Cocoa is a tree from America that produces a fruit of the same name that can be used as an ingredient for foods among which chocolate stands out. Its use dates back to the time of the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas, and since then it has been used for both nutritional and medical purposes. Cocoa has a high fat index (especially saturated, and to a lesser extent, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), carbohydrates and proteins, but also contains magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, theobromine, caffeine, antioxidants and water, among others. Cocoa has a high energy input, so it is recommended to those people who do sports or physical exercise intensely. It contains 50% fat in the form of shortening, between 11 and 12% of proteins, 7 and 8% of starch, and the rest is constituted by water, fiber, essential organic acids and in smaller quantities it has sugar, theobromine, caffeine and 300 more substances.

Benefits :

Some of the health benefits attributed to Cocoa are:

– Food with a higher content of antioxidants.
– The highest magnesium content is found mainly in its crude form.
– Prevents cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, liver, gastric, colon, and diabetes.
– Relieves stress thanks to theobromine.
– It lowers the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases the good (HDL).
– Excellent for sexual performance. It stimulates endorphins in the brain responsible for feelings of well-being, pleasure euphoria and excitement. A great antioxidant for the skin thanks to its flavonoids that protect against cellular damage exerted by free radicals. It is a natural photoprotector, so it can help to prevent skin cancer.