Cocoa

History:

The Cocoa (or Cacao) tree is a native of Central America's tropical rainforests and South America's Amazon basin, and it has been cultivated for two thousand years. The "Chocolate Tree" is a widely-branched evergreen that bears leathery, lance-shaped leaves and pink or creamy flowers that grow directly on the trunk or main branches and develop into woody, football-shaped fruits. Embedded within the pulp of each fruit are about fifty bitter seeds - the Cocoa beans. The tree is cultivated as a crop throughout the world in warm climates, thriving in fertile, moist, well-drained soil in shade and may reach forty feet in height. Cocoa prefers high humidity and shelter from the wind in a minimum of sixty-one degrees Fahrenheit. Long before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, Mesoamerican Indians created a drink from crushed Cocoa beans mixed with a variety of spices, and it was reserved as a special drink for ceremonial rites and Mayan rulers. The Aztecs created a "divine" drink called chocolatl, and the Emperor, Montezuma, is said to have sent Cocoa, along with gold and silver, as gifts for the explorer, Hernan Cortes, when he arrived in Mexico. Cocoa beans were not only a valuable commodity, but they were also used as currency among the Mayans, Incas and Aztecs. The Aztecs employed Cocoa in herbal preparations as a drink mixture to travel great distances without fatigue, for constipation, upset stomach and mild headaches due to slight fevers. The Mayans made a Cocoa paste for burns, skin eruptions and wounds without scarring, and this therapy is still employed by their descendants in the Guatemalan Highlands. The Spaniards carried Cocoa back to Europe, and when sweetened with sugar, vanilla, cinnamon or honey, it was drunk hot; and in Spain, Cocoa was a drink served only to royalty. Cocoa spread slowly across the royal courts of Europe, and by the seventeenth century, it became an expensive luxury reserved only for the upper classes. Cocoa's botanical name was given to us by the Swedish botanist and founder of our Latin binomial system of naming plants, Carl Linnaeus, who christened the chocolate plant Theobroma cacao, which is a literal translation from Greek, meaning "Cocoa - Food of the Gods." The Swiss contributed most to the refinement of the chocolate we know today, isolating the various elements of the Cocoa bean into Cocoa powder and Cocoa butter, also developing milk chocolate and a smoother texture. The beans (which contain more than fifty percent fat) are fermented, dried, roasted and ground as a paste (Cocoa mass), and Cocoa butter is extracted from this, leaving the powder. The yellowish Cocoa butter that is rendered is unlike most fats, as it is not greasy, has a pleasant odor and does not easily become rancid and is thus prized for use in soaps, cosmetics, toiletries and soothing ointments. The fat-free residue is Cocoa powder, and when sweetened, it is the warming, energizing drink and confection that we so revere. Cocoa is immensely valuable commercially as a flavoring for foods, liqueurs, a suppository base and a nutritional support; and aside from its use as a food, science has discovered that Cocoa is beneficial for health. It possesses nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in Green Tea. Some of the constituents in Cocoa include an alkaloid (theobromine), mannose, alpha- and beta-sitosterol, beta-carotene, citric acid, vitamin C, B-vitamins, vitamin E, potassium, mucilage, phosphorus, iron, tannins, vitexin, salicylate, valerianic acid, essential oil, flavonoids (particularly monomeric flavanol (-)epicatechin, and catechin, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin), caffeine, acetic acid, arginine, stearic acid, glycerin, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, luteolin, lysine, mannose, nicotinic acid, lecithin, nitrogen, oligomeric proanthocyanidins, p-coumaric acid, pectin, serotonin, phelylalanine and tryptophan.

Recommended Dosage:
Take two (2) capsules, two (2) to three (3) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Contraindications:
People who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome should not use Cocoa Herbal Supplement, and it may also cause allergies. Some research supports Cocoa's use in headache relief; however, although there is little evidence that Cocoa can cause headaches, some studies suggest that it may trigger certain headaches, specifically in migraine sufferers, so this must be taken into consideration.

Capsule Information:
Our Cocoa supplements are encapsulated in 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose, Certified Kosher, size "00" Capsules.(click here for size comparison) Each capsule contains approximately 800 mgs.

Special Note:
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Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Herbal Extracts Plus is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.