MORINGA + CACAO SUPERFOOD BENEFITS
Moringa is one of those true superfoods that I love almost just as much as I love chocolate! One really can't beat the superior taste of using fresh organic cacao to make a brilliant concoction of Holiday Cacao Moringa Bliss!
A few years ago I worked on a project called Dark Chocolate Decadence where I learned all the amazing healing benefits of Traditional Cacao Use.
“In ceremonial doses, raw cacao is a powerful heart opener that paves the way to transformation through self-love.”
Warrington goes on to describe her interview with Guinevere Short, who has worked with ceremonial cacao at Heart Beats Raw Cacao and Dance Ceremonies which she founded.
WHERE AND WHEN DID CACAO CEREMONIES ORIGINATE?
It’s thought cacao was first used as a health elixir and ceremonial medicine as far back as 1900 BC by the ancestors of Central America, the Olmec people, before becoming a ritualistic medicine used by the Aztec and Mayan cultures. Signifying both life and fertility, it was ingested by Royalty in ceremonial God worship and in sacrificial ritual.
CACAO IS ASSOCIATED WITH UNIVERSAL LOVE – WHY IS THIS? IS THIS WHY WE GIFT CHOCOLATE TO OUR LOVERS?
Due to certain active ingredients that help release ‘feel good’ emotions, cacao is considered a heart opener. Creating feelings of emotional intimacy and pleasure, it has long been considered a luxurious delicacy, especially with the addition of sugar and spices to suit modern palates. Without realizing, we still get to enjoy a small fraction of it’s potential when we eat cacao in a regular chocolate bar. And yes, this is why it has become associated with romantic gestures and pleasurable indulgence!
The best part of working with a raw powder form of cacao is the ease with which one can incorporate it into smoothies, yogurt, deserts and more. In this instance we will be showing you how to create your own Cacao Moringa Bliss Superfood Smoothie using the freshest quality ingredients.
NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF MORINGA
According to Brenda Godinez of MBG:
Moringa is beginning to gain more popularity as a new “superfood” for its highly nutritious profile and powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tissue-protective properties among many other health benefits.
Moringa oleifera, also known as horseradish tree, ben tree, or drumstick tree, is a small tree from India, Pakistan, and Nepal that has been used for generations in Eastern countries to treat and prevent diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, anemia, arthritis, liver disease, and respiratory, skin, and digestive disorders.
Moringa has become popular as a natural leaf powder supplement, although the pods, roots, bark, flowers, seeds, and fruits are also edible.
MORINGA IS PACKED WITH NUTRIENTS
Moringa is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It contains significant amounts of vitamin A, C, and E; calcium; potassium; and protein.
MORINGA IS PACKED WITH ANTIOXIDANTS
Antioxidants fight free radicals, molecules that cause oxidative stress, cell damage, and inflammation.
Moringa contains antioxidants called flavonoids, polyphenols, and ascorbic acid in the leaves, flowers, and seeds.
A study found that leaf extracts had higher antioxidant activity, free-radical-scavenging capacity, and higher inhibition of lipid, protein, and DNA oxidation than flowers and seeds.
This means it prevents the damage and degradation that free radicals cause in the cells of different organs in the body, keeping them healthy and functioning at their best.
MORINGA IS A POWERFUL INFLAMMATION FIGHTER
Inflammation can lead to chronic diseases like diabetes, respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and obesity. Moringa reduces inflammation by suppressing inflammatory enzymes and proteins in the body, and moringa leaf concentrate can significantly lower inflammation in the cells.
CACAO MORINGA BLISS BALLS - RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp moringa powder (We love Moringa from Herbal Cafe!)
70 g Medjool Dates
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 1/2 tablespoons cacao powder
1 tbsp organic, cold pressed coconut oil
1 pinch Himalayan sea salt
1/4 tsp organic vanilla extract
1 tsp raw, unfiltered organic honey
40 g raw, organic cacao
INSTRUCTIONS
- Blend dates in your food processor with all ingredients except cacao.
- Roll the mixture into balls then refrigerate to set. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate over a pan of boiling water and drizzle over the bliss balls.
- Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt and extra moringa powder then return to the fridge or freezer to set.
Recipe adapted from Evelina Ekologisk
DARK CACAO MORINGA TRUFFLES
INGREDIENTS
- 14 medjool dates pitted
- 1.5 cups raw nut combination pecans, cashews, almonDS
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp Moringa
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine nuts and medjool dates in food processor. Pulse until smooth sticky consistency. *If nuts
are frozen can warm in oven to speed up the oils being released.
2. Add in vanilla, salt, cacao powder, and Moringa powder.
3. While mixing, add coconut oil and maple syrup gradually to taste and desired sticky dough-like consistency.
4. Form into 18-20 one inch balls.
5. Roll balls in desired coating.
6. Store in airtight container if serving at a later time