Chocolate : food for the Gods, you and I…
It’s chocolate week here in the UK. Yes, a whole week dedicated solemnly to all things chocolate.
We all have our favourite type, we are spoiled for choice these days. Chocolatiers have spent years perfecting their signature flavours, we just need to explore and find our favourite combination!
The ‘real’ chocolate
It all starts with cocoa beans produced in pods from the cacao tree. The word Cacao is derived from Theobroma, which literally means “Food of the Gods”. This is the basis for all chocolate. Cacao is the purest form of ‘chocolate’, although bitter in taste, it contains over 300 compounds including: protein, fat, carbohydrates, fibre, iron, zinc, copper, calcium and magnesium. Raw cacao is also known to be one of the top anti-oxidants natural foods. Did you know Cacao has over 40 Times the Antioxidants of Blueberries?
Often cacao butter is present in chocolate too, this is the fattiest part of the fruit and makes up the outer lining of the inside of a single cacao bean, it is also sweeter in taste.
Cocoa powder, wildly available and known, although processed can still retain a large amount of antioxidants and is still excellent for your heart, skin, blood pressure, and even your stress levels.
Did you know?
In its earliest forms, the Mayans used cocoa to create a ritual beverage that was shared during marriage ceremonies, providing one of the first known links between chocolate and romance.
When over processed, cocoa can lose its beneficial properties, and when non- organic, it can often contain toxic chemicals which are used in the processing of the beans.
Choosing organic chocolate with cocoa solids of 72% or over, ensures the best quality and taste. Always read the labels!
One of the many ‘bliss’ chemicals found in chocolate is the lipid anandamide. It’s there in our brain when we feel great. Anandamide is also called “chocolate amphetamine” as it causes changes in blood pressure and blood-sugar levels, leading to feelings of excitement and alertness.
Chocolate on your skin
As a super-food fit for the gods, cacao can be celebrated in various forms; What better time to explore them than this Chocolate Week?
Our chocolate mask proudly contains organic cacao from the Grococo project in Grenada. This high-quality cacao is grown organically and sustainably on the island and processed by the Grenada Chocolate Company keeping the money from the high value end product with the workers and farmers in Grenada.
Cacao on the skin is a great source of anti-oxidants and vitamin E, and just one of the super-food ingredients in Inlight Chocolate Mask.
With aromas of chocolate orange, cacao, baobab and argan oil this mask is the perfect nourishing and indulgent treat. Dr Spiezia recommends using a face mask weekly for ‘a treat that treats’.
Why not enjoy a delicious Neroli bar whilst you wait for the face mask to work its magic? |This chocolate orange bar shares the same organic cocoa as our mask, we think the two will complement each other beautifully…
To all chocolate lovers
If you are heading to London Olympia this weekend for the annual Chocolate Show, be sure to visit the gorgeous Rococo stand. As well as amazing treats, talks and activities, 100 lucky customers will receive a free sample of our chocolate face mask!