Chocolate is the only food that lowers my blood
pressure within minutes of consuming, and
surprisingly, it also lowers my blood sugar as well. 
Not everyone eats it it combined with boatloads of
sugar, soy leth, milk fat etc. 

It's basically a berry, and has been eaten by
indigenous peoples for at least a thousand, and very
likely, much longer.  I buy it in it's raw state, from
a source that tests for lead.  As far as children and
chocolate, it's not addictive, it does not cause
hyperactivity, and it's not a drug, it's just another
food.  My 7 year old consumes it regularly with zero
negative effects, as do my wife and I. I usually blend
it with coconut milk, a raw egg, and a tiny bit of
stevia.

Here's my source,

http://tinyurl.com/243ep8

On the Life Extension Foundation site, I read some
info on the Kuna Indians who consume large amounts of 
cocoa, and later, found this on the web.

"Researchers discovered that the island-dwelling Kuna
had remarkably healthy blood pressure levels, and do
not experience the same age-related increases in blood
pressure common to those in other parts of the world.
The scientists wanted to figure out whether this could
be attributed to genetics, so they examined Kuna who
had moved to mainland Panama City. They found that
those tribe members who had left the islands
experienced increases in blood pressure, indicating
genetic make-up was not solely responsible for the
healthy blood pressure of the island-dwelling Kuna,
and that other factors—including diet—must be
positively affecting their blood pressure"....

Full article pasted below.......




THE KUNA ANCIENT COCOA BEVERAGE

You may be aware of chocolate's ancient origins, with
the Olmec and Aztec Indians in Mexico during the Post
Classic period. To these civilizations, chocolate, or
"chocolatl", as it was referred to by the Aztecs, was
considered the food of the gods, and was reserved only
for royalty and the elite. In its earliest
incarnation, chocolate was prepared as a hot, frothy
beverage, flavored with chili peppers and other
spices. A few hundred years later, the Aztec leader
Montezuma introduced conquistador Hernando Cortez to
the revered beverage, which set chocolatl on the path
to becoming the chocolate we know and love today.
While most modern-day chocolate products are consumed
as confections and hot cocoa beverages, there are some
communities that have remained true to the chocolatl
form loved by ancient civilizations. The Kuna Indians
of Panama, for example, are a strong-knit tribe who
still enjoy a cocoa beverage similar to the chocolatl
consumed by the Aztecs over a thousand years ago.

The Kuna Indians live on a chain of more than 360
islands off the Atlantic coast of Panama called San
Blas Archipelago, as well as a strip of coastal land
northeast of Panama City that extends to the Columbian
boarder. They are said to have fled to Panama's coast
more than 500 years ago to escape the Spanish
conquistadors, who were responsible for the Aztecs'
demise. Somewhat isolated from the progress of the
surrounding areas, the group has been able to remain
steadfast in their ancient traditions, including the
regular consumption of a traditional cocoa beverage
which scientists now believe might be the secret to
the Kuna's health.

While the island-dwelling Kuna Indians are known only
by the most adventurous of tourists, the tribe has
recently received some scientific attention.
Researchers discovered that the island-dwelling Kuna
had remarkably healthy blood pressure levels, and do
not experience the same age-related increases in blood
pressure common to those in other parts of the world.
The scientists wanted to figure out whether this could
be attributed to genetics, so they examined Kuna who
had moved to mainland Panama City. They found that
those tribe members who had left the islands
experienced increases in blood pressure, indicating
genetic make-up was not solely responsible for the
healthy blood pressure of the island-dwelling Kuna,
and that other factors—including diet—must be
positively affecting their blood pressure.

When their diet was analyzed by researchers, it was
discovered that the Kunas still living in San Blas
consumed up to five cups a day of a number of
different cocoa-based beverages. While other dietary
and lifestyle factors may favorably influence blood
pressure among the island-dwelling Kuna, the
prominence of these cocoa beverages in their diet led
these researchers to speculate that perhaps something
in the cocoa itself has been contributing to the
Kuna's healthy blood pressure levels. The cocoa powder
used in these traditional beverages was subsequently
found to be a rich source of monomeric and oligomeric
flavanols (procyanidins).

Researchers have been investigating the possibility
that these flavanols—found in high quantities in the
cocoa beverage—may be linked to the healthy blood
pressure the island-dwelling Kuna experience. Clinical
research studies are currently being conducted to
investigate this hypothesis. One study, conducted at
Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard University,
looks at the role of flavanols on blood flow through
the peripheral arteries. Preliminary data suggests
that flavanols may acutely and chronically improve
blood flow through the peripheral vasculature. In
addition, some research also suggests that flavanols
may favorably impact blood flow through the kidneys.
These observed changes in blood flow in response to
cocoa consumption are believed to be partly due to
changes in the availability of nitric oxide (NO), a
signaling molecule known for its ability to control
the flow of blood through the arteries and arterioles.
The epidemiological and clinical data together suggest
that the flavanols present in cocoa may have important
vascular benefits.

It seems the Kuna Indians have been the long-time
keepers of Montezuma's revered secret ingredient,
which, through science, has become important health
news for the modern world.







 


 
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