Snack Sensation: Incaliving’s Organic Cacao Nibs Delight

Jenny H., a working mom of four from Illinois wrote, “When it comes to [Incaliving’s Cacao] Nibs, I literally have that perfect on-the-go healthy snack the whole family enjoys!”

Thanks for the praise Jenny H. and it’s so true given that Incaliving’s organic and raw Cacao Nibs (4oz 114g package) have no added sugar and are ideal for snaking on throughout the day, to add to any delicious baking recipe or as a spectacular treat when added to yogurt, trail mixes or smoothies.

Cacao nibs are delicious superfood chunks of unsweetened cacao, made from the same cacao beans utilized in Incaliving’s Cacao Powder (link to cacao powder), which means some of the finest and purest organic cacao in the world.

Potential Health Benefits

Antioxidant Powerhouse:

First, unlike processed dark chocolate, antioxidants are preserved in raw cacao and may contribute to higher levels of antioxidants, like: oligomeric, procyanidins, resveratrol, and polyphenols (Garcia et al, 3). In fact, the antioxidants available in cacao are higher than most red wines and teas (Lee et al, 4), and a Harvard study demonstrated more antioxidants in cacao than blueberries (Crozier et al, 5).

Overall, there are only a few herbs and spices that could provide higher levels of antioxidants due to cacao containing nearly four times the antioxidants than most foods, but, generally speaking, you rarely can consume enough of these foods to obtain the same amount of antioxidants found in a normal dose of Incaliving’s raw and organic Cacao Nibs.

Anti-Aging Potential:

Cacao may also help with premature aging because of the polyphenols that may help protect your body. According to research, these antioxidants are in the same family as the ones found in red wine and green tea, which may protect cells from oxidation and could help keep you feeling and looking young (Scapagnani et al, 6).

Amazingly, two groups of women in one study consumed high or low flavanol cacao every day for 12 weeks. The group who got the higher amount of flavanol cacao reported firmer skin and less sun damage; this may be due to some of the powerful chemicals that may assist in protecting the skin against ultraviolet sunlight (Mogollon et al, 7). Cacao users may also experience more radiant skin as it potentially improves the skin’s hydration levels and elasticity while possibly helping to decrease the appearance of sunspots (Mogollon et al, 8).

Mood Boost:

Next, cacao may also be linked to better mood (Scholey et al, 9). Cacao nibs contains phenethylamine, which is commonly known as PEA, the feel good neurotransmitter responsible for the feeling of love (Román et al, 10). Therefore, eating raw cacao nibs could possibly raise levels of the natural neurotransmitter serotonin, which may help improve mood and help to fight depression (Pase et al, 11).

Cacao’s Impact on Kidneys, Pancreas, and More:

Incredibly, cacao has been consistently linked to many potential benefits to various organs throughout the body, like possibly helping to elevate issues associated with kidney stones (Becker et al, 12) and may help protect the pancreas (Martín et al, 13).

Cardiovascular Well-Being:

Additionally, cacao nibs may also be linked to cardiovascular system health (Kwok et al, 14) and heart health. For instance, the magnesium in cacao nibs may help in the fight against heart disease by potentially lowering blood pressure. In fact, in one study, when 42 participants received 1,000 mg of cacao per day over the course of three weeks and monitored their blood pressure, they noted a clear decrease in the blood pressure levels during that time (van den Bogaard et al, 15), which may be attributed to the magnesium according to the researchers on the study.

Not only could the magnesium in cacao assist with those suffering from hypertension, it may help with diabetes (Ellam et al, 16), and this is according to more than one study (Shah et al, 17), which is promising news for those looking for a great healthy snack to help fight hunger and the effects of diabetes and/or hypertension.

Also, cacao possibly helps in the fight against high cholesterol since one study demonstrated how consuming cacao shows “decreasing apolipoprotein B and LDL-cholesterol concentrations” (Neufingerl et al, 18).

Weight Management:

Additionally, it may seem counterintuitive but cacao nibs have been shown to possibly help in the fight against weight loss (Andújar et al, 19) and fatigue (Mitchell et al, 20), which goes against the stereotype of moms just eating chocolate on the couch. Cacao also may help the body to recuperate and lose weight during a restful night sleep (Grandner et al, 21). Next, it could impact diet and exercise through cacao’s potential to reduce inflammation (Martínez-Pinilla et al, 22) so it’s a great snack to munch on before or after a workout!

Nutritional Impact:

Amazingly, Incaliving’s raw organic Cacao Nibs offer some of the highest plant sources of iron available with its nearly 7mg (or 39%) of the daily recommended iron intake (Johnston et al, 23). However, it’s not just the iron in cacao that may impact health as one long-term study showed that the theobromine in cacao may help inhibit the enzyme responsible for cancer growth and that it may also help reduce the body’s rapid cell regeneration; additionally, it can potentially help slow tumour growth as well (Martínez-Pinilla et al, 24). Theobromine in cacao nibs may help in fighting tooth decay (Kargul et al, 25) and this is great news for moms, kids and dentists everywhere.

With so many potential healthy benefits packed into Incaliving’s great tasting Cacao Nibs, it’s no wonder it was called the “Food of the gods!”