I get regular emails called 'The Daily Raw Inspiration' from Jinjee at TheGardenDiet.com. I really liked this one so I thought I'd pass it on...
Finally the scientific raw community is standing up and warning us about Raw Cacao! I absolutely love this talk that Dr. Brian Clement of The Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida gave about the dangers of Raw Cacao, and more particularly, how to get a real life instead of one that relies on stimulants!!!
Interviewer: I remember reading somewhere in one of your articles that you don't recommend raw cacao
Dr. Clement: That's for sure. Raw Cacao is a recreational food with a downside.
Interviewer: Everything else I've read says its good for you.
Dr. Clement: Of course, enthusiasts, people selling raw cacao are going to tell you it is good for you.
Interviewer: Can you please tell me why you do not think of it as good....
Dr. Clement: It is one of many "False Foods and Substances" (which is also the name of an article by Dr. Clement). There are many popular culture trends within the living food community. The pop culture trend of raw cacao is dangerous because chocolate, raw or not, is a stimulant and acts exactly like caffeine. Scientists at Florida Atlantic University told me that eating just 1 of the beans is like taking a gram of caffein.The reason we like these recreational foods is because we're really not ready to do what's right. We're not ready to eat what's going to build our bodies. We still want to have fun and we want to pacify our addictions. And nobody I know just eats raw chocolate. You put ungodly things that are high, high, high sugars like Agave syrup with it. Of course, the same people who tell you raw cacao is good are going to tell you Agave is low glycemic, is good for you. The real scientific community found that agave acts much the same way that corn syrup acts in your body. And so why you like it is because it is giving you a stimulant, its giving you a high, and its feeding your sugar monster. And just because someone who is not a scientist tells you that its good for you, you want to be pacified and go ahead and do it. My hope is that everyone gets to the point where food is no longer a recreational activity....That you get to the point where food is a fuel, and now you have fun in your life because you have a real life.....That food is no longer the ritual that gives us a high, gives us a kick, or pacifies a monster.....That we eat food and now we have life, we have fun, we have true recreation, we do sports, we're outside, we're with nature, we fall in love, we have good friendships, - that's what life's about. Its not food focused. Food focused is what I was at one point because I was trained by the culture that all of us live within and reside within that food was a social norm, that food was something you did to pacify your emotional state.... And so I became very good at it....I became 240 lbs. good at it! And the fact of the matter is until you develop a confidence in yourself, a security in yourself, and honor yourself, and understand yourself a little bit, and have the joy of life - you are going to use addictive substances like food. If food is not enough for you you'll go right on to booze, which is a drug, or even worse than that. And all of us seemlingly today want a stimulant to live, including raw chocolate and agave syrup, rather than becoming conscious enough so you don't need any of that and you're just enjoying that consciousness and just enjoying yourself because you see the goodness in life!
To hear Dr. Clement's talk and for loads more information about the dangers of raw cacao visit....http://www.TheGardenDiet.com/cacao.htmlIn Joy!Jinjeehttp://www.TheGardenDiet.com
1 comment:
I have never been able to eat the raw cacoa without getting so shakey. I get shakey from any chocolate ( I haven't eaten it in years) but the raw stuff was so much worse. Like expresso vs. regular coffee!! Thanks for sharing this. Your blog is always a joy to me! Love, Amy
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