This summer it is likely that most kids will be spending the majority of their time, walking to and from the local convenience store, buying and then shoveling into their mouths, their favorite chocolate bar. The ingredients and actual content of all chocolate bars is usually printed in the back of the packet, but that still doesn’t convey the correct unhealthy image that it should!

Chocolate bars are full of ingredients that are simply not fit for human consumption on a large scale. Chocolate is usually cooked off at intense high temperatures. Once this process is complete, the manufacturer simply adds as many unhealthy ingredients as possible, including white sugar, milk, and saturated fat and hydrogenated oils. Surely everyone can see that the damage that eating chocolate is potentially doing their bodies!

Whilst the majority will continue down the unhealthy route, many will discover the cacao bean, the natural and healthy side to chocolate. The Cacao bean originates from the Theobroma Cacao Tree and is extremely healthy, even in raw form. The organic Cacao bean is essentially free from caffeine, with only minor traces. It is used in several exotic and exclusive recipes worldwide and was originally discovered by Carl von Linnaeus in 1753, in the Amazon.

Of course, it is obvious that Cacao beans have no added sugars or chemicals, which straight away offers a huge improvement in comparison with a processed chocolate bars. In fact, Cacao beans actually contain a range of minerals that are fundamental to the health of your immune system, while the antioxidants also offer your body the healthy and support benefits that it needs. Many have suggested that cooking Cacao beans is a viable option, where as I would tend to disagree, as you lose a range of natural and healthy based benefits through a pan and a bit of heat, completely defeating the object.

Many underestimate how healthy the Cacao bean actually is. Alongside several fundamental minerals and antioxidants, it also contains traces of magnesium. I’m not a health professional, but even I know that magnesium works overtime to ensure that it support the heart, digestive system and brain as well as acting as a bone strengthener.

Other two major components of the Cacao bean include iron and Anandamide. Both of the above work together to help to provide a constant supply of oxygen to the body’s blood stream as well as making you feel extremely fresh and vibrant. There are already a range of organic based ships supplying the Cacao bean; try it out!

The list could go on; there are literally hundreds of minerals, nutrients and natural ingredients that make the Cacao bean extremely healthy. The Cacao bean is becoming more and more popular every day, so it is only a matter of time, before the demand for it as a product surpasses that of chocolate. Of course, once the commercial potential has been revealed, companies and organizations will be jumping at the chance to supply the Cacao bean world wide.

Marabel Cocoa Farms – cocoa beans – Sanchez and Hispaniola cocoa beans producer and importer from the Dominican Republic.

Cocoa bean is the dried and roasted seed from the cacao pod of the indigenous “Cacao tree or Cocoa Plant”. Approximately, there are 20 to 50 soft almond-like beans per pod. The cocoa bean has a purplish or reddish color. Study shows that cocoa contains high level of flavonoids which have a cardiovascular benefit.

Did you know that in 17th century, Venezuela was the world’s major cocoa producer and exporter. Currently, one of the chief producers of cocoa in the world is Dominican Republic. Followed by Cibao Valley, San Francisco de Macoris and Santiago.

One of the best cocoa producers is Dominican Republic because cocoa farmers there really know how to cultivate and nourish cacao trees. This is the main reason why they have high quality cocoa beans. The country produces two types of cocoa beans. These are the Hispaniola and the Sanchez. Based on the study, Hispaniola has 4% share while Sanchez has 96% share in the country’s cocoa production .

Cocoa is considered as the market’s smallest commodity. Cocoa beans have been available to the market for several years now. Moreover, traders before was engaged into barter using cocoa products. Today, cocoa products are traded in London and New York. London market rely on the cocoa production of West African while New York market depend on South East Asia.

The operation in cocoa industry is improving. Before, it’s the middleman who closes a deal between farmer and manufacturer. Now, farmer can directly make an arrangement with chocolate manufacturer. This clearly eliminates the need and cost of having a middleman.

Here are some benefits of having a direct agreement between farmer and chocolate manufacturer:

Manufacturer…

1. Can give definite instructions to farmers. Manufacturer can even require the standard of cocoa beans that they’ll be needing in their production.

2. Gets the right quality and aroma of beans needed for their production.

3. Can ask for a bargain price for bulk orders.

Farmer…

1. Can meet the exact standards required by the client.

2. Knows essential details about cocoa. It is very unlikely for a middleman to know more information about the product.

3. Doesn’t need to hire a middleman to find manufacturer.

4. Will be able to get the right price for their products. No need to share their mark up price with their middlemen.

5. Can offer discounted amount of the product to chocolate manufacturers. This can help in maintaining longer and stronger relationship with clients.

Selling cocoa is the number one source of income for the families of cocoa farmers. Indeed, the most important time for them is the harvesting period. They will start to grade, weigh and prepare dried cocoa beans, then deliver all cocoa bags to their clients. This will eventually convert the products into cash!

Cocoa farmers play an important role in our society. Without them, we can’t have enough supply of our favorite chocolates anytime!

Marabel Cocoa Farms – cacao beans – Sanchez and Hispaniola cacao beans producer and importer from the Dominican Republic.

I’ll admit it; I’m an apple cider vinegar junky. I adore apple cider vinegar in my water. Oddly enough, I do not care for many vinegar salad dressings or using it in my food. Most people I talk to are just the opposite. They’ll eat in their food and on their salads, but they cringe at the thought of drinking it in their water like I do.

There are so many health benefits to consuming apple cider vinegar on a regular basis. It can reduce sinus infections and sore throats, balance high cholesterol, cure skin conditions such as acne, protect against food poisoning, fight allergies in both humans and animals, prevent muscle fatigue after exercise, strengthen the immune system, increase stamina, increase metabolism, thus promoting weight loss, improve digestion and cure constipation, alleviate symptoms of arthritis and gout and prevent bladder stones and urinary tract infections.

There are many diets which revolve around the use of apple cider vinegar. I’ve been drinking about a tablespoon in my ice water for so many years that it just seems natural to me. Eventually, you get a taste for it and I sometimes crave it like some people crave soda. I drank a lot of apple cider vinegar water while I was pregnant too.

When used on the skin, apple cider vinegar can fight the effects of aging. It can help to get rid of acne and reduce the appearance of liver spots.

Apple cider vinegar also works great for curing stomach problems and can help with diarrhea. Some diabetics use apple cider vinegar to control high blood sugar levels.

Some people will add honey to their vinegar water, but I don’t necessarily think this is necessary. When I was a child my mother would give me vinegar water to soothe my stomach if I had a stomachache. That’s when I first learned to love apple cider vinegar. As I got older and realized the many health benefits of consuming apple cider vinegar regularly, I began drinking it all the time. I used to be a huge soda drinker until one day I read that a child who consumes just one can of soda a day was at a much higher risk for obesity. I was drinking tons of soda and I realized it was making me feel gross. I stopped drinking soda and carbonated beverages all together and eventually switched to ice water and then apple cider vinegar ice water.

The benefits are endless, so if you can stomach it at first, try again. You can’t go wrong with it and it will quench your thirst like nothing else.

One of the biggest complaints amongst women is weight gain. We are busier than ever and it can be extremely difficult to maintain a healthy weight or get back down to a healthy weight once we’ve packed on the pounds.

There are several ways we can cut calories out of our diets without putting too much effort forward.
Instead of eating those high calorie breakfast pop tarts and toaster strudels, opt for a piece or two of whole grain toast with some berry jam. If you have to have coffee with your breakfast, avoid adding anything to it and just drink it black. Instead of drinking orange juice, eat a fresh orange.

Try eating your pancakes with butter and if you have waffles, put fat-free whipped cream on them instead of syrup. Use Egg Beaters or scramble 3 egg whites and 1 egg yolk together instead of 4 full eggs.
You can add salsa to your scrambled eggs for an excellent southwest breakfast!

Try eating a cheese-free sandwich and only using mustard, avoiding mayo all together. Avoid adding croutons to your salad and if you’re eating pizza for lunch, go for the cheese slice instead of the meaty slice.

A great tasty and filling lunch is chicken salad in a pita half instead of bread. Avoid creamy soups and stick with vegetable based soups instead. Eat corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas.
Avoid drinking, but if you must, choose a nice glass of wine instead of beer. If you’re ordering nachos, get them with salsa instead of guacamole.

Eat half a cup of grapes for a snack during the day instead of raisins. Avoid chocolate and other sugary candies all together. If you like to snack on chips, choose pretzels instead.

Eat sorbet for dessert instead of ice cream. Eat a fudgsicle instead of chocolate ice cream. Eat sugar-free jello with lunch instead of pudding. Use berries to top your dessert instead of syrup.
Saute your meat in chicken broth instead of oil. Use half and half ground beef and turkey when making meatloaf and other meaty dinners.

When you’re eating out, go for the grilled foods and the smaller portions. Many fast food places offer fruit and salads on their menus now. Some fast food restaurants offer soup too or you can get some really good soup at some gas stations (like Kwik Trip).

There’s a lot we can do to cut calories out of our daily diet without having to give up everything we love to eat. Be creative and omit one small thing instead of the whole thing and you’ll be a lot happier.

We have all heard that fruits and vegetables are good for us. We have also heard that when fruits and vegetables are combined with a healthy diet they can provide health and longevity in life. We are familiar with the food pyramid classifications but there are some vegetables and foods that are healthy for your diet and that are just as important for your body as the common “health foods”.

The recommended health diet

Aside from fruits and vegetables, the food pyramid also includes bread, rice and pasta, milk, yogurt and cheese, meat, poultry, fish, fats, oils, sweets, and any calcium, vitamin d, and vitamin b-12 supplements. There are healthy foods that fit into the fruit and veggie category, but there are also other categories that are very beneficial. There are many different diets to choose from, depending on your health needs or preference, however your basic dietary needs should still fall under the general recommended food pyramid guidelines. Some of the different types of diets include:

1. High Protein
2. Glucose Free
3. Low Cholesterol
4. Low Sodium

4 healthy foods you may not have considered

When thinking about vegetables you may first think of green leafy vegetables, carrots, and corn among others. Below there are a couple of vegetables and a couple of foods from different food groups.

1. Mushrooms: (vegetable): Mushrooms are generally overlooked because of its water content; however, mushrooms are good for antioxidants, and fighting off such diseases as breast and prostate cancer.

2. Bean Sprouts (vegetable): Bean Sprouts are not a complete food, but can enhance the food that it is added to. Bean Sprouts provide some of the same vitamin, mineral, and enzymes of other vegetables.

3. Peanut Butter (meat, poultry, fish): Two tablespoons of peanut butter is equivalent to one ounce of the two to three ounces that are required daily. Peanut butter provides the protein, iron, and zinc that meat provides, and is a fantastic substitute.

4. Coffee (no specific food group): Coffee or coffee beans do not fall into a specific food group, but believe it or not, coffee itself can be good for your body. Some studies show that coffee helps to lower the risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer. The benefits of coffee are based on regular coffee, without any added flavors or sweeteners. The negative effects of coffee could come from consuming too much of it, or from the additives that you put into your cup of coffee.

Like anything else, a healthy diet combined with an active lifestyle will ensure longevity in your life.

It is estimated that 1 out of every 8 children are overweight or obese, as the years go by these numbers are rapidly increasing. It is important that parents help their children lead a healthier lifestyle. This can easily be done at home but do you know what goes on at school?
A few simple steps to ensure your children are eating right at school.

Find out what food is served in the school canteen
Get in contact with your child’s school and find out what food is served in the canteen, there should always be a healthy option. If you aren’t happy with the school menu let them know. Most schools are quite happy to help in any way they can.

Ask other parents to get involved

Your child might not want to eat healthy food simply because their friends don’t so try and get other parents involved.

Is your child getting their 5 a day?

It is recommended that we all eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. To ensure your child is getting their 5 a day you should consider speaking to the school and ask if they could make fresh fruit and vegetables available for your children.

Give your child a packed lunch

If you aren’t happy with the food that is served at your child’s school then give them a packed lunch instead. By doing this you can give them the healthy foods they should eat. It can also be much cheaper than paying for school meals.

Don’t give your children money for school

Children often take money to school and 9 times out of 10 it will be used in vending machines located on the school grounds. It is quite likely that the food in the vending machines is junk. If your child doesn’t have money to spend then they can’t buy junk food.

Your child may not wish to eat healthy but if you are worried about their weight it is important you take steps to prevent it from coming worse. You the parent can encourage them to eat healthy food at home and at school. It is important you involve the school to give every child the option to eat healthy foods.

With childhood obesity getting worse your child’s school should also take interest in changing their school menus. There should always be a healthy option for your child at school but it is likely they would opt for burger and fries. If food options like this were removed from the school menus altogether then your child would have no choice but to eat healthy, unfortunately that is unlikely to happen.