Everyone, and I mean everyone, likes chocolate. However, and to my great disappointment, it’s not the magical health food cure I wish it was.
So it makes me extremely happy that there’s something I can eat that satisfies both my yogi soul and chocolate cravings (while saving the Reese’s Cups and Twix bars for an actual rainy day). Organic cacao nibs are here to save the day!
Eating cacao nibs is pretty much going straight to the source and eating chocolate before it becomes chocolate. Cacao nibs are the bean that chocolate comes from, roasted and cut into tiny bits. They taste a little bitter, nutty, and slightly chocolatey all at the same time, and you can easily add them to a bunch of things, like trail mixes or yogurt.
The absolute best part is that they’re really healthy. Here are five amazing health benefits of organic cacao nibs:
1. Packed Full of Fiber
Processed chocolate doesn’t contain any fiber, but one ounce of cacao nibs has a whopping nine grams! That means that they not only taste good, but help keep your digestive system running smoothly.
2. Tons of Antioxidants
You know how you always hear that dark chocolate is good for you? That’s because it contains more pure cacao than milk chocolate. And cacao has a ton of antioxidants.
Antioxidants help prevent skin damage and premature aging. So grab a bag of organic cacao nibs and get snacking! Your skin will thank you for it later.
3. Lots of Magnesium
One ounce of cacao nibs has sixty-four milligrams of magnesium in it. That might not sound too exciting, but magnesium is essential to our body functioning properly.
It’s involved with body functions like regulating blood pressure and proper muscle function. So if you want a healthy body inside and out, magnesium is definitely your friend. Which means that cacao nibs are the perfect thing to incorporate into your diet.
4. Potassium Galore
I’m not a huge fan of bananas, much to my mom’s dismay, because they’re full of potassium. But I just can’t stand them. So it’s a good thing that cacao nibs have a ton of potassium in them (183 milligrams per ounce), which is essential for health.
If you don’t get enough potassium in your diet, you risk a range of diseases and disorders, from infertility to heart disease to cancer.
Looks like I just found my new banana substitute.
5. Pumping Iron (Kinda)
Cacao nibs are chock-full of iron, with one ounce containing 6 percent of your daily iron needs. This is great news for vegetarians, as it can be difficult to get the proper amount of iron, as non-vegetarians get most of theirs from eating red meat.
What’s not to love about getting your nutrition needs from the stuff that makes chocolate?
You thought I was done with you? Well I have one amazing bonus benefit left…
6. Mood Enhancer!
You know how when you’re sad, you reach for the chocolate because you suddenly feel happier after eating it? Well my friends, that’s all down to cacao.
Cacao works wonders on our neurotransmitters that regulate our mood, especially the ones that relay good feelings. If you’re feeling down, skip the chocolate and reach for the cacao nibs. Not only will you feel better, you’ll be giving your body all kinds of good stuff.
Have you tried organic cacao nibs? What do you use them in? Share with us below!
Sources: Huffington Post and LifeHack
