How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Sensual and luxurious, chocolate is evocative of desire and indulgence. It warms the heart and abdomen while elevating mood and lifting depression. Chocolate is an aphrodisiac, especially for women for whom chocolate may be addictive. The caffeine in chocolate stimulates brain activity and elevates the mood. Cinnamon or cayenne in hot chocolate enhances these passionate and stimulating qualities.

Medicinal Benefits

Chocolate's role in fertility extends beyond passion to the traditional use of cacao in pregnancy and to ease childbirth. Chocolate's warms and wakes up the reproductive organs - relaxing pelvic muscles during labor while simultaneously shifting a mother's awareness to the muscles of the pelvic floor. The shift in awareness helps her find and engage the muscles to deliver the fetus. Vasodilation of pelvic muscles also helps reduce preclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy).

Chocolate reduces chest congestion by improving circulation in major vessels around the heart and by relaxing bronchial spasms, which is also useful in asthma. In one study chocolate was found to be 3x more effective than codeine at reducing cough, without the drowsy side effects. The antitussive quality is due to theobromine, which suppresses the vagus nerve. Meso-Americans also used chocolate to treat fever.

Contraindications & Limits

Ayurvedically, chocolate aggravates Pitta and Vata primarily. Chocolate is also difficult to digest. Over consumption can leave you feeling nauseous. Its hot quality could leave a mild stinging sensation in the eyes about 15 minutes after eating - an early warning sign of high Pitta.

Chocolate has a reputation for breaking the will of dieters. In one study, chocolate derailed the discipline regimens of 48% of women and 32% of men. With chocolate, a little goes a long way. We recommend a maximum of two squares daily.

Although chocolate has many health benefits, the fats and sugars mixed into chocolate can aggravate Kapha heaviness & mucus congestion. Here are some more supportive ways of preparing chocolate: Try dark chocolate sprinkled with Red Chili, or candied Ginger coated in dark chocolate. Ginger and Red Chili help kindle your metabolic fire (agni) so that you digest the chocolate better.

Chocolate & Loneliness

Chocolate cravings come more intensely in times of loneliness. Add rose to your chocolate which will nourish the heart, leaving you feeling much more satisfied than plain chocolate. Dark chocolate covered almonds with sea salt and protein helps prevent a sugar spike from eating chocolate alone. Salt adds a stimulating taste that helps balance the sweet.

Chocolate is high in magnesium, anti-oxidants and flavonoids. It also contains tryptophan (a serotonin percursor), theobromine (a substance similar to caffeine) and trace amounts of amandamides (which activates the same receptor in the brain as marijuana). All of these factors combine into an alluring substance that is sensual, comforting, rich, and decadent. And, perhaps a little mind altering.

ABOUT CHOCOLATE (CACAO)

Romance may be sealed with a box of chocolates, but passion for chocolate is as eternal as true love. Long before John Cadbury invented the chocolate bar, native meso-american peoples brewed chocolate with medicinal herbs. Chocolate has been used as sacrament and in shamanic ceremony, a practice that continues to this day, for over three millennia. The botanical name of chocolate, 'Theobroma', means "Food of the Gods", a testimony that your affection for chocolate may be as deep as your soul.

BUYING & PREPARATION

On the grocery shelf, chocolate is usually mixed with refined sugars, dairy and fats. Choose dark chocolate with at least 70 per cent cocoa because it has minimal sugar and fat.

Chocolate seeds contain a bitter alkaloid that must be fermented to develop the flavor. After fermentation the beans are dried, cleaned, roasted, and then shelled to reveal the cacao nibs. Since chocolate is more a medicinal herb than a food, the best way to consume chocolate is in small doses.

COOKING CHOCOLATE (CACAO)

Browse Recipes The creamy texture of melted chocolate is a delight for all ages. Whether baked into brownies, chocolate chip cookies, cakes & cupcakes, melted into syrups, fudge, puddings & mousses, candied into truffles and chocolate bars, or served as ice-cream or hot-chocolate, chocolate is a versatile treat and popular food in celebrations and displays of affection.

Melted chocolate can be hardened with nuts & pistachios for texture. Strawberries dipped in chocolate offer a sensual treat, but are a difficult to digest food combination. Instead, dry dipping dried fruits and crystallized ginger into chocolates.

Or, mix cacao with tahini and honey for a luxurious treat. Chocolate, sesame seeds, nuts, cayenne and other spices form the popular Mexican sauce 'mole pablano'.

WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

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Is Chocolate (Cacao) Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Chocolate (Cacao) is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL QUALITIES

INCREASES Increases These Qualities (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main characteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	MOBILE ABOUT MOBILE GUNA Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity. LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE DIFFICULT ABOUT DIFFICULT GUNA Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT HOT ABOUT HOT GUNA Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation. LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	BITTER ABOUT BITTER GUNA Bitter is disagreeable and stimulating rejection, and a strong taste often associated with black coffee, dark chocolate, and most salad greens. LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types People tend to get sick, over and over again, due to similar causes and habitual imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT: Acidifying ACIDIFYING An herb that creates an acidic pH in the blood chemistry. LEARN MORE ABOUT ACIDIFYING , Rajasic RAJASIC Rajasic foods stimulate desire or nervous energy. Red meat, high protein food, garlic and onions stimulate desire. Rajasic foods include chili peppers, coffee, and anything that stimulates movement. LEARN MORE ABOUT RAJASIC TYPE: Ferments ELEMENT: Air AIR Resembles air (vayu) in quality - highly mobile, drying, light, cold, subtle, rough. LEARN MORE ABOUT AIR , Earth EARTH Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard. LEARN MORE ABOUT EARTH NUTRIENT: Antioxidant COLOR: Brown

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Digestion:

Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, colic or IBS.

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Energy Vitality Strength:

Stimulates energy

STIMULATES-ENERGY

This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs

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Heart & Circulation:

Blood Thinner

BLOOD-THINNER

Herbs that thin the blood. Helpful for people with heart disease or clogged circulation.

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Lung and Sinus:

Antitussive

ANTITUSSIVE

Cough suppressant, particularly for dry coughs or a tickle in your throat.

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Bronchodilator

BRONCHODILATOR

An herb that encourages the widening or opening of the lung airways. Helpful in cough and asthma.

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Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Nervine

NERVINE

Herbs that specifically go to the nervous system and brain. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer?s, even chronic pain.

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Reproductive Health:

Aphrodisiac

APHRODISIAC

Herbs that increase sexual arousal through various actions including increased circulation, relaxation, stimulation, or tonics that strengthen glandular health.

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Muscle-Health:

Muscle relaxant

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma.

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