Yesterday I have posted a picture of our sweet treat I have prepared with organic ingredients I had on hand, among them cocoa nibs. I got to say lately we're so overwhelmed with all these trendy foods we forget to learn about them, we only see what they sell. It's good to learn about food, ways of eating it and its benefits. That's the reason today we will talk about COCOA NIBS from the healthy perspective and how to use them, as for instance I did, with my Cocoa Shake (which btw, is absolutely delicious for your sweet cravings).

What do you know about cocoa nibs? Well, I would consider them as superfood as blueberries! They have antioxidant properties helping you to stay young and fresh inside-out and a good amount of flavonoids that according to some studies would prevent cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Remember we are talking about the cocoa beans/nibs and not about chocolate! This is why they say the darker the chocolate the better.

Another benefit I knew almost since I was a teenager, was the positive impact that cocoa has on the blood pressure and heart's strength and health (you can find evidence in a published study under the name of "Archives of Internal Medicine") and how this superfood fights against cardiovascular conditions and boosts longevity.

A perfectly healthy treat for you, your kids or anyone visiting.

This is the part that most ladies love about chocolate and cocoa: a perfectly healthy and low-calorie snack which can be addicting (if consumed with sugar especially). Naturally these beans are sugar-free hence they make the perfect snack and sweet-tooth satisfier if eaten alone, providing you with a good amount of fiber (11g of fiber out of 28 g of cocoa nibs!) and that will feel amazing for your digestion and losing weight!

These delicious little bites are also a good source of copper (important for your hemoglobin production) boosting your energy level and produces connecting tissue (the thing that protects your nerves and gives your skin that amazing elasticity that will keep you forever young). Another great sources are manganese and iron, which will help you with building strong bones and immune system.

Now having the good things said, you need to be careful with these goodies too. Cocoa beans contain caffeine as well as theobromine (stimulant) which means that exaggerating with its consumption might cause you anxiety, fast heart rhythms or abnormalities, sleeplessness (oh I have this one proven!). So just make sure you don't overload yourself or...indulge too much on their goodness.

What's your favorite dessert with cocoa? Have you tried cocoa nibs before?