Looking for low sodium cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is high in sodium but is a good source of calcium.  I can't find a low sodium cottage cheese brand. If I inquire on the internet, I receive results for low fat. Sodium content is similar for some brands, but checking labels is worth it. But I checked Ricotta cheese and it is much lower in sodium, but also different texture. Found this: "Ricotta cheese contains 76.9% less sodium compared to cottage cheese. Both food items are equal in their potassium and phosphorus contents." Ricotta cheese has more iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, and cottage cheese has more copper. Supposedly they taste different, but I think that's because Ricotta has much less salt. Cottage cheese has more liquid (water?) so I think measurements in grams are tricky. Ricotta has more fat, so more calories, but cottage cheese has more sugar and sodium. If you look at the graphs in this article, it looks to me as though Ricotta wins the nutrition race and is safer for those watching salt, which affects a lot of older people. Like me. I've never seen it in anything except dessert or pasta recipes, but tried some on a bowl of fruit today. I was explaining all this to Bob (about 7 a.m.) and he said, what does it taste like? And I said, like library paste. First time I've used this site on nutrition, but it's very thorough.

 https://foodstruct.com/nutrition-comparison-text/ricotta-vs-cheese-cottage-creamed-largeorsmallcurd?

Low Sodium Cottage Cheese - The Kidney Dietitian

Fish is good for elderly

This is good news. Since moving to the Estates I've never eaten so much fish. . .

"Eating fish, already known to be good for your heart, may also help protect your bones against osteoporosis—but the interactions between the fats found in fish and bone mass are complicated, according to new research. Scientists from Tufts, Northeastern, Harvard and Boston University took a fresh look at data from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study following 623 older adults (average age 75) over four years. In general, those with the highest fish intake (three or more weekly servings), especially darker-fleshed fish, experienced lower loss of bone density.

Darker-fleshed fish, which are highest in the healthy omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, include salmon, mackerel, sardines, swordfish and bluefish. Although some of these fish, such as mackerel and swordfish, raise red flags for possible mercury contamination, this is less of a concern for the older people most at risk of osteoporosis than for pregnant and nursing women."

From the Tufts free newsletter. https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/?

Benefits of local honey

Never a dull moment at The Estates. 

I couldn't get the jar of our homegrown (Upper Arlington, Ohio) honey open this morning to make my delicious chocolate-honey de-caf. Even when I was a strong 65, I couldn't get these open (home processed). So, I tucked it inside my waxed amaryllis box and went down to the night watchman (it was about 6:30 a.m.) and asked for help. I even took with me two plastic jar opening strips. Big guy, he  huffed and puffed but he couldn't do it either. So, I told him we needed hot water to loosen the ring seal, so he took it to the back room and did that. After much effort, he was successful. Then there was the sealed lid, so he found a pair of scissors, and finally, success!

"Benefits of Local Honey

Local honey offers various health benefits that can enhance daily wellness. This natural sweetener not only tastes good but also provides important nutrients that support a healthier lifestyle.

Nutritional Advantages

Local honey contains essential vitamins and minerals. It includes vitamin C, calcium, and iron, which contribute to overall health. This sweetener also provides carbohydrates, giving a quick source of energy. Unlike processed sugars, local honey has fewer additives and preservatives, making it a cleaner choice for sweetening foods. The presence of local pollen in honey can boost immune responses. This helps the body build tolerance to local allergens, which can be especially important during allergy season. Choosing local honey means enjoying a product rich in nutrients while also supporting local beekeepers.

Antioxidant Properties

Local honey is rich in antioxidants, which help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. These free radicals can lead to chronic diseases and aging. Antioxidants found in local honey primarily come from plant compounds, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Consuming local honey can aid in reducing inflammation and supporting heart health. Studies show that honey's antioxidant content can be more effective than those in many processed sweeteners. Regular use may help improve overall health by boosting the body's defenses and promoting better well-being. Local honey stands out as a natural choice for enhancing health and combating oxidative stress." . . . 

Why Is Local Honey Better for You? Key Health Benefits — Blythewood Bee Company

Food costs--eggs and walnuts

Remember about 2 weeks after Trump took office and the price of eggs (about $5 a dozen) was beginning to fall, Democrats complained he hadn't fixed it yet. Today, I bought a dozen eggs for 87 cents. Yet they act as though food prices haven't changed!

Speaking of food costs. There is one very healthy food that didn't go up during Biden's reign and has stayed stable all during Trump's. Walnuts. I usually buy them in 16 oz bags (California, whole). They've either been 3/$10 or $3 a bag for probably 6 years. Very good for heart and brain. For breakfast today I had a sliced banana, about an oz of walnuts with milk. Also cheddar cheese on toast with butter.

https://earthsidefarms.com/blogs/earthside-blog/nutritional-value-of-walnuts?

Egg Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Oatmeal for breakfast

 I've seen a lot of very negative ads about oatmeal flash by on internet ads, and I have a friend who is always pushing something healthy and he says oats are not good for human consumption.  He says they are sprayed with something (isn't everything?). Before moving to The Estates (aka The Forum) I rarely ate oatmeal, but now that someone else makes it and serves it, I do have it about once a week.  Sometimes I take a small amount of walnuts and raisins with me and add those, plus about 1/4 C whole milk. So I looked it up.

Half a cup (40.5 g) of dry oats (from USDA website) Cereals, oats, regular and quick, not fortified, dry - Nutrients - SR Legacy | USDA FoodData Central

Manganese: 63.9% of the daily value (DV)
Phosphorus: 13.3% of the DV
Magnesium: 13.3% of the DV
Copper: 17.6% of the DV
Iron: 9.4% of the DV
Zinc: 13.4% of the DV
Folate: 3.2% of the DV
Vitamin B1 (thiamin): 15.5% of the DV
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 9.1% of the DV
smaller amounts of calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamin B3 (niacin)

The nutritional profile of one cup of prepared oatmeal (one half cup dry oats with water) also includes:
27.4 grams (g) of carbs
5.3 g of protein
2.6 g of fat
4 g of fiber
153.5 calories

Dear EWG, This Is Why Real Scientists Think Poorly of You | American Council on Science and Health

A (too) sweet breakfast

Bob and I both had oats for breakfast. I had a bowl of Kellogg's low fat granola with raisins, and he had oatmeal with a few raisins made in the microwave.

His oats had one ingredient--whole oats. Mine had whole oats, sugar, brown rice syrup, rice crisps (made with sugar) and molasses (aka sugar). Mine was 28% sugar (32 grams) and his was 0% (1 gram). Mine had 3 grams of fat and so did his. Mine had 115 mg of sodium and his had 0 mg sodium. Mine had 6 grams of protein and his had 5 grams. Mine had 4 grams of fiber and his had 6. Mine had 240 calories per serving and his had 150 calories. Serving sizes (in grams) were not the same probably because my serving size (larger) included raisins and he added raisins to his, so some of the nutrients were hard to compare.

But still, what part of my cereal was low fat, the most prominent phrase on the box? Compared to what--a candy bar? Who needs that much sugar on/in their cereal? US population consumes more than 300% of the recommended daily amount of added sugar. Since 2000 the rate of consumption of sugar is actually slowing down as is the increase in obesity. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6959843/

Wearables and JFKjr

I'm no expert on data collection, privacy, or health, but I think this is the dumbest idea ever to come out of the Trump Administration. Every American should be required to measure their health with a wearable? Or maybe, it means you can't take the Democrat out of a Kennedy even if he's a Republican appointed cabinet member. I have no problem with wearables if people choose them, but I've seen a lot of very unhealthy people with terrible eating and exercise habits that own them, and they either keep them in a drawer, or never look at them. They may have an addiction, a family tendency or an underlying problem, but looking at graphs and numbers to change behavior hasn't made them healthy.

I never took a college course in nutrition, but I know that a dessert of fresh fruit is healthier for me than a slice of "death by chocolate" cake at a restaurant. I've seen the "science" on eggs, coffee, cholesterol, etc. come and go. I know the trend to take a shot at 60 to make up for overeating as a teen/young adult is not going to end well for health care costs. I learned as a pre-schooler that I should be outside in the sunshine even when I didn't know about vitamin D and I still prefer not to get sweaty.

I know that I have 2 implanted devices (not called wearables, but I'm wearing them) right now and I really don't know anything about the data being collected and where it is going. Meanwhile my cell phone tells me I haven't walked enough this week. With AI already in our lives, I just don't like this government intrusion after our experience with the required, "good for you" so "do it or else" covid vaccine.

I also like Casey Means, think she's done good things, but she's invested in a "wearables" company (Levels) and she's also been nominated for Surgeon General. If it smells fishy when it's Pelosi or Warren, it also smells of fish for Kennedy and Means.

RFK Jr.'s Public Health Plan? Get Every American to Buy a Wearable Device | PCMag

Casey Means MD

Casey Means, Levels Health, on maximizing human potential - Levels

Food insecure?

I saw an article about "food insecurity" yesterday That means that in the last 4 weeks the cook/mother/grandmother/oldest daughter once or twice or 10 times went to the cupboard and couldn't find enough to make a meal for the family/residents/siblings. Really? A gallon of milk is $2.65 and 10 pounds of potatoes are $4 in Columbus, Ohio.

 
A pack of cigarettes is $9 in Columbus--and a big chunk of that is federal and state taxes. The food in Ohio has no tax. You can fix a very nutritious meal for less than a pack of cigarettes, but you'll believe the stories on TV about hungry people in America. Potato combined with dairy is almost a perfect food. That's why smart mothers make potato soup and scalloped potatoes.

What's insecure is the cook. S/he has a 12 can pack of Coke for $4.00 and 13 oz. bag of Lays potato chips for $5 in the cupboard. And she may be smoking a cigarette. If she admires her $40 manicure when opening the cupboard, well, it's not the food costs but the values.

The survey (of a child or youth) to determine "food insecurity" is really vague and uses words like a lot, sometimes, enough, cheap food, run out, and asks the person to recall the past month (Self-Administered Food Security Survey Module for Children Ages 12 Years and Older, September 2006)

The cost of food--still grateful

 Sometimes I need to remind myself that we in the U.S. still have plentiful, and inexpensive food, despite what Joe Biden is trying to do to the economy in the name of climate change.  I just spent $25.05 at Aldi's.  I buy a lot of fresh things there (and a few bakery items), and it's only a mile from my home. Ohio doesn't tax food, and recently removed tax on disposable diapers. 

Dozen mini muffins blueberry         3.45

10 gourmet choc chunk cookies      2.19

Cantaloupe chunks 16 oz                 3.29

Pineapple spears 16 oz                     3.49

Butternut squash 2.03 lb                   1.81

Sweet onions 2 lb.                            1.89

Yellow potatoes, small                      3.49

Bananas,  1.55 lb   .41/lb                    .64 

1/2 gal. whole milk                            1.61

Orange juice  1.6 qt                          3.19

According to move.org (a moving company) "The average cost of groceries in America in 2023 is $415.53 a month per person1. [Ohio is $392.59 per person a month.] However, this number can vary greatly depending on factors like age and personal eating habits. Location is another important—though potentially surprising—factor in determining food costs. Groceries cost more in some US cities and states than others." How Much Does Food Cost in the US? | Move.org

Nerd Wallet says:  "Have food prices been rising? Absolutely. Thanks to a combination of inflation, pandemic-related supply-chain disruptions and tariffs on certain foreign imports, food prices have steadily risen since 2020.

But inflation has been slowing in the past year and the latest data shows the cost of groceries aren’t rising as fast as they once were.

Food prices rose 3.7% between September 2022 and September 2023, according to the most recent consumer price index (CPI) report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By comparison, at the same time in 2022 prices rose 11.2% over a one-year period." The Cost of Groceries: Are Food Prices Going Up? - NerdWallet

Ellsworth Wareham gives advice on nutrition and long life

https://youtu.be/FX58PyQwrcI?si=3hYjhqTW0FSe6SI9

He was 98 when he made this video, but lived to be over 104.  He's got some good advice on heart disease (his cholesterol was 117) and being a vegan, but most people wouldn't find it acceptable.  I came across this reading about Blue Zones. 

From Wikipedia: Ellsworth Edwin Wareham (October 3, 1914 – December 15, 2018)^[1][2] was an American cardiothoracic surgeon and centenarian from Loma Linda, California who promoted the health benefits of plant-based nutrition.^[3][4]

Foods That Hurt or Help Your Brain with Max Lugavere

Very interesting conversation about food and nutrition. This video is part of Prager U--a university I really trust.

00:00 - Welcome to Real Talk

01:43 - Could Diet Contribute to Dementia? (His mother had Lewy Body disease which began his                           search for answers)

05:34 - Alzheimer’s Disease: Is It Preventable?

14:51 - Are There “Good Foods” and “Bad Foods”?

18:25 - Are Butter and Eggs Healthy or Harmful? (Eggs are great; OK to eat every day)

24:34 - Real Milk vs. Plant-Based Milk  (Dairy is good for you; plant milk is just marketing)

27:15 - What Is a Good Vegetable Balance?

30:48 - Are Seed Oils Really Bad for You? (Use olive oil, anti-inflammatory. Seed oils, rbd, eliminate                     if  you can. Damaged by processing.) 

37:51 - The Myth of Granola Bars and Other “Healthy” Meals

44:12 - You Probably Need to Eat More Protein

44:49 - Food and Access in America

47:36 - Do You Need to Buy Organic Food?

50:32 - Eat More Whole Foods

54:31 - The Fight over the Tufts University Food Compass

01:02:26 - The Strange Link between Mouthwash and Blood Pressure

01:08:50 - The Genius Life: How to Read Scientific Papers

01:10:50 - Healthy Lifestyle Advice

01:14:06 - The Verdict on Chocolate and Wine

Foods That Hurt or Help Your Brain with Max Lugavere | PragerU

Don't worry, in the interest of fairness, there is also an interview with a vegan.

What's in your kitchen? Fresh, frozen or processed, April 21

 Refrigerator

• Yellow pepper
• Red pepper
• Red leaf lettuce
• Baby spinach
• Green beans
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Peas, frozen
• Olives
• Broccoli
• Cantaloupe
• Pineapple
• Blue berries
• Strawberries
• Red grapes
• Grape Tomatoes
• Oranges
• Cheese, cheddar, American, Parmesan, Cream
• Whole Milk
• Half and Half creamer
• Eggs, fresh and hard cooked
• Butter
• Orange juice
• Apple cider
• Pork loin
• Ham
• Hamburger
• Bacon
• Sausage
• Salmon
• Condiments
• Frozen tater tots
• Ice cream cups, vanilla
• Frozen biscuits
• Homemade sandwiches, meat and cheese on buns
• Chocolate cookies, bakery

Cupboards

• Bananas
• Sweet Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Pretzels
• Soda crackers
• Walnuts
• Rice brown, pasta
• Canned soups, various
• Canned beans, corn, peas
• Canned fruit pieces, various
• Fruit juices, single serving
• Cake mixes, various
• Cheerios
• Oatmeal
• Oat Bran
• Raisins
• Tea bags
• Tea, herbal
• Coffee, decaf
• baking supplies, spices, condiments
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Vinegar
• Cocoa, dark 100% Cacao
• Honey, local

Eat real food, get more rest, and move more

It's odd for me to enjoy podcasts (auditory processing), but I do. Since I got a smart phone, I use it more for podcasts than phone calls. Here's Bari Weiss (one of my favs) in a conversation with Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford trained physician who left the traditional medical system behind to solve the one problem that she says is going to ruin us all: bad food.

Honestly with Bari Weiss: Eating Ourselves to Death on Apple Podcasts

I've often wondered about the "equity" push in medicine and public health. A large number of health problems are caused by lifestyle--eating, drinking/drugs, exercise (or lack of) and sexual promiscuity. Like Covid. We knew 2.5 years ago obesity was a predictor of serious Covid complications, including death. But pushing pills and vax was the solution. What if "equity" is just one more way to kill off Americans, particularly minorities? (Someone out there hates BIPOC, and it isn't the Trumpsters).

Dr. Means in this podcast talks about all the body parts that go bad from poor nutrition, and particularly obesity. 4 out of 5 black women are obese or overweight. Body positivity can kill you and that's a hot trend. Healthy at any size is a lie. 93% of us have metabolic disfunction according to her even if we aren't obese. By the time you find out you're pre-diabetic, it may have been 10 years in the making. Is this all a part of Big Pharma profits? Which foods are really bad for you, according to Dr. Means? Fake meats (highly processed); seed oils; sugar. She approves of intermittent fasting.

Just bought Halloween Candy today. The first 4 ingredients in those little orange pumpkin candies are sugar, corn syrup, salt and honey. Now I'll have to hide it from me.

The Best and Worst Foods for Your Metabolic System – Dr. Casey Means - Levels (levelshealth.com)

Seeds oils, are they safe

I haven't paid much attention, but there seems to be a war against seed oils (omega-6) What do you think?

Are seed oils (not common until the 20th century) in the processed food industry the biological drivers of modern health problems? https://youtu.be/7kGnfXXIKZM I use butter, peanut oil, coconut oil, and olive oil if I cook from scratch, but the others (seed oils) are in processed food.

This speaker, Dr. Chris Knobbe,  was an ophthalmologist and has switched to nutrition, primarily because of research on macular degeneration.

8 Bad Seed Oils You Should Eliminate From Your Diet | Better Nutrition

"Unlike traditional fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, and lard, industrial seed oils are a very recent addition to the human diet.

In fact, industrial seed oils, the highly processed oils extracted from soybeans, corn, rapeseed (the source of canola oil), cottonseed, and safflower seeds, were only introduced into the American diet in the early 1900s. How, then, did these oils come to occupy such an influential position not only in the Standard American Diet but in “”Westernized” diets around the world? The story is strange indeed."

From Toxic Waste to “Heart Healthy”: The History of Seed Oils

How Industrial Seed Oils Are Making Us Sick | Chris Kresser

Your mom was right—eat all the colors, and a lot of them

Research shows Mom was right. Eat all the colors. This is a meta-analysis. Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies (ahajournals.org)  Free, original research article. Print it and read between the food commercials on TV.

• A higher intake of fruit and vegetables was associated with lower total and cause-specific mortality in a nonlinear manner in both an original data analysis in 2 prospective cohorts of US men and women and a meta-analysis of 26 prospective cohort studies.
• The lowest risk of mortality was observed for ≈5 servings per day of fruit and vegetable intake, but above that level the risk did not decrease further.
• The thresholds of risk reduction in mortality were 2 servings daily for fruit intake and 3 servings daily for vegetable intake

My favorite vegetables, peas, corn and potatoes, are not associated with lower mortality. Too starchy. Darn. It's just hard to eat this much of anything.

Despite recommendations in dietary guidelines for decades to increase fruit and vegetable intake, the current average intake among US adults is 1 serving of fruit and 1.5 servings of vegetables per day. Not good. There have been many campaigns (cited in the article) to change this because poor nutrition contributes to the burden of disease and premature death.

BTW, this is a premiere, peer reviewed journal. When I was a librarian, Circulation and its many numbered series, was the bane of my existence.

Nutrition and diet changes for heart health

When the cardio rehab from Ohio Health called to discuss Bob's diet, I had to be on the phone since I buy, plan the menus and prepare the food. Slowly we're making changes--more for me than him, since he's always been careful and disciplined. 

So the other day I was reading about heart healthy goals, SMART, which are 

Specific, 

Measurable, 

Attainable, 

Realistic, and 

Time-oriented. 

We can hit all those. I've lost 6 lbs., my blood pressure is down, and haven't had the salt shaker on the table for five days. Salty crunchy is my go-to comfort food. However, I recognized that's how my former boss (now deceased) Jay Ladd told me to write my goals for my annual report. For instance. Attend 3 professional conferences--national, local or state, meet with the faculty library committee once a month and send him a report, answer 2 letters a month from school children (two was a good achievable number because there would be many more). It had to be specific, measurable and attainable. That way when he'd visit my library the next year, all he had to do was check, check and check. I hate setting goals, but being specific and measurable helped a lot. Same with health changes.

Since I'm now checking my blood pressure, which I'd never done in the past, I also read an article on how to do it.  

Empty your bladder.  

Sit with feet on the floor and don't cross your knees.  

Sit quietly and relax.  

Lay your arm on the table.  

Apply the cuff correctly (which is difficult for me without help).  

Proceed. 

Some days the high number is over 130, but more and more, it's in the teens as I give up salt and do it correctly. Today it was 112/65 pulse 64. On Feb. 20 it was 116/67 pulse 79. 

About salt.  I don't like adding artificial things if I can just do with less of the natural (such as "lite" salad dressing or "low salt" anything), so I poked around in the cupboard and found a shaker of "The Avenue" signature steak seasoning. The Avenue Steak Tavern  We'd gone there for my 80th birthday before Phil became ill.  The ingredients are granulated garlic, granulated onion, dried parsley, pink peppercorn, black peppercorn, and Kosher salt.  Since salt is the last ingredient, I think I'll use this on some things that are just tasteless. Ricotta, for instance, is as tasty as school paste. The main ingredient is whey.  I browsed the internet for other steak seasoning, and found most listed salt as first or second ingredient. 

A change of diet

I thought I'd mix up our diet a bit and serve more fish. I’m trying to lose my Covid weight, and Bob will probably be told to eat less red meat when he starts heart rehab this week. I usually shop at Marc's and it doesn't sell fresh fish, so I looked at the frozen choices. I always start with Product of the USA or Made in the USA. "Distributed by" is just a way to sell you fish from China or Thailand. I glanced at the label of the "lobster cakes with real lobster" (after checking out the price) and put it in the cart. Today when I took it out of the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator, I took a closer look. Less than 2% lobster meat. There are some other kinds of fish, but also soy, wheat, milk, eggs, etc. Looks like I'll need to drive a bit further for fresh fish.

You can't call it false advertising, but you could call it a Democrat politician.

Cocoa and the brain--new research

 I noticed in the University of Illinois LAS Newsletter that someone has done research on the effects of cocoa on the brain.  Sweet news for the brain | College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Illinois Been there, done that.  Not me personally, but I wrote about flavanols and the brain years ago.  Or at least, I summarized the research.  I didn't do it personally.  This has a slightly different pitch.

Collecting My Thoughts: Coffee vs. Chocolate for caffeine

Collecting My Thoughts: Dark Chocolate is good for us

Collecting My Thoughts: Habitual chocolate users perform better

Collecting My Thoughts: But make it dark chocolate

Collecting My Thoughts: Cacao vs. cocoa

And as I searched my 16 years of blogs by the tag "chocolate," I think I found more recipes than I did brain research

Collecting My Thoughts  Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Tart with Caramelized Bananas

Collecting My Thoughts: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake for one

Collecting My Thoughts Mrs. Bush's Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie

Collecting My Thoughts: Chocolate mashed potato cookies

Collecting My Thoughts: Dark chocolate cherry trail mix

Collecting My Thoughts: Peanut Butter Fudge Cake

Dark chocolate cherry trail mix

Dark chocolate is good for you.

Cacao vs. cocoa

Coffee vs. Chocolate
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup raw almonds
• 3/4 cup raw pecans
• 1 cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place nuts and seeds on a baking sheet and toast 5-10 minutes, until they smell fragrant.
• Combine all ingredients, minus the chocolate, in a large bowl.
• Mix well and add chocolate once the nuts have cooled enough.
• Portion into 1/4 cup portions and store in an airtight container.

Download a printable version of this recipe here.

Serving Size:

Makes approximately 16 (1/4 cup) servings

Nutritional Information:

• 155 calories
• 11g fat
• 2g sat fat
• 0g trans fat
• 0mg cholesterol
• 58mg sodium
• 12g carb
• 3g fiber
• 6g sugar
• 4g protein

Cacao vs. cocoa

I ran out of Hersey’s 100% cacao yesterday and when I stopped at Marc’s where I usually shop, it didn’t have any, so I picked up Baker’s 100% cocoa.  Today I looked up the difference, and as I thought the cacao and cocoa aren’t not the same.  It’s in the processing which destroys many of the antioxidants.  Also the cocoa, even dark, has over twice the fat content of the cacao, according the the labels.

https://blog.paleohacks.com/cacao-vs-cocoa/#

So I’ll have to swing by another store and look for the cacao.  But the cocoa, the article says, is better for baking, which I rarely do anymore.

“What Are The Health Benefits Of Raw Cacao?

• Lowers insulin resistance

• Protects your nervous system: Cacao is high in resveratrol, a potent antioxidant also found in red wine, known for its ability to cross your blood-brain barrier to help protect your nervous system

• Shields nerve cells from damage

• Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease

• Reduces your risk of stroke

• Reduces blood pressure

• Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease: The antioxidants found in cacao help to maintain healthy levels of Nitric Oxide (NO) in the body. Although NO has heart benefiting qualities, such as relaxing blood vessels and reducing blood pressure, it also produces toxins. The antioxidants in cacao neutralizes these toxins, protecting your heart and preventing against disease.

• Guards against toxins: as a potent antioxidant, cacao can repair the damage caused by free radicals and may reduce the risk of certain cancers. In fact cacao contains far more antioxidants per 100g than acai, goji berries and blueberries. Antioxidants are responsible for 10% of the weight of raw cacao.

• Boosts your mood: cacao can increase levels of certain neurotransmitters that promote a sense of well-being. And the same brain chemical that is released when we experience deep feelings of love – phenylethylamine – is found in chocolate.

• It is rich in minerals: magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper and manganese.
• https://www.foodmatters.com/article/raw-cacao-vs-cocoa-whats-the-difference