It’s no secret that eating healthy is important, but what exactly does that mean? 

For some people, eating healthy means only consuming organic foods. For others, eating healthy means eliminating certain foods from your diet. 

At Sunwink, we believe that eating healthy means incorporating foods into your meals that will benefit your body and provide you with the fuel you need to function optimally. However, knowing what these foods are can be challenging — that’s why we’ve created our products so that you can be confident you’re eating the right foods.

Here at Sunwink, we offer a variety of Sparkling Superfood Tonics and Superfood Powders to help you jumpstart your wellness — and your day!

One of our favorite superfoods is cacao — not to be mistaken with cocoa powder. We truly believe in the benefits of this superfood and have felt the effects on our own wellness journeys. Let’s talk more about what cacao is, its many benefits, and ways you can incorporate it into your daily food routine.

What Is Cacao?

People have been eating cacao for thousands of years. Cacao trees typically grow in warm climates, where they thrive and produce many different things. The raw cacao beans from these trees can be used to make chocolate and cacao powder.

There are a few different ways that you can prepare cacao. How the cacao is prepared can impact its health benefits, as well as its taste and texture. Learning about the health ramifications of cacao is important so that you can take advantage of the benefits.

Cacao is a superfood with various benefits, and it interacts with the body in multiple positive ways. There are so many reasons to incorporate superfoods into your diet, especially regarding the nervous system. Cacao is packed with flavanols, polyphenols, the amino acid tryptophan, and essential minerals like calcium and potassium, making it highly beneficial for wellness.

What Are the Benefits of Cacao?

Finding foods that are good for your body can be frustrating. It can be challenging to know what to put into your diet, so learning about foods that will benefit you is essential.

If you’re looking for food you can feel good about eating, you should consider cacao. Here are some reasons why you should add this food to your diet:

1. Magnesium Content

Magnesium is essential to a healthy, balanced diet and can help you maintain proper blood flow, blood pressure, and even cognitive function.

If you exercise and regularly get muscle cramps, you might consider increasing your magnesium intake. This is a great way to reduce muscle cramps and ensure you’re fueling your body with the nutrients it needs.

If you’ve been wanting to find a healthy source of magnesium, cacao can be a delicious (and nutritious) choice. 

2. Blood Sugar Support 

One of the benefits of cacao is that it may support healthy levels of insulin sensitivity. Some studies found that the flavonoids present in cacao can help the body maintain proper blood sugar levels and may support weight loss efforts and overall well-being.

Don’t get us wrong — you should absolutely still consult your doctor if you have concerns about managing your blood sugar. However, incorporating cacao into your diet just might help you maintain your overall wellness and blood sugar levels.

3. Taking Care of Your Heart

At this point, you’re probably not surprised that cacao is great for heart health.

Cacao can help support a healthy heart by working to help maintain vascular ability and endothelial function, meaning that your blood vessels can function as they should. Taking care of your heart begins on a cellular level, and cacao may play a significant role in that.

4. Tension Relief

Cacao might be a natural remedy if you regularly experience stress and tension. Cacao is rich in vitamins and minerals, like magnesium, that may work to reduce feelings of tension in the body.

We all deal with tension sometimes, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to find ways to cope with it. Eating cacao is a great way to keep your stress in check, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also explore other options. Things such as yoga and meditation are great ways to keep your tension levels under control.

5. Overall Wellness Support 

Cacao contains plenty of antioxidants, which help support the health of the cells throughout your body. When your cells are healthy, it is easier for you to stay healthy.

Raw cacao powder is thought to be especially beneficial and may work to support a healthy immune system. Overall, cacao is rich in essential vitamins and minerals, which means it might help you bridge some gaps in your wellness. 

How Can I Incorporate Cacao into My Diet?

We’ve gone over five reasons why cacao is beneficial to the body, so now let’s talk about some ways to add cacao to your meals and snacks.

While cacao can be extremely healthy, it can be hard to figure out the best ways to add it to your diet. Here are just a few ways to incorporate the power of this superfood into your daily diet.

Superfood Powders

Investing in a quality superfood powder is a great way to add cacao to your diet.

Superfood powders can be added to your morning smoothie or coffee, making a great addition to your daily routine. Finding a powder you enjoy is important so that you’ll look forward to enjoying your drink.

Powders are an accessible way to enjoy superfoods and take advantage of their nutrients.

Our Cacao Clarity Superfood Powder is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re getting the health benefits cacao can bring. With lion’s mane, maca, reishi, and cacao, our superfood powder has a rich chocolate flavor — and plenty of wellness benefits. 

From an afternoon pick-me-up to a coffee-free morning beverage to a little extra pep in your step, our powder does it all. If you’re looking for a cacao powder that you can rely on, we have you covered.

Chocolate

Who doesn’t love a chocolate bar?!

Some chocolate is high in cacao, especially if it is made with a raw cacao product instead of cocoa beans. Consider trying dark chocolate if you’re looking for chocolate with a high cacao content, as this type of chocolate is thought to have the highest amount of cacao as compared to other forms.

Fresh Pods

It’s completely possible to cook with fresh cacao pods. While it can be challenging to find these pods in a supermarket, they are a great option if you do come across them. Making cacao jam is a great way to take advantage of this delicious food.

Cacao Nibs

You can add cacao nibs to most breakfast foods for a little extra flavor and nutrition. Some people sprinkle cacao nibs on top of their cereal, oats, or smoothies. This is a great way to make sure that you’re getting nutrients without any extra effort needed to prepare a whole other dish.

Curious About Cacao?

At Sunwink, we love incorporating healthy foods into our products. If you want to increase your superfood intake, look no further than our products. We’re proud to provide our community with healthy options so they can feel confident in their wellness choices.

Sources:

Chocolate's Natural Roots: The Cacao Tree | Field Museum

Cocoa and Cardiovascular Health | Circulation | AHA Journals

Mineral essential elements for nutrition in different chocolate products | PubMed

The Health Effects of Chocolate and Cocoa: A Systematic Review | PMC

Effects of chocolate intake on Perceived Stress; a Controlled Clinical Study | PMC