Cocoa

Cocoa beans – fruits of the tree up to 10 meters high growing in Central and South America. What is interesting, only 7 - 9% of all trees of cocoa fructify. And, cocoa begins to fructify a tree only in 3 years after landing.

Actually cocoa is presented in the form of several products received during processing of beans:

• Cocoa mass;
• Cocoa butter;
• Cocoa powder.

Cocoa butter – the most valuable product, it is received use of a method of pressing. The fried and crushed fruits serve as raw materials for receiving powder of cocoa. In principle, powder of cocoa is some kind of withdrawal (result of processing of beans after receiving cocoa butter). And here cocoa mass represents raw materials for the real chocolate, it is received directly in the course of crushing of beans of a plant.

Useful properties and caloric content of cocoa

Except that use of powder of cocoa and oil allows to receive very tasty drinks and confectionery.

The advantage of cocoa consists that it contains the mass of useful substances, namely:

1. Caffeine;

2. Theophylline;

3. Theobromine;

4. Feniletilamin;

5. Proteins;

6. Fatty acids;

7. Zinc;

8. Melanin;

9. Vitamins;

10. Microelements;

11. Polyphenols.

The first three components of cocoa have tonic property, and фенилэтиламин affects an organism as antidepressant. Cocoa butter is especially rich with proteins and fatty acids that provides stabilization of cholesterol as a part of blood. The melanin which is a part of powder of cocoa and cocoa butter, getting into skin, it is capable to absorb sunshine, serving as protection of an organism against burns and a heliosis. Cocoa butter is very rich with vitamin F.

The following belongs to the irreplaceable fatty acids which are a part of cocoa:

• Stearin;
• Palmitic;
• Olein;
• Linolenic.

All these fatty acids, and also other useful microelements and polyphenols provide the following properties, as makes special advantage of cocoa:

1. Regenerating;

2. Immunomodulatory;

3. Antioxidant;

4. Anticarcinogen.

The main elements as a part of cocoa butter are purines (an important component of nucleic acids). Thus, the content of these substances causes use of cocoa for normalization of process of biosynthesis of proteins and enzymes.

The main indicators of nutritiousness of cocoa, per 100 grams of a product:

• Cocoa caloric content - 37 kilocalories;
• Proteins - 24,2 g;
• Fats - 17,5 g;
• Carbohydrates - 31,9 g.

Besides, the advantage of cocoa consists that it serves as an excellent stimulator for production of endorphines, they are called still hormones of joy or happiness. Endorphines promote:

1. Vitality activation;

2. To cerebration strengthening;

3. Increase in working capacity;

4. Improvement of mood;

Use of cocoa

Cocoa mass, as well as cocoa oil, apply as important ingredient in confectionery, pharmaceutical industry and at cosmetics production. Powder of cocoa and oil are obligatory components by production of such products as:

• Chocolate;
• Confectionery;
• Hand cream;
• Lipstick;
• Face cream.

Except chocolate and other sweets, cocoa powder is often used for drinks. For increase in a tone and mood of cocoa recommend to drink in the morning or at noon, it is better to combine it with dried fruits and honey.

Except consumption, powder of cocoa and oil apply to cosmetic procedures. So, useful properties of cocoa butter use for rejuvenation of skin as it makes the toning and healing impact. Very efficiently fight against extensions on a body use of cocoa butter for massage and powder of cocoa for wrappings is. The cocoa butter combination to cognac and overlaying in the form of a mask on hair yields excellent result. Hair become stronger due to stimulation of blood circulation in head skin, they grow better and become more dense.

Cocoa butter - a component of a set of remedies. Use of cocoa in the medical purposes for the first time was offered by the Spanish doctor Antonio Kolmenero de Ledesma at the beginning of the 27th century, and since then it steadily serves improvement of the person.

So, the essential advantage of cocoa causes its use for fight against catarrhal diseases. Cocoa butter in this case has the following effects:

1. Antibechic;

2. Expectorant;

3. Fluidifying of a phlegm.

With the help of cocoa of oil the following diseases treat:

• Bronchitis;
• Quinsy;
• Pneumonia (pneumonia);
• Flu.

At treatment of these diseases, cocoa butter is accepted inside, diluting it with hot milk. It is also possible to grease with cocoa butter a throat. In the period of epidemics of viral diseases doctors recommend to grease a mucous membrane of nasal pass with cocoa butter.

Besides, the considerable advantage of cocoa consists in its use at the following problems with health:

• Inflammation and disorders of intestines;
• Gastric diseases;
• The increased content of cholesterol in blood;
• Cholecystitis;
• Heart diseases.

The advantage of cocoa consists also in removal of excess cholesterol from blood thanks to what it is possible to prevent development of atherosclerosis and to reduce risk of a varicosity. Cocoa butter works as cholagogue means that it can be used at cholecystitis. Essential advantage of cocoa and in its anticarcinogen property that assumes use of cocoa as prevention of tumors.

Besides, cocoa butter has soft laxative effect: drinking for the night on 1 h l. cocoa butter, it is possible to get rid of a lock.

Contraindications and harm from the use of cocoa

Advantage of cocoa and harm – absolutely incomparable concepts. Harm from cocoa can be only in case of use of cocoa of poor quality. So, rancid and acid taste speaks about potential harm of cocoa, you should not use such product. It concerns also all products by which production cocoa is used (chocolate, confectionery, drinks). So, at sleeplessness, overfatigue and a stress of harm from cocoa will not be, unlike reception of a large number of coffee or energy drinks.

Can do harm of cocoa only in case of its use in excessive quantities, and also to people with some diseases, for example, of gout. It is considered that the high caloric content of cocoa does it undesirable in dietary food. Actually the caloric content of cocoa is not high at all, drinks and confectionery with it become caloric only due to addition of sugar and fats

At use of cocoa in the natural form by the healthy adult of contraindications practically does not exist. However there are some recommendations for situations in which use of cocoa can be dangerous:

1. Individual intolerance of powder of cocoa and oil;

2. Children's age up to 3 years;

3. Disbolism at which the use of the products containing purines is undesirable.

Small children should not hurry with introduction to the menu of cocoa as their alimentary system is still insufficiently created, both tonic substances and excess sugar are not necessary to an organism.

It is especially important to think of potential harm of cocoa to persons with the following disturbances of health:

• Allergy to chocolate and products on the basis of powder of cocoa and oil;
• Hyperactivity (at children);
• Obesity.

In these cases use of cocoa without harm for health is possible after approval of the doctor.