Chocolate
- Thread starter Gaby
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realitybugll
Jedi Council Member
over the last 3 days i ate 1 large dark chocolate bar. actually I had 2 halfs of two different bars. one 85% cocoa, the other 78%. I don't think my body tolerates chocolate well. if I have for instance more then a 2in by 1in rectangle of chocolate my stomach starts to feel bad. not hurting but gurgly and unpleasant. I do have bits of dark chocolate pretty frequently in these local health/food/oat bars that I buy, so my body is accustomed to chocolate. I don't get what the problem is :(. some people can eat it and they feel fine i guess? well I'm not one of those people.
riccadus
The Force is Strong With This One
Researching chocolate making today I came across some information that suggests that cocao/cacao may not be the super food it is claimed to be. I thought I'd share it as it came as news to me. Being a unabashed chocolate addict, I was not surprisingly shocked and saddened.
Firstly concerning so-called 'raw cacao'. Short story is - it's not really raw at all. All cacao beans are fermented first to provide the flavour we know as chocolate, and to neutralise the anti-nutrients present in the bean. So the 'raw cacao' we are buying at inflated prices just means 'unroasted'. Sounds like a great marketing tactic to cash in on the raw food movement. I wasn't aware of this and not sure how common this knowledge is, but I found it quite interesting.
This post provides a good summary of the 'raw' issue: _http://www.choctree.co.uk/about-chocolate/raw-chocolate-fact-or-fiction/
The article above also mentions that, given it comes mostly from third-world countries, the cacao beans are generally fermented in poor conditions. They are left to sit out in the sun for several days, and in the vicinity of animals, and so are prone to significant hygiene risk if no further processes are undertaken.
Further, contrary to the hype around 'raw cacao' there appear to be a lot of sources now claiming that even the fermented cacao may itself be toxic. One source of this is the mycotoxins present as a result of the fermentation process. Quoting from: _http://stirringchange.com/raw-cacao-hype-vs-science/
Unroasted cacao also apparently contains high levels of Theobromine (_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine).
From _www.fredericpatenaude.com/blog/?p=262:
Roasting the cacao kills the mycotoxins and reduces the theobromine level significantly. I think I'll definitely be sure to roast my cacao nibs well in future. In fact, given that my metabolism is in overdrive at the best of times, this research has almost convinced me to try and cut down my chocolate intake substantially.
Sorry for being a kill-joy on the thread!
Firstly concerning so-called 'raw cacao'. Short story is - it's not really raw at all. All cacao beans are fermented first to provide the flavour we know as chocolate, and to neutralise the anti-nutrients present in the bean. So the 'raw cacao' we are buying at inflated prices just means 'unroasted'. Sounds like a great marketing tactic to cash in on the raw food movement. I wasn't aware of this and not sure how common this knowledge is, but I found it quite interesting.
This post provides a good summary of the 'raw' issue: _http://www.choctree.co.uk/about-chocolate/raw-chocolate-fact-or-fiction/
The article above also mentions that, given it comes mostly from third-world countries, the cacao beans are generally fermented in poor conditions. They are left to sit out in the sun for several days, and in the vicinity of animals, and so are prone to significant hygiene risk if no further processes are undertaken.
Further, contrary to the hype around 'raw cacao' there appear to be a lot of sources now claiming that even the fermented cacao may itself be toxic. One source of this is the mycotoxins present as a result of the fermentation process. Quoting from: _http://stirringchange.com/raw-cacao-hype-vs-science/
Unroasted cacao also apparently contains high levels of Theobromine (_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine).
From _www.fredericpatenaude.com/blog/?p=262:
Roasting the cacao kills the mycotoxins and reduces the theobromine level significantly. I think I'll definitely be sure to roast my cacao nibs well in future. In fact, given that my metabolism is in overdrive at the best of times, this research has almost convinced me to try and cut down my chocolate intake substantially.
Sorry for being a kill-joy on the thread!
Gaby said:
I am still doing the low carb paleo diet, but dark chocolate is still one of my main weakness. I usually still eat 3oz of 85% dark chocolate a day but sometimes more!. It is organic, gluten free, and soy free. I just cant give it up, I am addicted to it but it also helps me stay away from evil foods. Some sources say that heavy metal contamination, namely lead and cadmium in the chocolate is a concern and others say not so much. Do you guys think there is a real probability of a person getting mild/moderate lead or cadmium poisoning from eating to much dark chocolate? lol
Foods like sweet potatoes and berries usually have almost the same amount of lead content as chocolate does I have read so I am thinking this is just blown out of proportion? I eat this bar if anybody wants to know:
http://www.vitacost.com/alter-eco-organic-dark-chocolate-blackout-85-cocoa
Skyalmian
Jedi Council Member
AD said:Gaby said:
I am still doing the low carb paleo diet, but dark chocolate is still one of my main weakness. I usually still eat 3oz of 85% dark chocolate a day but sometimes more!. It is organic, gluten free, and soy free. I just cant give it up, I am addicted to it but it also helps me stay away from evil foods. Some sources say that heavy metal contamination, namely lead and cadmium in the chocolate is a concern and others say not so much. Do you guys think there is a real probability of a person getting mild/moderate lead or cadmium poisoning from eating to much dark chocolate? lol
I eat this bar if anybody wants to know:
http://www.vitacost.com/alter-eco-organic-dark-chocolate-blackout-85-cocoa
(Disturbing. (I down a lot as a coping mechanism, e.g.
_https://www.google.com/search?q=dark+chocolate+stress ))
/just dug this thread up: DMSA for Heavy Metal Detox
Skyalmian said:
Skyalmian,
I think as long as you buy good quality dark chocolate and eat in moderation you should be OK but that's my problem lol. I tend to eat too much of it and what is a moderate level? I will try to cut down and will do a heavy metal detox later on down the road.
Had a couple of articles that I was going to post for information here but can not find them right now, if I find them I will post them.
Interesting, wasn't aware of this link to lead contamination..
I developed a sort of addiction to that same chocolate bar as well. I would buy it, thinking it's one of the healthier options as it is gluten and soy free as you mentioned, GMO free, and has a lot less sugar with a higher percentage of cocoa than many other dark chocolate bars. I also liked the butter chocolate bar by the same brand but that has, I think almost twice the amount of sugar.
I haven't had any of the chocolate since the past several weeks because of a tooth infection. It seemed like for awhile there I would constantly have a bar on me, and if I ran out I would be thinking of getting to the store soon to get another
Gaby said:
AD said:
I developed a sort of addiction to that same chocolate bar as well. I would buy it, thinking it's one of the healthier options as it is gluten and soy free as you mentioned, GMO free, and has a lot less sugar with a higher percentage of cocoa than many other dark chocolate bars. I also liked the butter chocolate bar by the same brand but that has, I think almost twice the amount of sugar.
I haven't had any of the chocolate since the past several weeks because of a tooth infection. It seemed like for awhile there I would constantly have a bar on me, and if I ran out I would be thinking of getting to the store soon to get another
Galaxia2002
Dagobah Resident
lainey said:
It is not the case, cocoa doesn't contain bromine. The confusion seems to come fron the plant's name "theobroma cacao" . Only it can contain traces of bromine if was fumigated with methylbromide. So it is better to eat the organic one.
http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,13371.msg617727.html#msg617727
I am a confessed Chocolate Monster. Just imagine Cookie Monster, but purple, and he eats chocolate instead of cookies.
I have found only one thing that reduces my desire for choco.
First, some background... Apparently, domesticated dogs have 2 Most Important Things in the World:
1. Eating
2. Lovies from their humans
In that order.
This makes sense, since if they don't eat, dogs die. As for Lovies, well, that should be kind of obvious. If it's not, get a dog, pet it every day while looking into its eyes, and if both you and the dog do not feel better, I'll eat both my shoes. It's a mutual antidepressant, boosts oxytocin levels, blah blah blah.
Let us now consider humans. I would say it works out about the same:
1. Eating
2. Lovies
3. Sex
Of course, the sex drive seems rather powerful, but ultimately we humans generally tend to use sex to bury or express emotional needs, so I would rate Lovies as higher than Sex. And of course, #1 is food.
Without food, we die. It's the basic biological need. Our brains are wired to reward us in all kinds of fabulous ways when we eat something. Food is more important than Lovies, but naturally emotions play a large role in food.
Recently, I dramatically reduced my chocolate consumption. Note I didn't say "eliminated". I'm taking things step by step because the entire concept of "quitting cold turkey" sounds great on paper, but is nearly impossible given how we're wired in most cases. Plus, a purely biological machine would not have nearly as much difficulty quitting some food as most of us do. But most of us are not purely biological machines... we also feel.
We also know that addiction is rooted in emotion, and emotions are also inextricably linked to our physical machines.
So, how did I reduce my chocolate consumption? Easy! I felt better.
How? Well, I started dealing more effectively with several long-standing emotional issues. After that, the change just sort of happened on its own. Well, it also didn't occur in a vacuum. After all, I've been doing various health stuff, including the iodine protocol now. So, it's a multi-pronged approach.
Being a multi-pronged approach, you can't neglect one or the other prong. If you solely/primarily try to deal with the emotional side, you'll have a hard time of it. If you solely/primarily try to deal with the physical side, you'll have a hard time of it. You must go Full Putin on yourself, keeping in mind that he doesn't seem to be the totalitarian monster that he is portrayed to be in the Western media.
IOW, do the Work! That means less shame, guilt, beating yourself over the head, etc. It also means less shaming of others, guilt-tripping others, and beating others over the head. There again, it's a multi-pronged approach.
And when you do eat chocolate, here's a fun thing to try: enjoy it. I know, right?! That's crazy!!!
If you find that difficult, ask yourself one simple question: "Will anyone die if I eat this chocolate?" The answer is probably NO. Well, there you have it. Note the self-drama inherent in that question, especially the satisfaction you derive from answering it and how you're kind of gently making fun of yourself.
Consider the insanity involved in eating something that gives you a "feel good high", while simultaneously bashing yourself over the head because you're a bad boy/girl, it's bad for you, you shouldn't need it, etc. That's like self-inflicted cognitive dissonance.
Who needs psychos when you drive yourself crazy over something as basic as what you munch??
This does not mean you should always just do whatever you feel like doing... That's waaaaay too much on the "emotion only" side, and it total neglects the whole concept of working on yourself.
Well, it's like fighting terrorism...
You can do it the Obama way, or you can do it the Putin way. But even Putin said they don't blame the Turkish people for the death of their soldiers - they blame certain people in the Turkish government. It's not black and white. And of course, there WILL be consequences!
So, ya know... Do it gently. Do it multi-prongedly. Do it Workily.
:D <--- note lack of chocolate smeared on face
I have found only one thing that reduces my desire for choco.
First, some background... Apparently, domesticated dogs have 2 Most Important Things in the World:
1. Eating
2. Lovies from their humans
In that order.
This makes sense, since if they don't eat, dogs die. As for Lovies, well, that should be kind of obvious. If it's not, get a dog, pet it every day while looking into its eyes, and if both you and the dog do not feel better, I'll eat both my shoes. It's a mutual antidepressant, boosts oxytocin levels, blah blah blah.
Let us now consider humans. I would say it works out about the same:
1. Eating
2. Lovies
3. Sex
Of course, the sex drive seems rather powerful, but ultimately we humans generally tend to use sex to bury or express emotional needs, so I would rate Lovies as higher than Sex. And of course, #1 is food.
Without food, we die. It's the basic biological need. Our brains are wired to reward us in all kinds of fabulous ways when we eat something. Food is more important than Lovies, but naturally emotions play a large role in food.
Recently, I dramatically reduced my chocolate consumption. Note I didn't say "eliminated". I'm taking things step by step because the entire concept of "quitting cold turkey" sounds great on paper, but is nearly impossible given how we're wired in most cases. Plus, a purely biological machine would not have nearly as much difficulty quitting some food as most of us do. But most of us are not purely biological machines... we also feel.
We also know that addiction is rooted in emotion, and emotions are also inextricably linked to our physical machines.
So, how did I reduce my chocolate consumption? Easy! I felt better.
How? Well, I started dealing more effectively with several long-standing emotional issues. After that, the change just sort of happened on its own. Well, it also didn't occur in a vacuum. After all, I've been doing various health stuff, including the iodine protocol now. So, it's a multi-pronged approach.
Being a multi-pronged approach, you can't neglect one or the other prong. If you solely/primarily try to deal with the emotional side, you'll have a hard time of it. If you solely/primarily try to deal with the physical side, you'll have a hard time of it. You must go Full Putin on yourself, keeping in mind that he doesn't seem to be the totalitarian monster that he is portrayed to be in the Western media.
IOW, do the Work! That means less shame, guilt, beating yourself over the head, etc. It also means less shaming of others, guilt-tripping others, and beating others over the head. There again, it's a multi-pronged approach.
And when you do eat chocolate, here's a fun thing to try: enjoy it. I know, right?! That's crazy!!!
If you find that difficult, ask yourself one simple question: "Will anyone die if I eat this chocolate?" The answer is probably NO. Well, there you have it. Note the self-drama inherent in that question, especially the satisfaction you derive from answering it and how you're kind of gently making fun of yourself.
Consider the insanity involved in eating something that gives you a "feel good high", while simultaneously bashing yourself over the head because you're a bad boy/girl, it's bad for you, you shouldn't need it, etc. That's like self-inflicted cognitive dissonance.
Who needs psychos when you drive yourself crazy over something as basic as what you munch??This does not mean you should always just do whatever you feel like doing... That's waaaaay too much on the "emotion only" side, and it total neglects the whole concept of working on yourself.
Well, it's like fighting terrorism...
You can do it the Obama way, or you can do it the Putin way. But even Putin said they don't blame the Turkish people for the death of their soldiers - they blame certain people in the Turkish government. It's not black and white. And of course, there WILL be consequences!
So, ya know... Do it gently. Do it multi-prongedly. Do it Workily.
:D <--- note lack of chocolate smeared on face
Scottie said:[...]
So, how did I reduce my chocolate consumption? Easy! I felt better.
How? Well, I started dealing more effectively with several long-standing emotional issues. After that, the change just sort of happened on its own. Well, it also didn't occur in a vacuum. After all, I've been doing various health stuff, including the iodine protocol now. So, it's a multi-pronged approach.
Being a multi-pronged approach, you can't neglect one or the other prong. If you solely/primarily try to deal with the emotional side, you'll have a hard time of it. If you solely/primarily try to deal with the physical side, you'll have a hard time of it. You must go Full Putin on yourself, keeping in mind that he doesn't seem to be the totalitarian monster that he is portrayed to be in the Western media.
IOW, do the Work! That means less shame, guilt, beating yourself over the head, etc. It also means less shaming of others, guilt-tripping others, and beating others over the head. There again, it's a multi-pronged approach.
And when you do eat chocolate, here's a fun thing to try: enjoy it. I know, right?! That's crazy!!!
Consider the insanity involved in eating something that gives you a "feel good high", while simultaneously bashing yourself over the head because you're a bad boy/girl, it's bad for you, you shouldn't need it, etc. That's like self-inflicted cognitive dissonance.
But even Putin said they don't blame the Turkish people for the death of their soldiers - they blame certain people in the Turkish government. It's not black and white. And of course, there WILL be consequences!
Scottie said:
Thanks Scottie for the Work-out lite on Chocolate. Even if it is early days, I have noticed after being on the iodine protocol for 5 days that I have less chocolate cravings.
And so true, what you write about the insanity of beating ourselves up just for eating. Self-inflicted cognitive dissonance sounds about right. Multi-pronged approach is the way.
PS: Perhaps in the next update to the forum, we will have some chocolate emoticons
