Do you like cocoa powder and use it in cooking and drinks? It is one of the most widely used natural powders, and it has many health benefits and uses. In the following article, we will shed light on the benefits of cocoa powder and everything related to it, so follow us.

What is cocoa powder?

Cocoa powder is a fine powder that is extracted by grinding cocoa beans, and cocoa is one of the crops that is believed to have been used for the first time in America and then Europe, and was commonly used as a medicine that helps promote health.

Nutritional value

Cocoa powder is full of important nutrients. About a quarter cup of unsweetened cocoa powder contains:

• 49 calories.
• 12 grams of carbohydrates.
• 7 grams of dietary fiber.
• 4 grams of protein.
• 3 grams of fat.

In addition to containing important healthy minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium and selenium.

Benefits of cocoa powder

There are many health benefits provided by cocoa powder, especially if the cocoa powder contains a high percentage of cocoa. Here are its most popular health benefits:

1. Improved cognitive health

Cocoa powder is one of the most popular foods that help improve memory, attention and cognitive perception in general if it is included in your diet, in addition to its effective role in promoting the restoration of cognitive performance, especially if the person suffers from lack of sleep and does not take enough rest.

2. It strengthens the immune system

Cocoa powder helps to enhance the functions of the immune system within your body and helps the body to perform its healthy functions, due to the fact that it contains minerals important for the health of the body such as zinc, iron and selenium.

3. It reduces the damages of radiotherapy

In the case of cancer and radiation therapy, cocoa powder may help reduce and limit the side effects of radiation therapy, and this is due to its stock of selenium, which has a major role in this matter.

4. Promote muscle and nerve health

Cocoa powder contains magnesium, which helps reduce muscle contraction and spasm, in addition to helping to promote the health and functions of nerves, because this important mineral helps a lot in protecting the body’s nervous cells, and reduces the risk of neurological disorders. Thus, eating cocoa powder maintains the health of the nervous system and body muscles.

5. Helps heal wounds

As cocoa powder, which contains 90% of raw cocoa, is a very good source of zinc, which is beneficial for the health of the body, and one of its most important benefits is that it helps heal wounds and speeds up this process.

6. Controls cholesterol and blood sugar

Cocoa powder contains a substance known as polyphenols in addition to antioxidants, and this makes it a major role in improving cholesterol levels and levels in the body, and also helps to control blood sugar levels.

7. Protects against heart disease

Cocoa powder’s ability to control cholesterol and blood sugar levels makes it reduce the risk of various heart problems and diseases. Also, flavonols, which are a type of flavonoid in which they are found, especially the dark type, help a lot in protecting against heart disease, through:

• Lowering and controlling blood pressure.
• Reducing body cell damage.
• Improve blood flow in the body.

8. It reduces inflammation

Cocoa powder is one of the foods rich in theobromine, and this makes it help reduce and limit inflammation in the body, in addition to protecting your body from some chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

9. Supports the skin and fights wrinkles

The cocoa powder content of antioxidants such as flavonoids helps to get rid of free radicals, and thus supports the formation of new skin cells, and helps to get rid of wrinkles and hide them and get rid of fine lines in the skin, and its content of amino acids enhances collagen.

In addition, it helps to get rid of skin pigmentation and reduces the appearance of boils and acne in the skin by including it in various skin masks.

10. Supports healthy hair

Cocoa powder helps healthy hair growth and regeneration of hair strands, due to its content of amino acids, which also controls the reduction of premature graying of hair and hair loss.

It also helps to get rid of dandruff, because it gives the hair unique antimicrobial properties, especially when applied to the scalp in the form of a paste, so it supports and calms the hair roots, and helps to get rid of scalp damage and control itching.

Benefits of cocoa for weight loss

Cocoa powder is one of the foods that help lose excess body weight and control body weight as well. This is due to the fact that cocoa itself is a plant rich in important nutrients and phytonutrients, and at the same time the proportions of fat and sugar are low in it, so the calories you gain from eating Cocoa powder is not harmful, but it is full of nutrients and healthy.

Also, some studies conducted in this field have proven that cocoa is one of the foods that help regulate the body’s energy as well as the metabolism process, and with all that makes you feel full, and thus cocoa powder helps provide the body with important nutrients and at the same time reduces excess weight.

How to prepare cocoa powder

You can easily and simply prepare cocoa powder at home, with these easy steps:

• Roast some cocoa beans.
• Then remove the outer shell of the beans, keeping only the inner ones.
• Grind the granules well, but in a non-alcoholic liquid.
• Squeeze the resulting ingredient to remove the cocoa butter, and separate it from the powder.
• Keep the resulting powder in an airtight container.

Cautions when buying cocoa powder

While buying cocoa powder, you should pay attention to the ingredients, because cocoa itself does not contain fats or sugar levels, but the different chocolate products sold in shops contain added sugars and fats, so when you buy it, make sure that the product contains about 60% of At least 70% cocoa, in order to get the health benefits of cocoa powder.

Side effects of cocoa powder

Like anything that has health benefits, it also has some side effects. As for cocoa powder, it is safe when taken orally, and it is one of the safe foods for most people, but its harms include:

• They contain caffeine, so consuming them in large quantities causes some of the well-known effects of caffeine, such as insomnia, a feeling of increased heart rate, nervousness, and frequent urination.
• Sometimes cocoa may cause skin allergy.
• Some people may experience side effects from cocoa, such as migraine symptoms, nausea, upset stomach, and stomach problems such as gas and constipation.
• During pregnancy and lactation, it may be safe to consume simple and safe amounts of cocoa powder, but it is preferable to consult a specialist doctor about the matter to describe what is best for you.