The Health Benefits of Cacao Fruit (Theobroma cacao)
The Health Benefits of Cacao Fruit (Theobroma cacao)
Health Benefits of Raw Cacao | Heart Health with Medicinal
Health Benefits of Cacao - Dr William Li
10 Amazing Health Benefits of Cacao Nibs - Live Love Fruit
Cacao: Health Benefits, Nutrients per Serving, Preparation
Cacao: 5 Little Known Benefits of this Amazonian Superfood
11 Health and Nutrition Benefits of Cocoa Powder
10 Health Benefits of Consuming Raw Cacao! - One Green Planet
The Health Benefits of Cacao - Rachael's Good Eats
The Health Benefits of Cacao - Nature's Path
cacao fruit health benefits
cacao fruit health benefits - win
The 20 Best Vegan Chocolate Bars Of 2020
https://preview.redd.it/jbgkhcv2gz161.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f09391ab9692cc0987770f081adcdea1f6a1eae As far as I'm concerned, chocolate is a daily essential. It's perfect as a snack, for dessert, or as an easy mix-in for overnight oats. And, luckily, thanks to all the vegan-friendly chocolate brands popping up lately, finding a bar sans dairy (or other animal-based ingredients, like whey) is easier than ever. Your standard vegan chocolate bar is made from simple ingredients like cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, and vanilla, says nutritionist Marisa Moore, RDN. While omitting animal-based ingredients isn't necessarily better for you, it makes conquering cravings possible for those with dairy allergies (or lactose intolerance) or who avoid animal products. Plus, many of these bars ~do~ get a slight nutritional boost from fun toppings and fillings like nuts, coconut, fruit, and spices like chili pepper or cinnamon. If you really want your bar to be a health superhero in addition to a delicious treat, look for the highest available cocoa percentage, Moore says. (You'll find it called out on the front of most bars. Yep, that's what that 72% number means. ) While anything greater than 70% cocoa is high enough in the good stuff to be considered dark chocolate, know that the higher that percentage is, the more bitter your chocolate bar will be, explains Moore. So, just how high you go really depends on your taste buds. "Though it depends a lot on how the cocoa is processed, generally speaking, the higher cacao percentage, the higher the flavonoid [antioxidant] content," she says. "And those flavonoids might benefit your heart. " (Research suggests they do so by promoting nitric oxide production, which supports healthy blood pressure and circulation. ) Whether you're looking to add some more antioxidants to your day or just craving something sweet, these highly-rated vegan chocolate bars are sure to satisfy. 1) For a satisfying crunch and heart-healthy fats, look no further than Hu's most popular chocolate bar on Amazon, which features dry-roasted almonds and crisp pops of organic puffed quinoa for serious Nestle Crunch energy. Per serving: 170 calories, 13 g fat (6 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 8 g sugar, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein 2) This brand prides themselves on their allergen-free goodies, from truffles to fruit gems. Their vegan chocolate bars (which are made with cane sugar and cocoa butter) are so creamy you'll never miss the dairy. Per serving: 210 calories, 14 g fat (9 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 24 g carbs, 20 g sugar, 0 g fiber, 2 g protein 3) Genmaicha green tea is steeped in cocoa butter and then fused with single-origin 66% Dominican cacao and crispy quinoa. It's the antioxidant-rich snack you never knew you needed. Per serving: 133 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 10 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein 4) EVOLVED's paleo and vegan chocolates are made with ethically-sourced cacao and are USDA organic, so you know you're getting the good stuff. Per serving: 150 calories, 11 g fat (5 g saturated), 10 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 8 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein 5) There's no combination quite like chocolate, almonds, and sea salt. The best part? There's under a gram of sugar in this bar, making it ideal for keto dieters and vegans alike. Per serving: 150 calories, 13 g fat (7 g saturated), 30 mg sodium, 5 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein 6) Blue Stripes is all about honoring cacao's many health benefits, and their boldy-flavored vegan dark chocolate bar let's you know exactly what you'll be getting in every bite: antioxidants, magnesium, and other helpful compounds purported to support energy. Per serving: 90 calories, 6 g fat ( g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 7 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 1 g protein 7) Sweetened with coconut palm sugar and made with 55% cacao, this bar is light and sweet; perfect for all you Hershey lovers out there. Per serving: 180 calories, 13 g fat (9 g saturated), 20 mg sodium, 14 g carbs, 10 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein 8) Free from pretty much every major allergen in the game, like soy, wheat, and dairy, Enjoy Life's chocolate bars are a yummy way to get your cocoa fix, vegan-style. Per serving: 160 calories, 12 g fat (7 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 17 g carbs, 13 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein 9) If it's from Trader Joe's, you know it's going to be mind-blowingly tasty-and these bars are no exception. Oh, and they also happen to be the highest in fiber on the list. Per serving: 290 calories, 18 g fat (12 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 29 g carbs, 21 g sugar, 4 g fiber, 3 g protein 10) This bar is organic, fair trade, and vegan (unlike many of the brand's other offerings). The addition of candied ginger provides a nice spicy zing. Per serving: 160 calories, 10 g fat (5 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 16 g carbs, 10 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein11 of 20The blend of nutty, salty, and sweet flavors makes this 55% cocoa vegan chocolate bar a total winner if you're craving something a little extra in the flavor department. Per serving: 160 calories, 12 g fat (5 g saturated), 40 mg sodium, 15 g carbs, 11 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein 12) This pick's a bit of a wildcard, but I couldn't not spotlight the fact that, yes, Justin's PB cups ARE, in fact, vegan. I mean, who doesn't like their chocolate with a side of creamy, peanuty goodness? Per serving: 220 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated), 120 mg sodium, 20 g carbs, 16 g sugar, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein 13) Made with rich, creamy organic hazelnut paste and ~whole~ hazelnuts, this vegan, organic, fair trade-certified dark chocolate bar is bound to satisfy your Nutella cravings. Per serving: 190 calories, 13 g fat ( g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 15 g carbs, 13 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein 14) With just three grams of sugar and made of 90% cocoa, this is one of the darkest vegan chocolate bars you can dig your chompers into. It's intense and deliciously decadent. Per serving: 200 calories, 18 g fat (11 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 8 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein 15) A bit of blood orange oil in this stevia-sweetened chocolate bar provides a bright surprise that complements the rich 70% cocoa flavor. Per serving: 180 calories, 16 g fat (10 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 8 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein 16) Boasting 88% cocoa and a subtle fruity and spicy flavor, this brand donates net profits to wildlife conservation efforts, including organizations like The National Forest Foundation. Per serving: 180 calories, 13 g fat (8 g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 11 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 4 g fiber, 3 g protein 17) This one's got it all: It's made with 78% cocoa, super low-cal, sweetened with keto-friendly stevia and erythritol, and tastes like a dream. Per serving: 35 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 1 mg sodium, 5 g carbs, 18 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 1 g protein 18) If you're looking to gift a loved one (or yourself!) a box of vegan chocolates, this one is made with fancy-sounding ingredients like fair trade, organic raw madhava agave nectar, Dutch cocoa butter, and Belgian cocoa solids. Per serving: 97 calories, 7 g fat (5 g saturated), 1 mg sodium, 8 g carbs, 8 g sugar, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein 19) Taza's cacao is stone-ground and minimally processed. Don't worry, though, it's just sweet enough to taste like a treat. Per serving: 210 calories, 14 g fat (10 g saturated), o mg sodium, 14 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 8 g fiber, 5 g protein 20) If you like your chocolate with a side of coconut, one of these vegan bars from UNREAL contains 86 percent less sugar than a Mounds bar. They're made with just dark chocolate, organic coconut and organic cassava syrup. Per serving: 70 calories, 5 g fat ( g saturated), 0 mg sodium, 8 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein
I thought it would be fun to look up an ingredient, and using publicly sourced, company-released, and freely available information, break down the ingredients in it and give it a closer look. A lot of these ingredients could be spotlights of their own, so I kept the information about them brief, and pertinent to our main ingredient. I've done some light research about this and included my sources. If any of this is not correct or off-the-mark, please let me know and I'll edit this post to reflect that. Also, feel free to share any additional information you may have! I'd be happy to add that as well. Edit: Thank you to the users of this subreddit for their feedback and recipe corrections for this post! Name: Frappuccino Chips Frap chips are designed to be quickly broken down in cold beverages without jamming the blender -- or jamming straws with large chunks of unblended product. Additionally, the smaller particles of confectionery melt more quickly on the tongue, producing a rich chocolate flavor. Frap chips contain cookie crumbs for texture and flavor, which means any item these appear in will not be gluten conscious. Products at Starbucks won't be gluten free, as they are prepared using shared equipment. Used in: Java Chip, Double Chocolaty Chip, Mocha Cookie Crumble (and their creme-based variants). Manufactured by: Brown and Haley in Washington, USA. Yup, the same company that makes Almond Roca. Ingredients: Confectionery Coating (Sugar, Palm Kernel And Palm Oils, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla, Milk) Cookie Crumbs (Unbleached Unenriched Wheat Flour, Sugar, Palm And Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Chocolate Mass, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor), Chocolate Mass, Salt. Palm oil: Semi-solid at room temperature. However, its melting point is 95°F Palm kernel oil is different as it is extracted from the seed of the palm fruit; it has different health benefits (high in Vitamin A, but 48.2% saturated fat). Frap chips contain both oils. It is an inexpensive fat used to replace the cocoa butter, classifying frap chips as a "confectionery coating," which is not considered true chocolate by definition. Sugar: Sugar usually comes from two primary sources -- cane and sugar beet. Sugar beet is less expensive to grow, harvest, and produce, so with some healthy professional conjecture, I would say these contain sugar from sugar beets. The FDA does not require a source for pure sugar, only that it meets basic guidelines for composition and wholesomeness. Cocoa: The seeds from the cacao plant are dried and processed with alkali -- a base solution that causes the color to darken and flavor to deepen. This is an important thing to note since some recipes depend on the acidity of chocolate for other ingredients (like baking soda) to react ("dutched" cocoa). In this case we're just after the deeper flavor and color profile for these confectionery chips. Soy lecithin: this is an emulsifier that allows the sugar, milk, and cocoa solids to "stick" to the fat molecules of the palm oil. Without this, the ingredients would separate and we would get pretty funky chips. Vanilla: This was the surprising ingredient -- real vanilla! Vanilla is expensive because it takes four years for vanilla orchid pods to grow and be processed into our wrinkly brown pod friends with their rich, familiar flavor. However, there probably is not much vanilla flavoring present here -- it's meant to play against the background of the chocolate-forward flavors, kind of like the reason we put vanilla syrup in hot chocolate. Milk: Water and fat are both removed from the cows' milk, leaving behind milk solids -- a tasty mix of lactose sugars, casein, whey protein, and minerals. Moo! Sources and further reading: Frap chip ingredients from official site Brown and Haley Cocoa powder Sugar Palm Oil Soy lecithin Milk solids Vanilla
Chronic Inflammation – it’s not just something you treat with Bengay or Advil. This relatively less understood type of inflammation is increasingly being linked to a massive number of health conditions, including diabetes, fatty liver disease, and even cancer. Multiple Sclerosis, our own disease, has also been linked to chronic inflammation and there are some interesting treatments that are being pioneered as a result. This chronic inflammation is the condition we’d like to tamp down. Scientists believe these low levels of inflammation can be triggered by something your body perceives to be a threat – when in many cases there isn’t a disease to fight. The theory is this perceived threat tells the immune system to respond and the white blood cells, immune cells, and cytokines are produced, only to wander around the body like me without a GPS. These rogue good guys, we think, may eventually start attacking internal organs or other healthy tissues and cells, causing all sorts of madness.
How is inflammation caused?
I’m sure this won’t surprise you – but chronic inflammation looks to be caused by many of the foods we eat and our activities (or lack thereof). In no particular order:
An imbalance of Omega3 to Omega 6 fatty acids which, as you can guess in the Standard American Diet, is all too prevalent (basically we eat too much Omega 6 – think corn and other vegetable oils we eat – and too little Omega-3 (salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, etc).
Well, this sounds bad. What can I do about inflammation?
It’s not overly complex, it’s affordable, and it isn’t a bummer for your life. Surprise: the solution lies in your gut. An imbalance between the good and bad bacteria in the gut can cause chronic inflammation that throws your entire body out of whack. I don’t preach about crazy diets here. But following the only ‘diet’ that has been proven to have life-extension properties is pretty much the answer. Which one? The Mediterranean diet. That means…
Generally avoid lots of red meat, dairy, ultra-processed foods (if there’s an ingredient you wouldn’t use in your kitchen, you probably should think twice about eating it).
Watch your sugar and refined carbs – no Wonder Bread or plain white rice for you.
Avoid the non-nutritive oils (corn, sunflower) as they are Omega-6 bombs – and we don’t need more of that.
It also means you SHOULD be eating lots of:
Vegetables: Anything cruciferous, dark and/or leafy: broccoli, arugula, kale, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, dark mixed greens.
Chocolate: Dark chocolate – yes, seriously. Look for 70%+ cacao content – and the higher the better. And of course, don’t eat the whole bar.
Fatty fish: Salmon is my go too. If you can stomach them, sardines and anchovies are an amazing source of good Omega-3.
Nuts: Almonds and pistachios (sorry, peanuts don’t help!)
Fruit: Mostly focus on dark berries, like blueberries and cherries
Healthy fats: Avocados, olives, olive oil and Avocado oil
Certain spices: Turmeric and cinnamon, although the jury is out on their actual efficacy.
Tea: Green tea, although I stay away from caffeine, so a beautiful turmeric herbal tea from vendors like Numi are great.
Red wine: Target 5 ounces of red wine per day for females and 10 ounces per day for males.
And of course, exercise. Again, even a few times a week for 30 minutes will give massive benefits for heart health and reducing overall inflammation. You can do this – it’s less challenging than you think. Watch out for brightly colored packages in the middle of the grocery store- that is the danger zone. Focus on more whole, fresh foods that have been minimally processed and drink lots of water (of course!).
Workout/ Low GI Diet/ Whole Foods/ Supplement Routine: The Best Advice You'll Never Follow
I would like to start out by emphasizing that this is not a sponsored post and you don't have to worry about me writing this whole thing up to lure you into clicking some affiliate link. That being said, if you do wish to purchase supplements PLEASE do so carefully. When you buy from an average priced retail store you more often than not are being ripped off ingredient-wise. Even at Whole Foods. Labdoor is great (they test out brands with no bias and you can buy the best rated ones) but they don't have everything, so just please do your research. Also, the ones people post on here are often mixes that shouldn't be taken together and have small amounts of the advertised ingredients as well as poor overall quality. I have been dealing with PCOS, bloating, chronic fatigue, headaches, mental health issues (in part due to the others, in part due to an anxiety "natural" to me) horrible acne (varies in kind but if cystic if I don't take my birth control), etc. I will mention that I have always been very, very thin (5' 7" and 103lbs) despite how much I eat so I can't speak to the weight loss portion of this, though every report from others (and common logic) would point to this helping in that area as well. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I will share the most effective eating for skin health, hormones and mental health along with some supplements that help me with brain fog and fatigue. I don't want to write my entire backstory and process here because it was a boring 8 year thing but I have spent a long time researching this with medical journals and Western materials as well as Eastern materials. The first step to feeling better, looking better and generally doing better is food. Because of my weight being low, it was incredibly difficult for me to convince myself I needed to change anything. I don't care what body type you have, if you don't *feel* healthy and well, you'll know if you don't, a Whole Foods & low GI diet is for you. 1) Low Gi/ Whole Food/ your personal dietary restrictions Diet You must start this diet very strictly and only after a month or two of seeing benefits allow yourself "cheat days" or a loosening of it. Low GI is usually for diabetic people and the GI portion is referring to the insulin spikes food creates when consumed. This means you must have not only a low-sugar but a low-carb diet (carbs become glucose in your body). I will not outline the entire thing here but the important thing is (to start) NEVER eat anything with added sugar and limit your natural sugars AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Even bananas should be avoided to start (fully ripe bananas at least). You should google GI levels of different foods to get a better idea of what can be eaten but just think whole foods good processed bad. This stuff is mostly very obvious but the carb GI thing and natural fruits having the ability to be harmful too was not something I understood before. ( No bread and pasta for awhile guys ): ) This diet sent me for a LOOP and I was eating so much more than usual but felt this insane craving for sugar I never thought I would have. Literally felt as difficult to not eat something sugary or carbs, even if it was fruit, as it did to quit nicotine. I didn't realize how addicted I was to carbs and sugar and if someone had told me this I would have thought it was an obnoxious overstatement, but it was so.. goddamn difficult for me. I've always loved healthier foods but I would eat a lot of breads and pasta, too. Whole-grain breads only, and I liked some of the "health" pasta types but it doesn't even matter for the most part. (Except for Ezekiel bread which you can have a slice of daily, or use 2 slices for a sandwich a couple of times a week if you must). After only a few days I felt so much more clearheaded and energetic intellectually/ mentally, and the cravings started to go away. It was still hard for a few weeks. My bloating, skin, etc. were all doing great. It took a couple of months to see final results. It has completely changed my functioning mentally, physical energy wise, and I look 'brighter', my skin stays almost completely clear (not perfect but I went through at least two horrible cystic breakouts a month prior to this diet). I have also cut out dairy from my diet as much as possible and always choose alt-milks when possible, Earthbalance or avocado oil instead of real butters, and I eat as much fish as possible while limiting other meats. I don't have anything against other meats but I just don't like to eat a lot of beef, chicken or pork naturally. Sometimes I REALLY crave a burger or some bacon and I will eat it if I want it but.. idk.. I've always been like this. I take an iron supplement even to avoid anemia. Salmon is key ofc. It is extremely hard to get into the habit of this and then maintain, so what I do is eat like this at home but allow myself to enjoy pasta when I go out, etc. (not too often) but absolutely weekly at least. I also will enjoy cheese when it is at a restaurant or if I was at somebody's house and they cooked. I am not going to restrict it for myself and have it be this awkward, limiting lifestyle thing. I also LOVE cheese. I realized how unsatisfying my at home barilla style ordeal was anyways and a fancy cheese plate every once in awhile is so much more satisfying. Just try it. Seriously. If you find that you are going crazy a day or two in, even eating lots of calories, you are super addicted to sugar and probably experiencing negative the negative effects of that. Making paleo balls with almost 100% cacao and sugar free coconut, etc. helped me get through sugar cravings. Your taste buds are going to transform pretty quickly and you will find that the most insanely bitter chocolate starts to taste sweet. Vegetables will taste sweeter. Some fruits will make you reel they are so sweet. It is actually really cool how much more flavor I sense in food. If you have dietary restrictions you can absolutely work those in. Low-GI lends itself to no-gluten but vegan, paleo, vegetarian, etc. is possible for sure. You will need to do some food prep for snacks or have the money to buy low-gi snacks (more expensive unfortunately as this category is uncommon even at health food stores). Eat as much green as you possibly can. Dark leafy greens are your friends. 2) My Workout Routine/ Barely Trying Non-Routine Again, I am not able to tell you about weight loss and how to achieve it, but I can say that the placement of the (little) body fat I had has shifted with the diet (which helped my hormones) and this half assed routine has helped me build up some muscle so my stomach looks really nice. If you have the motivation to start out working out hard and giving it your all, please do, I was battling fatigue, depression, etc. I literally felt like I had to sleep 12-14 hours if I worked out and couldn't maintain a job, school or anything let alone a serious workout. Focus on core exercises to start and do any variation of the trojan ab routine but for only as long as you can stand. Do it every day just on a carpet or wherever and try to keep form but don't go crazy about getting things perfect (unless you are someone who could injure yourself easily - in which case use a trainer PLEASE even a cheap online Skype call one). Add in squats (only as many as you feel you can make yourself do every day) and then calf-raises with whatever heavyish thing you have lying around. Work your way up from this time-wise until you have a maintainable routine. Also.. do some damn yoga. I can barely make myself still even though I love it once I've started (theme here is that I have almost no discipline so simple things can be very hard). Meditation is great but you don't need to do a long session every day. 5-10 minutes of a concentrated breathing one in the morning or afternoon is enough. 3) Supplements You should be taking a high-quality adaptogen. Ginseng (Appalachian if you are young & Asian if you are older if you want to follow TCM), Ashwagandha, Bacopa Monnieri, Ginkgo Biloba, Reishi, Maca, etc. For skin & general health taking zinc, vitamin D, DHEA, CoQ10, a vitamin B complex, and if you're like me (acne) vitamin A is good. I take grapefruit seed extract in water 3 times a day for my skin. I also take iron because I can become anemic if I don't eat enough meat. ----------------------------------------------------------------- My PCOS symptoms are all but null. The weird black facial hairs have stopped popping up, I actually get a period, I am not randomly sweaty. My brain fog is lifted. I am a lot less tired. My skin is so, so much better. I can't really fully describe the difference from eating clean but it is everything. Humans were never meant to have 1/3 of the glucose we do now.. lowering sugar & carbs feels so right compared to every other diet thing I've tried. You might be different, but I think most people will be healthier for it anyways so it is worth attempting seriously. Some peoples' bodies are tougher and can handle the higher GI diet without the insulin problems (not necessarily diabetes), if that is the case then I am jealous. If you want to try this you MUST give it your all for the first several weeks at least to see your results. DO NOT starve yourself or restrict calories in a way that will edit the "experiment" results until you are already feeling the difference. You need to be weaned off of sugars before you should do a calorie cut diet with it. I love eating Italian out and will continue to go get ice cream with friends, etc. but I eat healthier out when I can (poke is phenomenal lol) and at home I follow this strictly. -------------------------- I would love to hear your results and updates even over the first few days because my friends that have tried it were shocked at how hard quitting sugar is! I am super curious as to how other people will do with it.
$20K/month selling high-fat, nutritious snacks [no sugar, no crap]
Hey - Pat from StarterStory.com here with another interview. Today's interview is with Louisa Mesquita Bakker of Funky Fat Foods, a brand that makes high-fat nutritious snacks Some stats:
Product: High-Fat Nutritious Snacks
Revenue/mo: $20,000
Started: February 2018
Location: Amsterdam
Founders: 1
Employees: 1
Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
Hi there, I’m Louisa Mesquita Bakker from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I’m 26 years old, and last year I launched my food company Funky Fat Foods. Our first product is called KetoCacao, which is a line of low-carb/high-fat chocolate bars. We only use high-quality ingredients to help our customers feel and perform their best. There is no sugar, no soy, no fillers; no crap. By keeping the ingredients to a minimum, we preserve the quality and nutritional benefits of cacao. Our chocolate bars don’t spike insulin levels and have extra healthy fats from MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) for more energy and satiation. We believe it’s all about getting long-lasting energy from fat instead of a quick fix from sugar. We sell our products via our online store and (international) resellers. Our clients vary from active keto/low-carb followers, vegans, diabetics and sports enthusiasts. I’ve launched the MVP in February 2018, we’re now making $20.000 revenue per month, and we're still testing and adapting as we go. image
What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about health, sports, and nutrition. Growing up, my parents owned a health store and were the distributors of mineral water brands from around the world. In our family, talking about health and nutrition is something we do all the time (which can be a little annoying for friends and boyfriends). After I graduated from a Business study program in 2017, I went traveling in South America. One of the many things I did was visit different cacao farms because I just found it so fascinating and wanted to learn more about it. image I was so intrigued by the beauty of cacao and its health benefits. I love dark chocolate but never knew about the tremendous cacao varieties. During this trip, I spent a lot of time reading articles from different doctors in the US who specialize in natural treatments, health, and longevity. At this time, I was already eating low-carb, but when I came across the ketogenic lifestyle, it was such an eye-opener for me. Before keto, I was constantly having food cravings, feeling bloated, tired, and my hormones were all over the place. I never understood why. I already ate quite “healthy;" a lot of fruit and starchy vegetables while keeping fat to a minimum. I was afraid of eating fat, as they are calorie-dense. Back then I believed this would make me gain weight. Well, now I know better. When I first started Keto, I couldn't find an honest high-fat, low carb chocolate bar with MCTs, high cacao content, and simple ingredients. Especially a tasty one. Of course, there’s chocolate made of 100% cacao and nothing else, but the taste is not for everyone because it’s quite bitter. I did some market research and realized it was not just me - there was a huge demand/need for a bar like that in the market. So I thought to myself, “well, let’s just make one!” I had no expertise in chocolate making, let alone starting a business, but I felt I had to take the risk.
Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.
My process started with market research on what was already out there in terms of low-carb chocolate with natural ingredients. During this research, I learned that if you want your body to absorb all the good nutrients from cacao, like fat, minerals, and antioxidants it should not be mixed with sugar or dairy products. This includes also other natural sweeteners like honey or agave syrup. I didn’t want to use Maltitol (which you’ll find often in bars) because these still spike insulin levels. Then I came across Erythritol, which is a natural sweetener that has a glycemic index of 0 and doesn’t have a "medical aftertaste" like other sweeteners such as stevia. At first, my mom joined me in Brazil, and we visited many different chocolate factories. I thought it was important for manufacturing to stay close to the source of the cacao. But even though I’m half Brazilian, there are still a lot of cultural differences to my Dutch roots. I call it the mañana mañana mentality. Not only did I have trouble finding a factory that fit with my style of working, but I also couldn’t find one who had experience in making sugar-free, lactose-free or soy-free chocolate. To top it all off, the MOQs for making the MVP was way too high for me. So, I went back to Europe and visited almost every chocolate seminars/fairs I could find. That’s where I met an award-winning chocolatier who believed in my idea, but who was also able to produce small quantities at his factory. I was already adding MCTs to coffee and shakes myself, so I knew I wanted to include this in the bars as well, as it’s such a great energy source. There was no chocolate like that in the market back then, so I spent a lot of my time researching the right ingredients and sourcing them. I had a small budget, so I had to test the market before producing high quantities. Looking back at this period, I truly believe you have to share your ideas with others cause you never know who can help you. I personally formulated our first product and worked with the chocolatier to bring it into life. After a lot of testing with flavors, going back and forth from the manufacturer, sharing samples with friends and family, the first formula was approved. It took around three months. image Luckily, I was able to produce a very small batch from a loan I got from my family. This process took another three months. Everything was handmade, and fortunately, I could use existing molds from the factory. The bars were packed in a white flow pack, so at home, together with my mom and friends, I labeled all the packs with stickers (front and back). During this period of R&D, I started working with an intern to get branding and social media-ready before launching. We created an Instagram, a Facebook account, and a landing page to already share the feeling behind the brand and create awareness. It started as a very feminine and a bit rebellious brand. The idea for the business name, Keto Cacao, came quickly as it’s inspired by the Keto lifestyle combined with cacao. image
Describe the process of launching the business.
We had our MVP launch at the end of February 2018 at a famous chocolate event in Amsterdam called Chocoa Festival. An event for real chocolate aficionados, which was a great way to receive feedback and sell some bars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZqcsIx9kjI We also started selling the bars via a Shopify site (using a free theme), and I asked my family and friends to help me sell at local fairs. We sold 12.000 bars in 6 months mainly through organic search and Instagram. Selling at local fairs wasn’t really successful. Most of the time we just got to a break-even point. The whole high-fat, low carb lifestyle is still something quite unknown here in the Netherlands, but the interest is slowly growing. When launching the MVP online, we received several reviews from customers in the Netherlands and all over the world, as we’re shipping worldwide. Reviews said that KetoCacao really helped with their cravings, surviving long office hours, and so much more. However, we’ve also received feedback that the taste, packaging, and branding were all things that could be improved. We have this memorable moment where I sent the MVP bars to this lovely famous keto couple called Keto Connect, hoping to receive their honest feedback by email. Little did I know that their review would be uploaded on their Youtube channel (last year among their 400k subscribers now its doubled). It went viral, but they weren’t impressed with the product. That was quite a bummer, but also very motivating as I’ve always seen this first product as an MVP and the more honest and good feedback we get, the better. In the end, I want to create the best high-fat snacks. I want people to enjoy their active life eating good food. All the feedback, good and bad, served as extra energy to take back to R&D, improve the product, and, at the same time, rethink the overall strategy. I think being flexible and open to feedback is something that truly helped me along the way. The evolution of our labels: image A before and after shot of our packaging. The entire "back to R&D" process to improve the taste and texture of the bars and rebuild the brand took longer than expected. I’ve had an “Out of Stock, we’ll be back soon” note on my website for over six months. It was a long period of time, but I needed it to reflect, test new formulas among our early adopters, and have the new designs created for the packaging. During this period, I also worked as a restaurant hostess and privately taught the Dutch language to expats just to earn some extra money. But after many brainstorming sessions together, my freelancer, my father, and I finally fit it all together. We thought it would be better to change the company name to Funky Fat Foods, as the mission is to motivate, empower and inform as many people as possible to eat more healthy fats and skip the sugars. During this process, my father got more involved in the business regarding our strategic planning and logistics. He’s a nomad and travels all year round, however, we talk almost every day by phone to discuss the business. He’s my go-to person. Since August this year, we’re back again with a completely new site, new packaging, and new improved flavors. Now I work in the business full time from home. I spend most of my time on product development, customer service, and sales. I learn so much, and every day I feel it’s only getting more serious and finally starting to develop into an actual business. Our main sales channel at the moment is through our (online) resellers. We can’t thank them enough for their trust. Some of our online resellers have been with us since we launched our MVP, so it’s amazing to see their belief in us.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
Although we were not selling for 6 months after our MVP, we still kept our site up to date with blog articles, monthly newsletters, and personal Instagram stories. We’re consumer-focused and take care of our customers as quickly and correctly as possible. I’ve tried Facebook ads and Instagram ads, although we saw an increase in traffic or likes, there were not many sales. I’m learning more about this at the moment. I believe what is also working for us, is our customer service and the relationships we have created with them. Even today we see huge support from Instagram, as you can talk directly to your (potential) customers all over the world. Basically, just ask them what kind of content they’re interested in, and always reply to their questions. We’ve recently started sharing our struggles and learnings via IG stories and see a growth in our engagement. We try to stay in as much contact with our followers as possible and strive to create good and engaging content through social media. As a result, we have been steadily growing our follower base organically. We also run contests on Instagram in collaboration with other brands and send our bars to micro-influencers, which really help to increase awareness of the brand but there is still a lot of room to grow in this area. image
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
We’re now reaching 20k a month in sales but not yet profitable. Our product costs are high as we’re producing handmade organic chocolate in small quantities, (compared to the big boys). Having an adequate stock is our biggest challenge at the moment, it’s difficult to forecast. New resellers introduce themselves almost every day, and some of them are placing orders for a large part of our stock. The bars have a shelf life of a year (as we don’t use fillers or preservatives) and investing in stock is locking up cash. We experience that the demand is always higher than we can actually supply. I believe once we can get our production on track, our batches and revenue will accelerate so this is my main focus for now. The goal is to enter organic retail here in Europe and meanwhile create more high-fat snacks. I’m also working on creating more valuable, informative and motivational, content for our social media platforms and our site. For the future, I hope to find the right distribution partner in the US and Australia as we experience a growing interest there. For myself, I would like to spend more time in creating different high-fat products and empowering people on a personal level via seminars and events.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
I am very grateful that until now, it has been such a learning experience. When starting, I was quite naive when it comes to working agreements and collaborations. In the end, most of your assumptions will turn out completely wrong, but you will only know this if you go out and do it. I misjudged the logistical part of the business. We have a long lead-time and can experience transport issues during the summer period. There is always a summer going on somewhere and our chocolate bars above 30 degrees celsius would turn into a chocolate mousse. Delivering or crossing the whole latitude zone between 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south needs cooled/conditioned transport. Sales via our online shop can be improved. We have the site running on Squarespace and the check-out on Shopify, which doesn’t work in our favor for SEO, so we will be switching this soon to one complete Shopify theme. Also, our high shipping costs cause early checkouts. image As I started selling my MVP right away to resellers, they, of course, wanted a continuous supply of stock. So, take the time to plan your inventory properly. I’m definitely not there yet as I’m making countless mistakes, but I try to see them as lessons and keep going. I know now that we have a product that is perfect for retail and less perfect for worldwide shipping, which is the complete opposite of the idea I had when starting. It’s a really likable product that consumers love to have in their hands. Though, local (online) resellers can distribute it more cost-efficiently in their territories.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
Funkyfatfoods.com is run on Shopify, which I think is the best platform for e-commerce business. As far as other tools I use:
And we’ll start with Recharge on Shopify soon to offer subscription models
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
Books:
The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz A diet book that changed my whole perspective on eating fat.
Lean Startup by Eric Ries. I’ve read this while in college and implemented the three principles into Funky Fat Foods: Understand the problem, Create an MVP, Experiment and measure.
This is Marketing by Seth Godin. This gave me a great insight to understand to whom you are selling and the story to tell.
Podcasts:
The Keto Answers - Dr.Anthony. If you want to know more about the low-carb/keto lifestyle in a fun and informative way.
Manifestation Babe. I love listening to Kathrin. Her personal story and implementable tips are amazing.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
If you are just starting a business, you may be uncertain about how to proceed. This fear is your ego (the voice in your head) that tries to keep you in your comfort zone. Your ego wants to protect you against the unknown, but that won’t make you grow. This means taking action, and I believe in the well-known quote "learn by doing". For me, a concept is strong if I immediately feel the passion for a product or service and it adds more value to our lives and if it radiates diversity and dares to be a market leader. Also when starting, a lot of tasks are ones that you can do yourself, so don’t wait for the perfect moment, the right partners, more money, or a big team to get things going. You can use the Golden Circle from Simon Sinek - Why, how, what. Once you have this clear for yourself, then you can make a step-by-step plan of what you need to start testing, adapting, and growing!
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
I’m always on the lookout for talented people (we also work with people who work remotely) who have a passion for health and want to be part of this journey to make it a success.
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below! Liked this text interview? Check out the full interview with photos, tools, books, and other data. For more interviews, check out starter_story - I post new stories there daily. Interested in sharing your own story? Send me a PM
Food Catalog / Ingredients, Herbs, and Spices / Cocoa Powder Written by: Christopher Karam ｜ ✔️ Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Riad M., M.D - G.P and Micheal B., M.D ｜ Last Updated: 2020 March 22 dried cocoa beans Break down and Background Cocoa powder (Theobroma cacao), also known as dark chocolate, was introduced by the Spanish in the beginning of the 16 century. Cocoa beans are thought to have first been used by the Maya civilization of Central America for the myriad of health benefits that come with it. Cocoa powder is a dried, ripen, and fully fermented seed from the Theobroma tree’s cacao seeds, a small evergreen tree from the Malvaceae family. It’s a popular baking ingredient due to its addictive nature and plant-based compounds. How is cocoa powder made? Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that’s a precursor for the production and secretion of serotonin, the chemical that promotes wellbeing and happiness. Cocoa powder has many health benefits and very few side effects. From the cocoa pod to natural cocoa powder, there are many, many steps to take before creating a consumable unsweetened organic cocoa powder or dark chocolate. So how is dark chocolate and cocoa powder made? First, cocoa beans are removed from their pods, later being fermented and then dried, roasted, and ground into a thick cocoa liquor. The liquor is actually made up of the very fine, broken down bean cell particles and cocoa butter that was tucked inside the cocoa nibs, which were inside of the beans. The cocoa liquor is then refined from dehusking dried and roasted beans. Later pressed to extract the cocoa butter, leaving behind a cake-like mass made up of pure, fine cocoa bean particles. Afterwards, the cocoa cake is ground to then make a finalized unsweetened cocoa powder product, that’s rich and dark in color. Natural cocoa powder is a staple ingredient for everyone who likes baking. Dark chocolate is called for in many chocolate dessert recipes since it adds an intense, bitter chocolatey flavor to everything from cookies, to pies, cakes, and other desserts. It’s also a somewhat expensive ingredient because it’s an exotic type of vegetable. It's also justified by being very healthy, since it’s full of healthy fats, fiber, protein, and antioxidants. Helping enhance the taste of many dessert recipes, organic or dutch-process cocoa powder is a versatile ingredient that should be a part of everyone's daily diet since it’s so easy to fit it into your regiment. Unless you’re allergic of course. You can use cacao powder for it’s wonderful chocolate flavor. Most of the top staple desserts recipes out there include baking powder, baking soda, and chocolate. The baking process of using baking powdebaking soda coupled with cacao enhances it’s chocolaty flavor. spoon of cocoa powder on a table Be careful when looking to buy raw natural cocoa powder, as many companies add fillers, additives, and other chemicals to increase the weight volume of the packaging box. Hot chocolate and regular chocolate powder mixes aren’t raw organic cocoa powder as the instant chocolate powder mixes on the market often include a lot of sugar and emulsifiers, like lecithin, to help the chocolate mix better with water. Don’t use hot chocolate mix in place of raw cacao when you are baking. They’re definitely convenient, but there are way more health benefits to adding raw ingredients to your food or drinks instead of pre-packaged mixes. Unless your recipe explicitly asks you to use a hot cocoa mix or dark chocolate powder, just use the raw cocoa powder with your milk or cream instead and add any sweetener you like. Preferably a healthy option like Stevia. Due to cocoa powder’s nitric oxide and flavanols, cacao can dilate your blood vessels which will improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, which is very useful before and after weight training and cardio workouts. And who doesn’t like a healthy heaping tablespoon of dark chocolate? It’s one of the most loved and addictive flavors on the planet. So much so that multiple research papers have proven that it can even become addictive in many cases. The rich intense flavor of natural cocoa powder is delicious with anything including coffee, smoothies and protein shakes, or even oatmeal. Some people even make savory chocolate sauce recipes, a gravy to add on to their meat of choice, or a dark chocolate chestnut pasta. raw cocoa powder and cacao nibs Cocoa Powder Health Benefits Other than its incredible flavor, there are many other benefits of organic cocoa powder. Many research papers have found that it has impeccable health benefits for your heart, brain, and overall health through weight loss. There are so many incredible health benefits of eating organic cocoa powder that you won’t believe that something so delicious could be so good for you. These benefits have lasting effects that can improve your health in every aspect.
Brightens Mood, Boosts Happiness, and Reduces Depression
If you’re struggling with irregular mood swings and regulation, cocoa has positive health impacts on the brain which also helps relieve symptoms of depression. Researchers have displayed that cacao is a natural antidepressant that can healthily increase your levels of happiness. Cocoa contains nitric oxide the mood-boosting chemicals anandamide. It’s a fatty acid neurotransmitter that helps make people feel slightly euphoric, similarly to THC. Raw cocoa powders have also been found to have an effect on the reward center of the brain. Especially due to the transformation of tryptophan to serotonin that naturally occurs in the body. Tryptophan is an amino acid precursor to the formation of new serotonin neurotransmitters in the brain. ground cocoa powder and cacao beans Researchers have also found that cocoa interacts with your brain’s neurotransmitters to release dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, all of which make you feel happier.
Can Boost your Libido and Sexual Performance
Cacao is the pure, unrefined form of chocolate. We eat the seed, which contains another alkaloid called theobromine. Theobromine acts as a blood vessel widener and is actually used in modern medicine for this purpose. It also increases blood flow throughout your body because it will lower your blood pressure, reduce inflammation, dilate your arteries. Cacao can be consumed as a powder, nibs, or whole beans. Another mood-enhancing chemical found in cocoa is phenethylamine, this chemical releases the same endorphins that are released when we fall in love, and so this can help improve your sex life. In addition, it can also reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Mostly linked to the flavanoid contents because it reduces bad LDL cholesterol, improves blood flow, as well as dilates and relaxes your blood vessels, in turn reducing internal inflammation.
Boosts Energy and Helps With Weight Loss
Cocoa powder contains a healthy amount of caffeine and nitric oxide. These help boost energy and fight fatigue. Not only does it have a good amount of caffeine, but it contains magnesium as well. theobroma cacao tree with growing beans Two tablespoons of natural cocoa powder have about 14% of your body’s daily value of Magnesium. Magnesium has been found to keep your body naturally energized. Magnesium has been found to protect your body against other issues such as high blood pressure, type II diabetes, and osteoporosis. Cocoa is known to be one of the healthiest ways to keep your body energized, awake, and focused. Due to all of the health benefits natural dark chocolate has on your cardiovascular system and digestive system, there’s been many studies concluding it’s relation with weight loss. Raising levels of fat oxidation, reducing appetite, controlling blood sugar levels, and insulin sensitivity all help reduce your total weight; mainly targeting your body fat stores.
Boosts your Cardiovascular Health
Cocoa is loaded with the anti-inflammatory antioxidant flavanol and nitric oxide. These antioxidants have been found to improve your heart health and your entire cardiovascular system. Flavanols and nitric oxide can protect your body against cardiovascular disease, improves your blood circulation and lowers the risk of stroke. Having similar effects to olive oil and coconut oil. Other antioxidants, called polyphenols, in cocoa are known to help reduce HDL is (bad cholesterol) levels and prevent atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries. cacao bean and powder
Boost your Skin Health
You should try to have a daily serving of hot cocoa to have long-lasting, positive health benefits. Flavanols, nitric oxide, polyphenols have been found to help you protect your cells from premature oxidation this will keep your skin from looking aged or becoming wrinkled. It can also improve your skin texture and give it a glowing look. In one study, researchers found that dark chocolate helped improve skin microcirculation, skin hydration, as well as reducing skin swelling and inflammation. You will look more youthful and bright with just a little more cocoa in your diet. Not only does it help your skin, but using cocoa butter as a moisturizer has also been found to keep skin soft and smooth. You can try making your own skin moisturizer at home with this simple recipe.
High in Polyphenols, Flavanols, and Antioxidant Enzymes
Flavanols and polyphenols are naturally occurring antioxidants that are rich in foods like nuts, certain vegetables, teas (such as earl grey tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea), berries and exotic fruits, chocolate, white wine, and red wine. They’ve had extensive research linking to improved blood flow, stabilizes blood sugar levels, increases your basal metabolic rate and fat burning processes, heart health, reduces inflammation, and boosts insulin sensitivity. Natural 70% dark chocolate is one of the richest sources of phenolic compounds, polyphenols, flavanols, and flavanoids which all have powerful antioxidants and the ability to reduce inflammation. cacao nibs Because these compounds improves blood flow through your body, this reduces your risk of neurodegenerative diseases and brain function. These actually go through the blood-brain barrier and supplies nutrients to the brain for the production of neurons and other necessary molecules for proper functioning. Multiple studies found that daily intake of cocoa flavanols raised the blood flow to the brain by 8% to 11% during a time span of just 2 weeks.
Reduces High Blood Pressure and Improves Heart Health
Raw natural cocoa powders and dark chocolate forms of cacao beans both have equal strengths in helping lower blood pressure. The purer the powder, the better the effects. A large number of flavanoids are lost during commercial processing, so buying the most unprocessed, raw, and natural cocoa powder product is most optimal. Mostly linked to the high levels of flavanols and flavanoids, cocoa increases nitric oxide levels in your blood which strengthens blood vessels, arteries, and your heart.
Can Improve Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
In actuality, cocoa is full of anti diabetic reactions. The flavanols slow down the carbohydrate absorption and digestion in your gut, raises insulin secretion of the pancreas. It also makes the transfer of energy from glucose in the blood to your muscles more efficient and internally reduces inflammation in people who are diabetic or non-diabetic. dark chocolate bar godiva on a table
Protects Against Certain Types of Cancer
All of the flavanols, flavanoids, anti-inflammatory reactions, antioxidants, polyphenols, and phenolic acids all contribute to the strengthening of your gut biome and immune system. 80% of your immune system cells reside near the small intestine and large intestine, having a strong gut biome is your best line of defense against infections, viruses, diseases, and cancer. Multiple test-tube studies on unsweetened cocoa powder being able to protect cells from degenerative and oxidative damage, inhibits cancerous cell growth and spread, as well as induces and facilitates cancer cell death due to it’s high levels of flavanols. Cocoa Powder Side Effects and Detriments Negatively Interacts With Many Medications One of the biggest factors that hinders global, general public use is its negative interactions and side effects with multiple medications. Adenosine (Adenocards) negatively interacts with cacao because it contains caffeine. The caffeine in cocoa can block the effects of the medication since caffeine attaches to the same neural receptors that Adenosine binds to. Adenosine is often used by doctors to perform tests for the heart, primarily used as a cardiac stress test and for facilitating sleep since it’s a vasodilator. Stop taking cocoa or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test. Clozapine (Clozaril) is an atypical antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia, decreasing the rate of suicidal behavior. The body breaks down and metabolize clozapine in order to get rid of it. The caffeine in cocoa decreases how quickly the body metabolizes clozapine, increasing its concentration. Taking cocoa along with the medication can increase the effects and side effects of clozapine. Dipyridamole (Persantine) inhibits PDE5 in the blood, which inhibits blood clotting and causes blood vessel dilation. Dipyridamole negatively interacts with the caffeine in cocoa as it might block the effects of dipyridamole. Caffeine interferes with the dilation of your arteries and increases coagulation of your blood, reducing the blood thinning effects of dipyridamole. Ergotamine (Ergomar) is an alkaloid that’s structurally similar to a neurotransmitter. It behaves an a vasoconstrictor to reduce the blood flow through the cardiovascular system, used to treat acute migraine attacks. Caffeine can increase how much Ergotamine the body absorbs. Taking cocoa powder along with Ergotamine may increase the effects and side effects of the medication. Estrogen pills (Estradiol). While the body breaks down the caffeine found in cocoa powder. Estrogen decreases how the speed at which your body breaks down caffeine, no matter the source. Taking caffeine along with foods containing estrogen or estrogen supplements may cause jitteriness, headaches, an increased heart rate, and other side effects. If you take estrogen supplements, you should limit or in some cases restrict your caffeine intake. raw cacao powder Rating and Recommendation Extremely Recommended Going through the huge list of health benefits and side effects of cocoa powder, it's a very easy inclusion in your diet. Dark chocolate is a staple ingredient in modern day cuisine and baking recipes because it has a unique flavor, it’s even used by the health conscious because it has amazing health impacts. Here’s the full list of the health benefits of cocoa powder: Brightens Mood, Boosts Happiness, and Reduces Depression Can Boost your Libido and Sexual Performance Boosts Energy and Aids With Weight Loss Boosts your Cardiovascular Health and Overall Heart Health Boost your Skin Health and Brain Health High in Polyphenols, Flavanols, and Antioxidant Enzymes Reduces High Blood Pressure and Improves Heart Health Can Improve Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes Protects Against Certain Types of Cancer Here’s the list of side effects of cocoa powder: Negatively Interacts With Many Medications And the list of medications that can cause harm, it clashes with: Adenosine Clozapine Dipyridamole Ergotamine Caffeine Estrogen Pills Due to cocoa's great flavor, boost of mental and physical health, and especially the boost in sex drive, is highly recommended to include into your daily diet. Although the side effects can cause harm when consumed with chemicals found in certain medicines, it's best to avoid consuming any other form or product while taking these medications. Frequently Asked Questions What Is Cocoa Powder? Cocoa, also known as cacao or chocolate is a dried and fermented seed coming from the theobroma tree. It's the basis for anything made of chocolate. The theobroma tree is native to the Amazon basin and Aztec cultures in South America. Popularized by the Spanish, they brought and distributed the seeds to major continents like Europe, Asia, and West Africa. A theobroma tree can only grow properly in tropical areas accompanied by lots of rain. Unlike most other exotic trees, it's able to be harvested multiple times per year. The cacao pods fruits that grow from the tree are either green, purple, or red when young; but become a lighter shade of yellow and orange when fully matured. The pods have a rough leather like texture encapsulating the beans. The Ivory Coast is the largest exporter of pods and beans globally. Currently at around 2,100,000 tonnes per year. While the United States and Germany are the largest importers at around 2.8$ billion and 2.33$ billion dollars worth respectively. Is Cocoa Powder Vegan? Yes, cocoa products are all vegan by nature. Specifically, it's the seeds of the fruit originating from the theobroma tree. Although some chocolate products have milk, eggs, and other animal products. Pure dark chocolate powder products have no animal products at all, making them safe for all vegans. Is Cocoa Powder Healthy? Yes, cocoa powder is very healthy actually. There are so many positive health benefits that come from including it into your diet. It can: 1. Brighten your Mood, Boosts Happiness, and Reduces Depression
Can Boost your Libido and Sexual Performance
Boosts Energy and Aids With Weight Loss
Boosts your Cardiovascular Health and Blood Flow
Boost your Skin Health
High in Polyphenols, Flavanols, and Antioxidant Enzymes
Reduces High Blood Pressure and Improves Heart Health
Can Improve Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
Protects Against Certain Types of Cancer
Where To Buy Cocoa Powder, Beans, or Nibs? There are many places like amazon, walmart, and other supermarkets that sell organic, natural cocoa powder, beans, or nibs
Cocoa Nibs Market 2017: Business Development By Various Trend Analysis 2027
Cocoa Nibs Market: Introduction: Cocoa Nibs are simply chocolate in its purest form. Cocoa Nibs are dried and fermented bits of cocoa beans. The texture of cocoa nibs are similar to that of roasted coffee beans. Cocoa nibs have a deep chocolate flavor which can be described as slightly bitter and nutty. Raw cacao nibs are the less processed version of chocolate with no unhealthy additives, so they preserve all the nutrients of the natural cacao bean. Cacao nibs are an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber, iron and magnesium. Consumption of Cocoa nibs have several health benefits such as stabilizing blood sugar, improving insulin sensitivity, anti-depression agent, reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions. To Get Free Sample Request Visit @https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/21844 Cocoa Nibs Market: Segmentation: Cocoa Nibs market can be segmented into Nature, End Use, Application and distribution channel. On the basis of nature, Cocoa Nibs is segmented into organic and conventional. Owing to the rising demand for organic products, the value share for organic format of cocoa nibs is being anticipated to have higher value share as compared to conventional formats. On the basis of end users, Cocoa Nibs is segmented into Retail, Food Processing Industry and HORECA. There has been rise in demand for cocoa nibs from the household segment which is attributable to the health benefits associated with its consumption. Moreover the manufacturers are coming up with retail formats cocoa nibs in the market due to the rise in demand for the product. As a result, volume share of Cocoa nibs in retail sector is expected to be higher as compared to other sectors. On the basis of application, Cocoa Nibs can be segmented into Breakfast foods, trail mix, frozen dessert, baked goods, and others. Cocoa nibs are generally being used as sweeteners as well as toppings in frozen desserts such as yogurts, ice creams and smoothies. Due to its large scale application in frozen desserts, the segments is being expected to grow at a faster rate in terms of value sales. On the basis of distribution channel, Cocoa nibs is segmented into direct and indirect channel. The indirect channel is further sub segmented into Supermarket/Hypermarket, Convenience Store, Specialty Store and E-Retailers. Due to rise in demand for cocoa nibs from the household sectors, the volume sales for cocoa nibs in indirect channel is anticipated to be higher as compared to direct channel. Moreover, taking into account the rise in penetration level of internet in the global market, distribution through E- Retailers is expected to surge over the forecast period. Cocoa Nibs Market: Regional Outlook: The global Cocoa Nibs market has been categorized into seven key regions including North America and Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and the Middle East & Africa. According to stat, the ice cream and frozen desserts industry is an important sector of the U.S. dairy industry, and the U.S. has consistently ranked as a world leader in ice cream production. Market saturation for ice cream and related frozen desserts was estimated to be greater than 90 percent of all households. About 9 percent of the U.S. milk supply goes toward the production of ice cream. Moreover consumers look out for flavor oriented ice cream as well as yogurts having ingredients such fruits ingredient, cocoa chips or nibs, fruit flakes etc. Hence, due to rise in consumption rate of frozen desserts in U.S, North America is being considered as the major market for cocoa nibs. For More Details and Order Copy of this Report Visit @https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/21841 Cocoa Nibs Market: Demand Driver: Over past five years, there is rise in consumption of cocoa oriented products which is attributed to health benefits associated with the consumption of the product. Cocoa and chocolate products have recently attracted the attention of many investigators and the general consuming public because of their potential nutritional, medicinal and mystical properties. As a result, the rise in consumption rate of cocoa products help drive the demand for cocoa nibs in the global market. Cocoa Nibs Market: Key Players: Some of the key players in this market are Navitas Organics, Adam Vacon, Edica Naturals Ltd, Viva Naturals, Sunfood Corporation and others.
Any tips for motivation, dedication, keeping on track. I'm struggling.
Hi everyone! I'm in need for some advice right now. I'm quite lost here honestly. TLDR at the bottom. After trying to lose weight for about 8 years by eliminating certain foods or food groups, but gaining 30kg/66lbs instead, I went from a healthy BMI to being obese. On the first day of this year I weight in at my heaviest ever: 90kg/199lbs. I was shocked. Somehow after watching some people on youtube and realizing the calories are the issue here, I got the little "click" and realized that I didn't need to cut out certain foods. I just needed to eat less. Even the healthy food. Turns out all the skinny, vegan youtubers weren't right when they promised me "as long as you eat vegan, whole foods, you can eat as muuuch as you want and you will lose weight!! :) " I found out my healthy rice veggie bowl contained over 800 calories because of the rice, nuts, oils, avocados, tofu etc. My healthy in coconut oil/cacao dipped banana snack contained around 500. I don't even want to start on my 'healthy' fruit smoothies which had like 4 bananas only as the base. When i moved out and finally had access to unhealthy food, I couldn't eat 1 portion size. I had to eat the whole bag. And another. Doing this like twice a week wasn't in my benefit either. Long story short: I ate mostly healthy, but overall way too much for my female, sedentary 1,65m/5"5 ass. I wanted to go back to my original and healthy weight of 60kg/132lbs. So I made my new years resulotion to count calories and lose at least 15kg/33lbs by new years eve 2019. The first 6 months were great and I lost 11kg/24lbs, but ever since then I'm maintaining my weight. Even though I don't buy huge portions of unhealthy food anymore, I still end up eating around maintaince because I'm just bored/hungry or feel like eating. Or "I already lost so much so now I cant indulge Its fine.". Or eating my meal preps. I switch my food around and eat a variation of foods, I just miss the whole "click" thing where i prioritize my health. So my question for you guys: How do you find your motivation and dedication again? Any quotes, videos, documentaries, tv shows. Anything that helped you guys. I'm so close to my goal but I keep falling off track. TLDR: 2018 ny resolution goal was to lose 15kg/33lbs in a year. I lost 11kg/24lbs in 6 months but maintained for the last 5 months. Need help/inspiration to keep on track and stop giving up. I need that little "click" moment again.
The cacao plant is the source of many useful products that are consumed in today’s food market the world over. Seeds from this plant contain fats that produce cocoa butter, which is then used to make chocolate. Chocolate is a staple in many homes where it used to make pastries, drinks, and toppings. However, cocoa has several other benefits beyond chocolate. The cacao plant is rich in a plant nutrient known as cocoa flavanols. Cocoa flavanol products have been found to have numerous health benefits. Though many fruits and vegetables contain flavanol, cocoa has one of the highest naturally occurring concentrations of flavanol. Listed below are some of the benefits of consuming cocoa flavanols. https://preview.redd.it/xddmjvmjw7m41.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=792d6a0a34c8ffa589afae01da7ba21f6b0b3602
We always come across this saying in media that dark chocolate is healthy and it is a superfood and that it contains antioxidants. But the question is that all? Dark chocolate is a very fascinating concept to all. https://preview.redd.it/542pq7z3u3e41.jpg?width=327&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa5a325d24cfc60fd4e4ae828e628039eb7e6b49 Almost everyone likes to have it. Chocolate makes us feel good. It tastes good. But it is also a portion of healthy food. But just like other foods, we know that the closer we get to the source the healthier the food is. So in the case of chocolates, the concept is the same. Dark chocolates are way healthier than processed chocolates with added sugars. Actually chocolate comes from cocoa beans. And this cocoa beans comes from the pods of the fruit that grows on the cacao or cocoa tree. After the fermentation of these beans, they are dried and are used to create chocolate. In the process, during fermentation, most of the flavors of chocolate come but not all of them. This is the reason why every chocolate tastes different though despite being from the same species of chocolate.
Some scientifically proven benefits of Dark Chocolate.
Prevention of heat-related illness: Having dark chocolate can decrease the risk of having a heart attack by 37%. Decrease your probability of stroke by 29%. And decrease your possibilities of having diabetes by 31%.
Antioxidants: Chocolate contains antioxidants and antioxidants are the keys to preventing the formation of plaque inside your It prevents any artery related diseases.
Promotes pleasure: one of the benefits of chocolate is that it promotes pleasure on an emotional There is actually a chemical reaction that occurs that makes us feel good. And because of this reason we love to give chocolate when it comes to giving something to our loved ones. It doesn't just happen by choice, there is a whole science behind it.
Increased blood flow to sex organs: Dark chocolate contains L-arginine which is an amino acid and it significantly works as a sex enhancer by increasing nitric oxide and blood flow in sex organ which on the other hand increases sensation, satisfaction, and It also contains a chemical called PEA that is Phenylethylamine which enhances production of neurotransmitter dopamine which enhances the feeling of well-being joy and pleasure.
Increases brain power: Cocoa is rich in anti-oxidant called flavanols which dilate blood vessels allowing more oxygen and blood to the brain. The antioxidant reduces inflammation throughout the body.
This particular aspect helps in preventing heart disease, stroke, cancer, aging, and many other conditions. The flavanols also enhance visual performances like detecting motion and reading low contrast likely due to the increased blood flow to the retina and brain.
And plenty of amount of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium.
How Dark Chocolate does enhance your health and fitness?
Dark chocolates have always been the best way to health and fitness because it doesn't require extra efforts to make it a healthy snack. And moreover, people of any age loves dark chocolate. Dark chocolate works as a mood enhancer for a lot of people and it also helps in your health problems in a pleasurable way. Here are some benefits of dark chocolates: https://preview.redd.it/atfrlksnu3e41.jpg?width=411&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d27853753d0af9d781733bea87f5f5492c5f54c5
Mood Enhancer: It has the potential to make you happy not only because it tastes good but also because of an amino acid that is used in the brain to make serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that enhances our mood and make us feel happy. This, in turn, keeps you happy and motivated and this helps you to maintain your health. Everyone is known to this fact that if your mood is fine, you are likely to be health-conscious.
Keeps you away from heart disease: As dark chocolates are enriched with cocoa and are considered as antioxidants, it helps in preventing all kinds of heart And also reduces the chance of having a stroke, cancer, and fast aging.
Keeps your brain fit: Dark chocolate enhances the brain It empowers your brain and keeps your brain sharp and alert all the time and keeps you away from dementia.
Helps lower blood pressure: Dark chocolates contain flavonoids which is a plant-based antioxidant found in the cocoa beans and it is one of the biggest reasons why dark chocolate is good for Antioxidants to help lower blood pressure.
Dark chocolate is very nutritious: The chocolate in cocoa comes from the seed of the cacao tree, which is very rich in This helps our health and fitness altogether as it is full of nutrition.
Improves eyesight: Dark chocolate contains flavanols, which enhances cognitive This, as a result, helps in better eyesight and better enhancement of things. This is very beneficial for elderly people as they tend to lose their proper eyesight with their growing age.
ASAP Bars.
ASAP bars are enriched with dark chocolate that not only enhances their taste but also increases its nutritional value. Dark chocolate has countless health benefits that are very essential for the day to day life. 📷 ASAP bars get their excellent flavors from this ingredient, and ASAP Almond & Dark Chocolate Granola Bar is one of the best-selling granola bars from our collections. Dark chocolate acts as an overall enhancer in quality and taste for the ASAP bars.
Chocolate is a very captivating thing for all. It gives joy and pleasure to every single individual. It is a mood enhancer and a peaceful ingredient that makes our soul happy. For the years chocolate has been that escape route that brings us joy and happiness. It is like a necessary blessing in our life. The reason is that not only it is a medium for happiness but also it is quite helpful for many of our health concerns. This is concept is not very popular that white chocolates and many other kinds of chocolate can really be beneficial for our health, but it is a true fact. https://preview.redd.it/imd6vo6sv3e41.jpg?width=899&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1bd789fd82258d17f01afe4b30fb49601894b408 There are many such nutrients present in chocolate that helps in many of our health problems. While considering white chocolate, it is sometimes not even considered relevant as a bar of chocolate. The reason for this is, white chocolate doesn't have that typical dark brown chocolate appearance and also it has only cocoa butter contained in it. White chocolate lacks the typical ingredients of chocolate that is the rich flavor of milk chocolate and the dark brown color of it. Many people around the globe even argue on the fact that whether white chocolate is even chocolate or not?
The Chemistry of White Chocolate.
Some scientifically proven facts: To understand the chemistry of white chocolate and why so many people refuse to call it a bar of chocolate, we have to understand a little bit about how chocolate is made. Chocolate is made from cacao beans which are first harvested, then roasted, and lastly is fermented. After the roasting process is done the beans are grounded and pressed to remove an oily butter-like substance. https://preview.redd.it/5ixhd6v1w3e41.jpg?width=668&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4437ac29b7a049f6971be4ecdb4a6e89fd7990f
White chocolate is made from the above-mentioned butter.
The composition of cocoa butter is full of fatty acids like Palmitic acid, Stearic acid, and Oleic acid. These three acids are bound together in a group of three, known as triglycerides.
The cocoa butter has unique melting processes as it contains the above-mentioned acids. This is the reason why white chocolates are easy to work with while decorating confectionary.
One of the research centers has tried to make white chocolate healthier by adding certain essential dietary fatty acids like EPA and DHA, To help people enhance their intake of brain-healthy omega-3s.
It is scientifically proven that white chocolate has many health benefits as it is made from milk. White chocolate is rich in calcium. It only helps in maintaining good health and teeth, but also contributes to the normal functions of the heart, muscles and, nervous system.
It is also a proven fact that white chocolate helps in preventing certain allergies and also keeps you away from depression.
White chocolate contains phosphorous and Vitamin B2. Phosphorous is one of those essential minerals that enhances our growth and development of cells, while Vitamin B2 helps inboosting our metabolism.
This is a sweet dessert that can prove to be very beneficial for our health if only consumed occasionally and moderate amounts.
Prevents eating disorders: White chocolate is great to help for those who suffer from eating Having white chocolate can help an individual to control their unnecessary food cravings and also boost up eating habits of those suffering from eating extremely less.
A great help in boosting the immunity system: having white chocolate inconsiderate amount helps you boost your immunity that you are lacking. As a result, you are less likely to fall sick from time to time and at every weather change.
Decreases bad cholesterol: Having white chocolate will boost up your fat regulation rate which will lead to a decrease in LDL and an increase in HDL. This will lead to an active process of absorption of food like the vitamin. As a result, this will keep you protect from coronary heart disease.
Treats headaches: Having white chocolate can help you in any type of headaches, be it a migraine, tension-type, or cluster type. The dopamine in white chocolates helps in relaxing the nervous system.
Helps in better blood clotting: White chocolates enhance the rate of prothrombotic which helps in the rapid healing of wounds.
Helps in preventing Diabetes: It is a really unbelievable fact that chocolate can really be of help for preventing diabetes. But that's a proven fact. A considerable amount of intake white chocolate can boost up your blood sugar level that is really helpful for diabetic patients.
Treats Rheumatoid Arthritis: This is a type of disease that affects the joints white chocolate containing caffeine helps in the absorption of drugs for this particular disease.
Boosts up cognitive functions: White chocolate can be of great help for children to increase their cognitive powers. Children suffering from autism or ADHD can have white chocolate. It will not only be a good way to boost up their mood but also it will help in increasing their concentration powers.
Some healthy, weight-loss-friendly snacks to add to your diet
When the munchies creep up, it can be tempting to reach for a bag of crispy, salty, greasy — and unhealthy — chips. Or how about that chocolate bar that's been teasing you since last night? When our energy levels are low, and our cravings are high, it's easy to take comfort in a quick fix. https://preview.redd.it/jbb21a28lq841.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e6880c98207c6514993b847b1a4e9d63f0183a4 You may wonder if it’s possible to lose weight while not giving up snacks. If you choose healthy, whole-food options with a lot of protein and nutrients, snacks can be integral to weight loss. Some can even help keep you full throughout the day and limit your cravings for unhealthy foods. a-balanced-diet-model Why fruit and veg are great Fresh fruit and vegetables are always the best snack choice for your kids – they contain vitamins and minerals, are a good source of fibre and count towards their 5 A Day. Plus, they're easy to eat on the go! Hummus & Veggies Mason Jars What You'll Need: Peppers, celery, carrots, hummus Using a tiny jar for hummus is great for perfecting portion control—and creating healthy snacks! Simply divide up your portioned servings of hummus and dip fiber-rich vegetables into the protein-packed puree. Together, this combo makes an awesome flat-belly-friendly bite. Energy Balls. My healthy snacking secret weapon. I have created a plethora of energy balls, so you can find your favorite flavor: Oatmeal Energy Balls, No Bake Cookie Dough Protein Balls, Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls, Pumpkin Energy Balls, Ginger Cookie Healthy Energy Balls, Golden Raisin Energy Bites, and Fig Almond Energy Bites. https://preview.redd.it/pjklzfwelq841.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f620adfa40c571aca94e66a895f546dd1e98185f Apple slices with peanut butter Apples and peanut butter taste fantastic together. Apples are high in fiber and polyphenol antioxidants that improve gut health and reduce heart disease risk (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source). Peanut butter may have additional benefits for heart health. It has been shown to increase HDL (good) cholesterol and reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides (12Trusted Source). That said, peanut butter is fairly high in calories. Although it generally hasn't been linked to weight gain, it's best consumed in moderation. A medium apple with 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of natural peanut butter provides a nice balance of sweet flavor with crisp and creamy textures at under 200 calories. No-Bake Granola Bars {gluten-free, vegan} These scrumptious snacks are easy to make and make a great addition to your child’s lunchbox, your own personal picnic basket, and your healthy diet as a regular mid-morning snack! Ingredients: Gluten-free rolled oats, peanut butter, dried tart cherries, pistachios, flaxseed meal, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, agave syrup. unsweetened applesauce, melted cacao nibs or dark chocolate. https://preview.redd.it/wqzsepfilq841.jpg?width=510&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=97444c41da62f8e5ffddb0a0ccaed1dab843b88b Almonds Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Nuts are a great healthy snack. And even though they're high in fat, you don't need to avoid them if you're trying to lose weight. One study found that people who chewed almonds thoroughly (up to 40 chews) felt full longer than those who chewed the same amount of nuts fewer times. Plus, almonds deliver filling fiber, protein and healthy fats. A serving of almonds, one ounce or 23 almonds, has 164 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. Top tips for snack time
Keep it in easy reach – have a fruit bowl in the house so fruity snacks are nearby when your kids are peckish.
Fill the fridge – have ready-to-eat fruit and veg, like carrot, cucumber, celery and peppers, pre-prepared for an easy snack kids can eat with their fingers.
Pack a snack – save money, and time, when you're out and about by taking bananas, apples or chopped up vegetables with you.
Get the kids involved – try making snack time exciting and more hands-on. Get your child involved by getting them to chop up the fruit and vegetables they're going to eat, they'll love chopping it up themselves!
$20K/month selling high-fat, nutritious snacks [no sugar, no crap]
Hey - Pat from StarterStory.com here with another interview. Today's interview is with Louisa Mesquita Bakker of Funky Fat Foods, a brand that makes high-fat nutritious snacks Some stats:
Product: High-Fat Nutritious Snacks
Revenue/mo: $20,000
Started: February 2018
Location: Amsterdam
Founders: 1
Employees: 1
Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
Hi there, I’m Louisa Mesquita Bakker from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I’m 26 years old, and last year I launched my food company Funky Fat Foods. Our first product is called KetoCacao, which is a line of low-carb/high-fat chocolate bars. We only use high-quality ingredients to help our customers feel and perform their best. There is no sugar, no soy, no fillers; no crap. By keeping the ingredients to a minimum, we preserve the quality and nutritional benefits of cacao. Our chocolate bars don’t spike insulin levels and have extra healthy fats from MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) for more energy and satiation. We believe it’s all about getting long-lasting energy from fat instead of a quick fix from sugar. We sell our products via our online store and (international) resellers. Our clients vary from active keto/low-carb followers, vegans, diabetics and sports enthusiasts. I’ve launched the MVP in February 2018, we’re now making $20.000 revenue per month, and we're still testing and adapting as we go. image
What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about health, sports, and nutrition. Growing up, my parents owned a health store and were the distributors of mineral water brands from around the world. In our family, talking about health and nutrition is something we do all the time (which can be a little annoying for friends and boyfriends). After I graduated from a Business study program in 2017, I went traveling in South America. One of the many things I did was visit different cacao farms because I just found it so fascinating and wanted to learn more about it. image I was so intrigued by the beauty of cacao and its health benefits. I love dark chocolate but never knew about the tremendous cacao varieties. During this trip, I spent a lot of time reading articles from different doctors in the US who specialize in natural treatments, health, and longevity. At this time, I was already eating low-carb, but when I came across the ketogenic lifestyle, it was such an eye-opener for me. Before keto, I was constantly having food cravings, feeling bloated, tired, and my hormones were all over the place. I never understood why. I already ate quite “healthy;" a lot of fruit and starchy vegetables while keeping fat to a minimum. I was afraid of eating fat, as they are calorie-dense. Back then I believed this would make me gain weight. Well, now I know better. When I first started Keto, I couldn't find an honest high-fat, low carb chocolate bar with MCTs, high cacao content, and simple ingredients. Especially a tasty one. Of course, there’s chocolate made of 100% cacao and nothing else, but the taste is not for everyone because it’s quite bitter. I did some market research and realized it was not just me - there was a huge demand/need for a bar like that in the market. So I thought to myself, “well, let’s just make one!” I had no expertise in chocolate making, let alone starting a business, but I felt I had to take the risk.
Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.
My process started with market research on what was already out there in terms of low-carb chocolate with natural ingredients. During this research, I learned that if you want your body to absorb all the good nutrients from cacao, like fat, minerals, and antioxidants it should not be mixed with sugar or dairy products. This includes also other natural sweeteners like honey or agave syrup. I didn’t want to use Maltitol (which you’ll find often in bars) because these still spike insulin levels. Then I came across Erythritol, which is a natural sweetener that has a glycemic index of 0 and doesn’t have a "medical aftertaste" like other sweeteners such as stevia. At first, my mom joined me in Brazil, and we visited many different chocolate factories. I thought it was important for manufacturing to stay close to the source of the cacao. But even though I’m half Brazilian, there are still a lot of cultural differences to my Dutch roots. I call it the mañana mañana mentality. Not only did I have trouble finding a factory that fit with my style of working, but I also couldn’t find one who had experience in making sugar-free, lactose-free or soy-free chocolate. To top it all off, the MOQs for making the MVP was way too high for me. So, I went back to Europe and visited almost every chocolate seminars/fairs I could find. That’s where I met an award-winning chocolatier who believed in my idea, but who was also able to produce small quantities at his factory. I was already adding MCTs to coffee and shakes myself, so I knew I wanted to include this in the bars as well, as it’s such a great energy source. There was no chocolate like that in the market back then, so I spent a lot of my time researching the right ingredients and sourcing them. I had a small budget, so I had to test the market before producing high quantities. Looking back at this period, I truly believe you have to share your ideas with others cause you never know who can help you. I personally formulated our first product and worked with the chocolatier to bring it into life. After a lot of testing with flavors, going back and forth from the manufacturer, sharing samples with friends and family, the first formula was approved. It took around three months. image Luckily, I was able to produce a very small batch from a loan I got from my family. This process took another three months. Everything was handmade, and fortunately, I could use existing molds from the factory. The bars were packed in a white flow pack, so at home, together with my mom and friends, I labeled all the packs with stickers (front and back). During this period of R&D, I started working with an intern to get branding and social media-ready before launching. We created an Instagram, a Facebook account, and a landing page to already share the feeling behind the brand and create awareness. It started as a very feminine and a bit rebellious brand. The idea for the business name, Keto Cacao, came quickly as it’s inspired by the Keto lifestyle combined with cacao. image
Describe the process of launching the business.
We had our MVP launch at the end of February 2018 at a famous chocolate event in Amsterdam called Chocoa Festival. An event for real chocolate aficionados, which was a great way to receive feedback and sell some bars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZqcsIx9kjI We also started selling the bars via a Shopify site (using a free theme), and I asked my family and friends to help me sell at local fairs. We sold 12.000 bars in 6 months mainly through organic search and Instagram. Selling at local fairs wasn’t really successful. Most of the time we just got to a break-even point. The whole high-fat, low carb lifestyle is still something quite unknown here in the Netherlands, but the interest is slowly growing. When launching the MVP online, we received several reviews from customers in the Netherlands and all over the world, as we’re shipping worldwide. Reviews said that KetoCacao really helped with their cravings, surviving long office hours, and so much more. However, we’ve also received feedback that the taste, packaging, and branding were all things that could be improved. We have this memorable moment where I sent the MVP bars to this lovely famous keto couple called Keto Connect, hoping to receive their honest feedback by email. Little did I know that their review would be uploaded on their Youtube channel (last year among their 400k subscribers now its doubled). It went viral, but they weren’t impressed with the product. That was quite a bummer, but also very motivating as I’ve always seen this first product as an MVP and the more honest and good feedback we get, the better. In the end, I want to create the best high-fat snacks. I want people to enjoy their active life eating good food. All the feedback, good and bad, served as extra energy to take back to R&D, improve the product, and, at the same time, rethink the overall strategy. I think being flexible and open to feedback is something that truly helped me along the way. The evolution of our labels: image A before and after shot of our packaging. The entire "back to R&D" process to improve the taste and texture of the bars and rebuild the brand took longer than expected. I’ve had an “Out of Stock, we’ll be back soon” note on my website for over six months. It was a long period of time, but I needed it to reflect, test new formulas among our early adopters, and have the new designs created for the packaging. During this period, I also worked as a restaurant hostess and privately taught the Dutch language to expats just to earn some extra money. But after many brainstorming sessions together, my freelancer, my father, and I finally fit it all together. We thought it would be better to change the company name to Funky Fat Foods, as the mission is to motivate, empower and inform as many people as possible to eat more healthy fats and skip the sugars. During this process, my father got more involved in the business regarding our strategic planning and logistics. He’s a nomad and travels all year round, however, we talk almost every day by phone to discuss the business. He’s my go-to person. Since August this year, we’re back again with a completely new site, new packaging, and new improved flavors. Now I work in the business full time from home. I spend most of my time on product development, customer service, and sales. I learn so much, and every day I feel it’s only getting more serious and finally starting to develop into an actual business. Our main sales channel at the moment is through our (online) resellers. We can’t thank them enough for their trust. Some of our online resellers have been with us since we launched our MVP, so it’s amazing to see their belief in us.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
Although we were not selling for 6 months after our MVP, we still kept our site up to date with blog articles, monthly newsletters, and personal Instagram stories. We’re consumer-focused and take care of our customers as quickly and correctly as possible. I’ve tried Facebook ads and Instagram ads, although we saw an increase in traffic or likes, there were not many sales. I’m learning more about this at the moment. I believe what is also working for us, is our customer service and the relationships we have created with them. Even today we see huge support from Instagram, as you can talk directly to your (potential) customers all over the world. Basically, just ask them what kind of content they’re interested in, and always reply to their questions. We’ve recently started sharing our struggles and learnings via IG stories and see a growth in our engagement. We try to stay in as much contact with our followers as possible and strive to create good and engaging content through social media. As a result, we have been steadily growing our follower base organically. We also run contests on Instagram in collaboration with other brands and send our bars to micro-influencers, which really help to increase awareness of the brand but there is still a lot of room to grow in this area. image
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
We’re now reaching 20k a month in sales but not yet profitable. Our product costs are high as we’re producing handmade organic chocolate in small quantities, (compared to the big boys). Having an adequate stock is our biggest challenge at the moment, it’s difficult to forecast. New resellers introduce themselves almost every day, and some of them are placing orders for a large part of our stock. The bars have a shelf life of a year (as we don’t use fillers or preservatives) and investing in stock is locking up cash. We experience that the demand is always higher than we can actually supply. I believe once we can get our production on track, our batches and revenue will accelerate so this is my main focus for now. The goal is to enter organic retail here in Europe and meanwhile create more high-fat snacks. I’m also working on creating more valuable, informative and motivational, content for our social media platforms and our site. For the future, I hope to find the right distribution partner in the US and Australia as we experience a growing interest there. For myself, I would like to spend more time in creating different high-fat products and empowering people on a personal level via seminars and events.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
I am very grateful that until now, it has been such a learning experience. When starting, I was quite naive when it comes to working agreements and collaborations. In the end, most of your assumptions will turn out completely wrong, but you will only know this if you go out and do it. I misjudged the logistical part of the business. We have a long lead-time and can experience transport issues during the summer period. There is always a summer going on somewhere and our chocolate bars above 30 degrees celsius would turn into a chocolate mousse. Delivering or crossing the whole latitude zone between 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south needs cooled/conditioned transport. Sales via our online shop can be improved. We have the site running on Squarespace and the check-out on Shopify, which doesn’t work in our favor for SEO, so we will be switching this soon to one complete Shopify theme. Also, our high shipping costs cause early checkouts. image As I started selling my MVP right away to resellers, they, of course, wanted a continuous supply of stock. So, take the time to plan your inventory properly. I’m definitely not there yet as I’m making countless mistakes, but I try to see them as lessons and keep going. I know now that we have a product that is perfect for retail and less perfect for worldwide shipping, which is the complete opposite of the idea I had when starting. It’s a really likable product that consumers love to have in their hands. Though, local (online) resellers can distribute it more cost-efficiently in their territories.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
Funkyfatfoods.com is run on Shopify, which I think is the best platform for e-commerce business. As far as other tools I use:
And we’ll start with Recharge on Shopify soon to offer subscription models
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
Books:
The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz A diet book that changed my whole perspective on eating fat.
Lean Startup by Eric Ries. I’ve read this while in college and implemented the three principles into Funky Fat Foods: Understand the problem, Create an MVP, Experiment and measure.
This is Marketing by Seth Godin. This gave me a great insight to understand to whom you are selling and the story to tell.
Podcasts:
The Keto Answers - Dr.Anthony. If you want to know more about the low-carb/keto lifestyle in a fun and informative way.
Manifestation Babe. I love listening to Kathrin. Her personal story and implementable tips are amazing.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
If you are just starting a business, you may be uncertain about how to proceed. This fear is your ego (the voice in your head) that tries to keep you in your comfort zone. Your ego wants to protect you against the unknown, but that won’t make you grow. This means taking action, and I believe in the well-known quote "learn by doing". For me, a concept is strong if I immediately feel the passion for a product or service and it adds more value to our lives and if it radiates diversity and dares to be a market leader. Also when starting, a lot of tasks are ones that you can do yourself, so don’t wait for the perfect moment, the right partners, more money, or a big team to get things going. You can use the Golden Circle from Simon Sinek - Why, how, what. Once you have this clear for yourself, then you can make a step-by-step plan of what you need to start testing, adapting, and growing!
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
I’m always on the lookout for talented people (we also work with people who work remotely) who have a passion for health and want to be part of this journey to make it a success.
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below! Liked this text interview? Check out the full interview with photos, tools, books, and other data. For more interviews, check out starter_story - I post new stories there daily. Interested in sharing your own story? Send me a PM
$20K/month selling high-fat, nutritious snacks [no sugar, no crap]
Hey - Pat from StarterStory.com here with another interview. Today's interview is with Louisa Mesquita Bakker of Funky Fat Foods, a brand that makes high-fat nutritious snacks Some stats:
Product: High-Fat Nutritious Snacks
Revenue/mo: $20,000
Started: February 2018
Location: Amsterdam
Founders: 1
Employees: 1
Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
Hi there, I’m Louisa Mesquita Bakker from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I’m 26 years old, and last year I launched my food company Funky Fat Foods. Our first product is called KetoCacao, which is a line of low-carb/high-fat chocolate bars. We only use high-quality ingredients to help our customers feel and perform their best. There is no sugar, no soy, no fillers; no crap. By keeping the ingredients to a minimum, we preserve the quality and nutritional benefits of cacao. Our chocolate bars don’t spike insulin levels and have extra healthy fats from MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) for more energy and satiation. We believe it’s all about getting long-lasting energy from fat instead of a quick fix from sugar. We sell our products via our online store and (international) resellers. Our clients vary from active keto/low-carb followers, vegans, diabetics and sports enthusiasts. I’ve launched the MVP in February 2018, we’re now making $20.000 revenue per month, and we're still testing and adapting as we go. image
What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about health, sports, and nutrition. Growing up, my parents owned a health store and were the distributors of mineral water brands from around the world. In our family, talking about health and nutrition is something we do all the time (which can be a little annoying for friends and boyfriends). After I graduated from a Business study program in 2017, I went traveling in South America. One of the many things I did was visit different cacao farms because I just found it so fascinating and wanted to learn more about it. image I was so intrigued by the beauty of cacao and its health benefits. I love dark chocolate but never knew about the tremendous cacao varieties. During this trip, I spent a lot of time reading articles from different doctors in the US who specialize in natural treatments, health, and longevity. At this time, I was already eating low-carb, but when I came across the ketogenic lifestyle, it was such an eye-opener for me. Before keto, I was constantly having food cravings, feeling bloated, tired, and my hormones were all over the place. I never understood why. I already ate quite “healthy;" a lot of fruit and starchy vegetables while keeping fat to a minimum. I was afraid of eating fat, as they are calorie-dense. Back then I believed this would make me gain weight. Well, now I know better. When I first started Keto, I couldn't find an honest high-fat, low carb chocolate bar with MCTs, high cacao content, and simple ingredients. Especially a tasty one. Of course, there’s chocolate made of 100% cacao and nothing else, but the taste is not for everyone because it’s quite bitter. I did some market research and realized it was not just me - there was a huge demand/need for a bar like that in the market. So I thought to myself, “well, let’s just make one!” I had no expertise in chocolate making, let alone starting a business, but I felt I had to take the risk.
Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.
My process started with market research on what was already out there in terms of low-carb chocolate with natural ingredients. During this research, I learned that if you want your body to absorb all the good nutrients from cacao, like fat, minerals, and antioxidants it should not be mixed with sugar or dairy products. This includes also other natural sweeteners like honey or agave syrup. I didn’t want to use Maltitol (which you’ll find often in bars) because these still spike insulin levels. Then I came across Erythritol, which is a natural sweetener that has a glycemic index of 0 and doesn’t have a "medical aftertaste" like other sweeteners such as stevia. At first, my mom joined me in Brazil, and we visited many different chocolate factories. I thought it was important for manufacturing to stay close to the source of the cacao. But even though I’m half Brazilian, there are still a lot of cultural differences to my Dutch roots. I call it the mañana mañana mentality. Not only did I have trouble finding a factory that fit with my style of working, but I also couldn’t find one who had experience in making sugar-free, lactose-free or soy-free chocolate. To top it all off, the MOQs for making the MVP was way too high for me. So, I went back to Europe and visited almost every chocolate seminars/fairs I could find. That’s where I met an award-winning chocolatier who believed in my idea, but who was also able to produce small quantities at his factory. I was already adding MCTs to coffee and shakes myself, so I knew I wanted to include this in the bars as well, as it’s such a great energy source. There was no chocolate like that in the market back then, so I spent a lot of my time researching the right ingredients and sourcing them. I had a small budget, so I had to test the market before producing high quantities. Looking back at this period, I truly believe you have to share your ideas with others cause you never know who can help you. I personally formulated our first product and worked with the chocolatier to bring it into life. After a lot of testing with flavors, going back and forth from the manufacturer, sharing samples with friends and family, the first formula was approved. It took around three months. image Luckily, I was able to produce a very small batch from a loan I got from my family. This process took another three months. Everything was handmade, and fortunately, I could use existing molds from the factory. The bars were packed in a white flow pack, so at home, together with my mom and friends, I labeled all the packs with stickers (front and back). During this period of R&D, I started working with an intern to get branding and social media-ready before launching. We created an Instagram, a Facebook account, and a landing page to already share the feeling behind the brand and create awareness. It started as a very feminine and a bit rebellious brand. The idea for the business name, Keto Cacao, came quickly as it’s inspired by the Keto lifestyle combined with cacao. image
Describe the process of launching the business.
We had our MVP launch at the end of February 2018 at a famous chocolate event in Amsterdam called Chocoa Festival. An event for real chocolate aficionados, which was a great way to receive feedback and sell some bars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZqcsIx9kjI We also started selling the bars via a Shopify site (using a free theme), and I asked my family and friends to help me sell at local fairs. We sold 12.000 bars in 6 months mainly through organic search and Instagram. Selling at local fairs wasn’t really successful. Most of the time we just got to a break-even point. The whole high-fat, low carb lifestyle is still something quite unknown here in the Netherlands, but the interest is slowly growing. When launching the MVP online, we received several reviews from customers in the Netherlands and all over the world, as we’re shipping worldwide. Reviews said that KetoCacao really helped with their cravings, surviving long office hours, and so much more. However, we’ve also received feedback that the taste, packaging, and branding were all things that could be improved. We have this memorable moment where I sent the MVP bars to this lovely famous keto couple called Keto Connect, hoping to receive their honest feedback by email. Little did I know that their review would be uploaded on their Youtube channel (last year among their 400k subscribers now its doubled). It went viral, but they weren’t impressed with the product. That was quite a bummer, but also very motivating as I’ve always seen this first product as an MVP and the more honest and good feedback we get, the better. In the end, I want to create the best high-fat snacks. I want people to enjoy their active life eating good food. All the feedback, good and bad, served as extra energy to take back to R&D, improve the product, and, at the same time, rethink the overall strategy. I think being flexible and open to feedback is something that truly helped me along the way. The evolution of our labels: image A before and after shot of our packaging. The entire "back to R&D" process to improve the taste and texture of the bars and rebuild the brand took longer than expected. I’ve had an “Out of Stock, we’ll be back soon” note on my website for over six months. It was a long period of time, but I needed it to reflect, test new formulas among our early adopters, and have the new designs created for the packaging. During this period, I also worked as a restaurant hostess and privately taught the Dutch language to expats just to earn some extra money. But after many brainstorming sessions together, my freelancer, my father, and I finally fit it all together. We thought it would be better to change the company name to Funky Fat Foods, as the mission is to motivate, empower and inform as many people as possible to eat more healthy fats and skip the sugars. During this process, my father got more involved in the business regarding our strategic planning and logistics. He’s a nomad and travels all year round, however, we talk almost every day by phone to discuss the business. He’s my go-to person. Since August this year, we’re back again with a completely new site, new packaging, and new improved flavors. Now I work in the business full time from home. I spend most of my time on product development, customer service, and sales. I learn so much, and every day I feel it’s only getting more serious and finally starting to develop into an actual business. Our main sales channel at the moment is through our (online) resellers. We can’t thank them enough for their trust. Some of our online resellers have been with us since we launched our MVP, so it’s amazing to see their belief in us.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
Although we were not selling for 6 months after our MVP, we still kept our site up to date with blog articles, monthly newsletters, and personal Instagram stories. We’re consumer-focused and take care of our customers as quickly and correctly as possible. I’ve tried Facebook ads and Instagram ads, although we saw an increase in traffic or likes, there were not many sales. I’m learning more about this at the moment. I believe what is also working for us, is our customer service and the relationships we have created with them. Even today we see huge support from Instagram, as you can talk directly to your (potential) customers all over the world. Basically, just ask them what kind of content they’re interested in, and always reply to their questions. We’ve recently started sharing our struggles and learnings via IG stories and see a growth in our engagement. We try to stay in as much contact with our followers as possible and strive to create good and engaging content through social media. As a result, we have been steadily growing our follower base organically. We also run contests on Instagram in collaboration with other brands and send our bars to micro-influencers, which really help to increase awareness of the brand but there is still a lot of room to grow in this area. image
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
We’re now reaching 20k a month in sales but not yet profitable. Our product costs are high as we’re producing handmade organic chocolate in small quantities, (compared to the big boys). Having an adequate stock is our biggest challenge at the moment, it’s difficult to forecast. New resellers introduce themselves almost every day, and some of them are placing orders for a large part of our stock. The bars have a shelf life of a year (as we don’t use fillers or preservatives) and investing in stock is locking up cash. We experience that the demand is always higher than we can actually supply. I believe once we can get our production on track, our batches and revenue will accelerate so this is my main focus for now. The goal is to enter organic retail here in Europe and meanwhile create more high-fat snacks. I’m also working on creating more valuable, informative and motivational, content for our social media platforms and our site. For the future, I hope to find the right distribution partner in the US and Australia as we experience a growing interest there. For myself, I would like to spend more time in creating different high-fat products and empowering people on a personal level via seminars and events.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
I am very grateful that until now, it has been such a learning experience. When starting, I was quite naive when it comes to working agreements and collaborations. In the end, most of your assumptions will turn out completely wrong, but you will only know this if you go out and do it. I misjudged the logistical part of the business. We have a long lead-time and can experience transport issues during the summer period. There is always a summer going on somewhere and our chocolate bars above 30 degrees celsius would turn into a chocolate mousse. Delivering or crossing the whole latitude zone between 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south needs cooled/conditioned transport. Sales via our online shop can be improved. We have the site running on Squarespace and the check-out on Shopify, which doesn’t work in our favor for SEO, so we will be switching this soon to one complete Shopify theme. Also, our high shipping costs cause early checkouts. image As I started selling my MVP right away to resellers, they, of course, wanted a continuous supply of stock. So, take the time to plan your inventory properly. I’m definitely not there yet as I’m making countless mistakes, but I try to see them as lessons and keep going. I know now that we have a product that is perfect for retail and less perfect for worldwide shipping, which is the complete opposite of the idea I had when starting. It’s a really likable product that consumers love to have in their hands. Though, local (online) resellers can distribute it more cost-efficiently in their territories.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
Funkyfatfoods.com is run on Shopify, which I think is the best platform for e-commerce business. As far as other tools I use:
And we’ll start with Recharge on Shopify soon to offer subscription models
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
Books:
The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz A diet book that changed my whole perspective on eating fat.
Lean Startup by Eric Ries. I’ve read this while in college and implemented the three principles into Funky Fat Foods: Understand the problem, Create an MVP, Experiment and measure.
This is Marketing by Seth Godin. This gave me a great insight to understand to whom you are selling and the story to tell.
Podcasts:
The Keto Answers - Dr.Anthony. If you want to know more about the low-carb/keto lifestyle in a fun and informative way.
Manifestation Babe. I love listening to Kathrin. Her personal story and implementable tips are amazing.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
If you are just starting a business, you may be uncertain about how to proceed. This fear is your ego (the voice in your head) that tries to keep you in your comfort zone. Your ego wants to protect you against the unknown, but that won’t make you grow. This means taking action, and I believe in the well-known quote "learn by doing". For me, a concept is strong if I immediately feel the passion for a product or service and it adds more value to our lives and if it radiates diversity and dares to be a market leader. Also when starting, a lot of tasks are ones that you can do yourself, so don’t wait for the perfect moment, the right partners, more money, or a big team to get things going. You can use the Golden Circle from Simon Sinek - Why, how, what. Once you have this clear for yourself, then you can make a step-by-step plan of what you need to start testing, adapting, and growing!
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
I’m always on the lookout for talented people (we also work with people who work remotely) who have a passion for health and want to be part of this journey to make it a success.
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below! Liked this text interview? Check out the full interview with photos, tools, books, and other data. For more interviews, check out starter_story - I post new stories there daily. Interested in sharing your own story? Send me a PM
Cacao packs in more calcium than cow’s milk. It’s densely packed with iron, magnesium and antioxidants. Consuming cacao can help with issues such as depression, stress, blood pressure and heart health. How to Incorporate Cacao into Your Diet. If you have never eaten cacao before, be prepared for a taste that you may find bitter. Cacao trees are delicate plants that live in the tropical forests and require other, taller trees to shelter them from wind and sun.. The fruit is a big pod that forms directly on the trunk and older growth of the tree. It kind of looks like a squash and smells like one too. Health Benefits: Cacao is hormone-balancing and works to boost your serotonin levels in the body. Cacao also contains compounds that when reacted in the body can lower your overall level of cortisol, otherwise known as the stress hormone. Cacao is incredible for vibrant, healthy skin because it contains flavonoidsthat work to increase blood flow to the skin’s surface. This increased blood flow will promote cell regeneration which Health Benefits of Cacao Nibs. Here are 10 wonderful nutritional benefits from eating these power packed little beans: Tons of Antioxidants. Cacao nibs have more antioxidants than other superfoods, almost 4 times the antioxidants of dark chocolate! Antioxidants are vital to our health because they fight damage to our cells done by free radicals. Raw cacao is also anti-inflammatory, further increasing the benefits that this powerful superfood has on the heart as well as lowering the risk for heart disease. Raw Cacao is also beneficial for digestion: Cacao beans are the seeds (beans) of the cacao fruit. All seeds have a high nutritional content. Health benefits of cocoa include decreased inflammation, improved heart and brain health, blood sugar and weight control and healthy teeth and skin. Health Benefits. Raw cacao is full of antioxidants called flavanols. Eating foods rich in flavanols has a variety of health benefits for your body, including the following: Heart Protection Cacao is a great source of four scientifically proven bliss chemicals – serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine. These neurotransmitters are associated with cosy feelings of wellbeing, happiness, and can even alleviate depression. A natural, healthy, delicious (and legal) way to get your happy buzz on. Health Benefits of Cacao/Cocoa Researchers at the University of California, Davis , determined that bioactives called procyanidins in cocoa have potent antiangiogenic effects through their ability to stop the signals activating blood vessel cells, which can lead to various diseases such as cancer, skin diseases, age-related blindness, diabetic ulcers, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and more.
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE!: https://bit.ly/2OsRhsiCarob is a nutritious and tasty powder that can be made fresh using ripe carob pods. The carob tree (Ceratonia sil... Cacao contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease our bodies ability to breakdown anandamide. This means that natural anandamide and/or cacaoanandamide may stick around longer, making us feel good ... Cacao Fruit nutrition facts and health benefits. Cacao (or cocoa) fruit is native to Colombia. Chocolate is derived from the seeds (or pods) of the cacao. Ca... On this episode of Healthytarian Living, holistic teacher Evita Ochel (https://www.evitaochel.com) shares how to eat an avocado. The video includes a demo of... Skip navigation John from http://www.okraw.com travels to Maui, Hawaii to Interview Jeremy Safron who is credited with introducing raw cacao to the raw foods movement. We ... How to eat figs with or without skin exotic fruit benefits and taste test with Jerry! Help us reach 250,000 SUBSCRIBERS https://goo.gl/OSFrMsFOLLOW http:... How to open and eat cocoa (cacao) fruit/pod/ Health benefits of cocoa powder. see more on Cocoa: http://www.medicinalplants-pharmacognosy.com/herbs-medicinal-plants/cocoa-cacao/ Cocoa benefits. (Cacao) Scientific name. Uses and medicin... see more on Cocoa: http://www.medicinalplants-pharmacognosy.com/herbs-medicinal-plants/cocoa-cacao/Cocoa benefits. (Cacao) Scientific name. Uses and medicina...
