Legal drug cocoa? This is how the "narcotic" works.

Chocolate really does make you happy: not only does raw cocoa contain healthy ingredients, eating cocoa can also improve your mood. It is even said to be able to trigger euphoric states similar to mood-altering drugs - and without side effects. We will show you what is really behind it.

THE LONG TRADITION OF COCOA
The Mayas and Aztecs did not use cocoa as food, but rather as a remedy and drug. It was reserved as a valuable remedy for special persons and occasions. Not for nothing was cocoa called "food of the gods". But the chocolate from the supermarket has nothing to do with the "legal drug" that Aztecs and Co. consumed. For one thing, commercial chocolate contains too little cocoa, and moreover, only raw cocoa contains the happiness enhancing active ingredients.

THE EFFECT OF RAW COCOA
The fact that cocoa can actually cause feelings of happiness is due to its ingredients. The bean's main active ingredient is theobromine, which, like caffeine, has an accelerating effect on the pulse, stimulates the circulation and thus has a stimulating effect.

In addition, raw cocoa contains the amino acid tryptophane. It is converted in the body to the happiness hormone serotonin, which raises the mood, inhibits appetite and reduces pain. The same process that takes place when taking drugs. However, typical side-effects such as extreme depression and physical withdrawal symptoms are avoided when eating raw cocoa.

Raw cocoa is also good for your health. Studies have shown that raw cocoa helps to protect the heart and lower blood sugar levels. Cocoa also contains antioxidants that protect us from free radicals. However, since raw cocoa also contains a not inconsiderable amount of histamines, the intake of too high a dose can trigger migraines in some people. In addition, cocoa contains oxalic acid, which can trigger kidney stones in specially predisposed people. You should therefore be careful with the dosage.

COCOA AS A PARTY DRUG?
More and more party people want to profit from the euphoric effect of raw cocoa. The focus here is on the mood-lifting effect of cocoa, and it is also said to raise awareness, make people more relaxed and improve their access to music. However, whether or not you actually feel anything from the "drug" depends very much on your individual constitution and the amount you take in. And as with any other food, the same applies to cocoa: consumed in excessive amounts, it can harm the body.

SO MUCH IS HEALTHY
If you want to supplement your diet with raw cocoa, you should start with a small dose. A teaspoonful of raw cocoa powder or one cocoa bean per day is recommended. You can then slowly increase the amount. If you do not want to take the cocoa pure, you can mix it into your morning shake or smoothie, for example. You can also simply nibble the pure beans between meals. You should always make sure that you don't overdo it, otherwise you might get a headache and nausea.

ONLY RAW COCOA CONTAINS THE RIGHT ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
The highly heated cocoa in industrially processed chocolate contains hardly any healthy and mood-enhancing ingredients. If you want to benefit from the positive effects of cocoa, you should therefore consume it in its raw form. With cocoa in raw form, care is taken during fermentation to ensure that the temperature does not rise above 42 degrees. This preserves the enzyme activity of the cocoa bean.

However, even if you eat raw cocoa, the effect is only felt after a certain amount has been consumed. And even this has not been scientifically proven. Some doctors claim that the euphoric effect is purely a placebo effect. On the contrary, regular cocoa "consumption" can help against a variety of ailments and can help you stay healthy and fit.