciaula A, Portincasa P. Chocolate, “Food of the Gods”: History, Science, and Human Health. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 6;16(24):4960. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244960. PMID: 31817669; PMCID: PMC6950163.
Positively effects the digestive system
The procyanidins and fibre in cacao stimulate the growth of good intestinal bacteria once they reach the large intestine. Long-term consumption of cacao products can alter the composition of gut bacteria and the gut's immune response. It has been observed that when the production of immunoglobulin A by lymphocytes in the gut decreases, the amount of potentially harmful bacteria such as Bacteroides, Clostridium or Staphylococcus decreases. The substances in cacao can also help fight inflammatory reactions, coeliac disease, allergic and autoimmune diseases by altering the immune response. The antioxidants found in cacao can also reduce oxidative stress reactions in the body.
Source. Soheila J. Maleki, Jesus F. Crespo, Beatriz Cabanillas. Anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids. Food Chemistry. Volume 299. 2019, 125124. ISSN 0308-8146. doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125124.