Cocoa is a fruit with a hard shell and a color that ranges from whitish yellow to dark red. From these fully fermented and processed seeds, the part used in chocolate, the cocoa butter, is extracted.
The beans are very rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties. The pulp contains fiber, glucose and sucrose, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, niacin and minerals such as magnesium, copper, chromium, manganese, zinc, iron, phosphorus and calcium and a large amount of antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals , preventing diseases.
Cocoa also contains phytonutrients such as phenylethylamine, theobromine, catechin, epicatechins, and many polyphenols, such as flavonoids, which benefit the nervous and cardiovascular systems. and they help improve blood flow in the brain. It contains tryptophan, which is important in the production of serotonin.