Food of the Gods*

Theobroma cacao or raw chocolate. So Yum. Kinda bittersweet, but when combined with milk, cinnamon, honey and a little cayenne - it makes an authentic Aztec treat. Not exactly hot chocolate because cacao doesn't melt, but if you grind the cacao into a powder it blends right in. Beyond yummy, cacao has many health benefits (these are all the benefits that "they" say that chocolate has - but by the time chocolate becomes candy, it has lost all of its medicinal qualities). Check this out:

"Once utilized as a form of currency in Aztec society, raw Cacao seeds are a true superfood, being high in protein, beneficial fats, vitamins and minerals. Raw Cacao is reported to be the richest natural source for magnesium, an important mineral highly deficient in modern diets. The raw seeds are also surprisingly high in vitamin C and an excellent source of natural sulfur, a mineral associated with healthy skin, nails, hair and proper liver and pancreas function. Raw Cacao is the most medicinal of any chocolate product, containing the highest levels of immune- enhancing antioxidant polyphenols, procyanidins and other flavonoids known to protect against a wide array of ailments, especially heart disease."

But the best news is that cacao has "euphoric aphrodisiacal qualities" which creates a "tactile sensation that is raised to a level of bodily ecstasy. A calm, warm glow of being incarnate, a gentle power courses through the limbs, that perfect feeling of fulfillment and pleasure, like curling up on a soft rug with a friend in front of a winter fireplace."

Yum.

I got all this info from Botanical Preservation Corps, my new favorite herb nerd site.

*Also, I just read that it diminishes the appetite. What's not to love about cacao?