GIVE ME CHOCOLATE OR GIVE ME DEATH!
Part 2 of a 2-Part Series
by Bera Dordoni, N.D.
“Hey, Doc Feelgood, have you got a minute?”
“Sure, Tom. What’s on your mind?”
“I read an article in the Gallup Journey last month that says chocolate is good for me. Then I went to a wild chocolate party. Everyone brought their favorite chocolate bar to see whose was the most beneficial. I mean, hey, I love ‘em all: Snickers, Reese’s, Hershey’s. Of course I get headaches and zits when I eat ‘em, but I love ‘em. Anyway, I was blown away when we compared all the chocolates. Turns out my bar tested really poorly compared to a raw dark chocolate bar.”
“Well, in all honesty, I prefer milk chocolate, but I know it’s not good for me, so I stick with raw dark chocolates. Have you tried Righteously Raw Maca Bars? They’re delicious. In fact, I find them awesome.”
“If you like raw chocolate. Or dark chocolate. I like Snickers. But you’ve always done right by me, so why eat raw chocolate instead of cooked? I mean, I know the raw bar tested best, but why?”
“Live enzymes, Tom. They’re the life, the digestive force of your foods. Anything raw has more enzymes intact than anything cooked, because enzymes die off when they’re heated. That’s why raw chocolate has a much higher level of antioxidants than cooked chocolate, especially if it’s organic.”
“Antioxidants, that’s right, they clean up free radicals and all that stuff.”
“And all that stuff, yes.”
“Well, I’ve always loved chocolate, but I never thought about it as medicine. The lady who wrote the article and threw the party says it has real medicinal value. I’ve beaten cancer, but I still fight heart disease and have to take off some more weight.”
“You’re getting there.”
“Yeah. Always the encouragement. But the lady said the chocolate would help with inflammation, and isn’t that something I need deal with? Should I eat maybe four, five chocolate bars a day? Are you laughing at me, Doc?”
“I’m not really laughing at you, Tom, but come on! We’ve talked about moderation so many times, don’t you think that includes chocolate, even if it’s raw dark chocolate?”
“Yeah, but–”
“Yeah, but my sainted aunt Emily. Even with all its benefits, raw dark chocolate still has cocoa butter which is not low in fat.”
“No, no! It’s…what did she say?…at least a third is stearic acid. That’s good fat, right? ‘Cause it comes from plants.”
“True, stearic acid won’t raise your cholesterol, but let’s be real: too much of anything, good or not, will put back those pounds you worked so hard to evict with your good eating habits and exercise. Moderation is always the key, remember? Even too much spinach can constipate you with its high iron content.”
“Right. Oh, after the party I bought some raw Artisana Cacao Bliss at the health-food store. Tasted so good, I could’ve eaten the entire jar of it in one sitting.”
“Tell me you didn’t.”
“No, I didn’t. But you know what? I felt really good afterwards; had a lotta energy and it stayed steady for hours! No crash. And it helped my concentration, too. Or am I just fooling myself?”
“No, I’m sure it did. That’s one of the benefits of raw dark chocolate. In moderation.”
“Yeah, yeah. I usually get a headache after I eat a Snickers, but I didn’t with the Cacao Bliss.”
“We’ve talked about this before. The headache comes from the sugar. Sugar is the underlying cause of so many illnesses: inflammation, heart disease, cancer, foggy brain–”
“Yeah, I know. So, if I eat this raw dark chocolate, will it help tame my swollen joints and stuff?”
“Chocolate is not a cure-all, Tom.”
“I know, but–”
“But what? The stress you live under caused a lot of inflammation, which is the body’s way of fighting back against stress or overeating or eating wrong. So you stopped smoking, started exercising, a major step in the right direction, and are eating better… You are eating better these days, right, Tom?”
“Absolutely, Doc. But here’s the thing. At the party this guy told us he used to take an aspirin a day to avoid having a stroke. Now he eats dark chocolate instead, because its antioxidants protect the heart and cardiovascular system from damage just like the aspirin, but it’s better because it naturally improves arterial health and lowers blood pressure without maybe causing ulcers like aspirin can. He said chocolate’s flavonoids trigger some kinda reaction that increases blood flow by dilating and relaxing blood vessels, which helps lower blood pressure. So, is he right?”
“In a word, yes. Did he mention that milk kills off almost all of chocolate’s antioxidant benefits? And that chocolate’s polyphenols bond to the milk’s protein, neutralizing the antioxidant boost?”
“Polyphenols…?”
“Food chemicals that help prevent free-radical damage or oxidation.”
“Right. I knew that. That’s what he said. No milk products for at least an hour before and after the dark chocolate.”
“Exactly.”
“So, no hot chocolate with whole milk and marshmallows on top.”
“Gives you a great sugar rush, but that’s all it’s good for.”
“I know. Ya know, this lady—she’s a holistic doctor—she had some little girl come in with her parents. Seems she’d been vomiting for like nine days or something. Came straight from the hospital after they said they couldn’t help her. So this doc—this other doc, not you, Doc—she does a short reflexology treatment on the kid and then gives her a small piece of Synergy Spice, a raw dark chocolate with cayenne. All of a sudden, the kid isn’t doubled over with pain, she’s smiling, and she says she feels much better.
“So I bought some of that Synergy Spice and had a piece last week when I felt bloated and just like that, the bloat’s gone! Whaddaya think of that?”
“Well, it was raw chocolate, so it was filled with antioxidants. And it had cayenne, which you know is a great digestive aid. Works fast, doesn’t it?”
“It really did. So, whaddaya think: can my cousin who’s diabetic eat this raw chocolate?”
“As long as it’s raw and organic, a small amount can be beneficial. A small amount. It’s still all about moderation, Tom. And let me remind you, always always (did I say always?) read the labels. Someone recently brought me a beautiful-looking dark chocolate bar, and I strength tested it to make sure my body would like it, and it tested very poorly. The label started out: ‘cocoa liquor, sugar’… and I didn’t need to read any further to know I couldn’t eat it without getting a headache.”
“’Nuf said. You know the raw-foodist guy David Wolfe says, ‘The cacao bean has always been and will always be Nature’s #1 weight-loss and high-energy food. Cacao beans are probably the best kept secret in the entire history of food.’”
“That’s right. Raw chocolate is one of the most antioxidant-rich substances on the planet. It’s being studied all over the world. It has abundant minerals like iron and magnesium. Some researchers call it a Superfood. So long as it’s raw and dark. No milk chocolate. And in moderation.”
“Right, right. But it’s good for the brain, too, right, Doc?”
“Any oxygenating food helps oxygen reach the brain, so, yes, it’s good for your brain, memory, concentration and mood enhancement.”
“Let’s back up to the importance of label reading, Tom. If your cousin wants dark chocolate, make sure it’s raw, and has absolutely no sugar or fake sugar substitutes. And since you don’t want cancer to come back again, remember, sugar is a prime fuel for cancer, so if you choose to eat chocolate, these same rules apply to you.”
“Got it. Read labels. Eat raw chocolate without sugar. But if the chocolate is sweetened with small amounts of raw agave or raw coconut nectar, is that ok?”
“Raw, organic. One of the last ingredients listed on the label, yeah.”
“Ok. I get it. Chocolate, in order to be medicinal, must have the right ingredients, and that doesn’t include sugar.”
“Or… let me see the label on your favorite milk chocolate bar…oh my, Tom… it also means no milk, or corn syrup, artificial flavors, partially hydrogenated oil, enriched wheat flour – (which means it is filled with GMOs – another entirely different discussion), modified food starch, and the list goes on. It reads like a disease waiting to be consumed.”
“Nauseating image, thank you.”
“Just being real, Tom. Foodstuffs are not real foods. So, your new favorites?”
“Artisana’s Cacao Bliss–”
“In moderation.”
“Right. And all the Righteously Raw chocolates.”
“These raw chocolates are much more expensive than your average candy bar, but the reasons are clear – think ‘medicine’ – not ‘candy.’”
“Got it. Hey, Doc, the next chocolate party is gonna be held starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, September 14th, in front of La Montañita Co-op at 105 E. Coal Ave. in Gallup, the night of the Arts Crawl. They’re serving some special teas, and everyone has to bring their favorite chocolate bar so they can do comparison testing.”
“Seeya there!”
________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Bera “The Wellness Whisperer” Dordoni, N.D.
Specializing in immune system rehabilitation, restoration, and maintenance through nutritional counseling, life-style coaching, and the laws of attraction. To purchase I Have a Choice?!, schedule a private consultation, or learn more about her next workshop, wellness retreat, or natural-health class, visit www.bastis.org or call 505-783-9001.