hathaway demurred: Chocolate and the Pioneers of Adventism ? Sabbath Sermons

?Cacao is the seed of a fruit of an Amazonian tree called Theobroma, which literally means ?cacao, the food of the gods?.?

E J Waggoner

?And you never use any stimulants of any kind?? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.4}

None whatever. {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.5}

?Do you not drink tea or coffee?? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.6}

No; I never use them any more than I would any other poison. {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.7}

?But you drink cocoa and chocolate?? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.8}

No; I have no use for them; for while they contain a little food, they contain more that is injurious. {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.9}

?What, then, do you take for a ?pick me-up??? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.10}

I don?t take anything, for I don?t need it. I have something that is far better, namely, a ?hold-me-up.? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.11}

?What is that?? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.12}

The continual presence of the fulness of the life of the Lord. ?When I said, My foot slippeth, Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.? And the mercies of the Lord are ?new every morning.? It is far better to take something that will keep you always fresh and buoyant, than to take something that picks you up only to throw you down again, as all narcotic stimulants do. Now I have something that I take that is better than wine. {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.13}

?What is that, pray? I should like it myself; I thought you must have something to enliven you, though I can?t imagine what it can be, if you do not take anything containing alcohol, nor tea, coffee, cocoa, or chocolate.? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.14}

You can have it as well as I, and have it all the time, for it costs nothing. Here is the secret: ?Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His lips; for Thy love is better than wine.? Songs i. 2. God is love, and His love is His life. By abiding in His love, welcoming His life, you will find your youth continually renewed. ?He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.? ?They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;? ?they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.15}

?Do you think that that is meant to be taken literally?? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.16}

Most certainly I do; I know it. If the promise to heal all our diseases and to renew our youth be not literal, what assurance have we that He forgives our sins? But there is no room for doubt. Whoever will taste, will prove for himself that the Lord is good, and that His life is sufficient for all His creatures. {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.17}

Consider this one thing for a moment, and you will see how real God?s presence is. The air that we breathe is the breath of God. This we know, because God breathed into man?s nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Gen. ii. 2. Read also Ex. xiv. 21; xv. 7, 10, and other scriptures, to see that the air is God?s breath. We know that it is life, for we, could not live without it. It is God?s life, and therefore it is the manifestation of His love to us, for He is love. Therefore when we feel the fresh breezes playing on our cheeks, we may know that we are receiving God?s loving kiss. {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.18}

Is it not a delightful thought, that God actually soothes no to sleep and wakens us in the morning with a kiss of love? And the grand thing is, it is true. It is no more fancy than is God?s existence. What freshness and life there is in that kiss! Better than wine? There is no wine manufactured by man that can be compared to it. Whoever knows how to use and enjoy God?s fresh air, living day and night in a constant current of it, will never need any stimulant, but will awaken in the morning me fresh as a child. {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.19}

This is only a single instance. There are other ways, equally important, in which God reveals His presence to uphold us physically as well as spiritually; but this can serve to introduce us to Him. {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.20}

?Oh, the rapturous height of His love!

The measureless depth of His grace!

My soul all His fulness would prove,

And live in His loving embrace.? {September 20, 1900 EJW, PTUK 608.21}

?To the use of flesh-meats do we charge in large measure the prevalence of drunkenness in the United States. This frightful evil, which has left its blood-stain on the door-post of every household in the land, has met the uncompromising hostility of good men and women for the last thirty years; and much as they have done, they have only kept it at bay. They have not conquered it; they have not even crippled it; it is rampant to-day, defying them to battle. There is a reason for this persistence of the people in the use of the strong drinks. It has been accounted for on a variety of grounds, but these have all proved insufficient and ultimately unsatisfactory. But from this stand-point, the whole evil becomes perceptible. Meat is in the United States the staple of our food. No family, unless vegetarian, does without it. In the majority of families it is eaten three times a day, and from the oldest to the babe tied in a chair, the members eat it. It has its adjuncts or correspondents; these are spices, such as pepper, black and cayenne; mustard, horse-radish, common salt, butter, tea, coffee and chocolate. {1865 JW, HHTL 27.3}

We also avoid contentions, for ?the servant of God must not strive? about food any more than about anything else. The work of the Gospel teacher is simply to set forth truth in all its fulness before people, ?whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear,? and leave them to do as they please with it. His responsibility ceases with the faithful delivery of his message. So far are we from ?commanding to abstain from meats which God has created to be received,? that we do not presume to command anybody to abstain from that which God has not created to be received. The Lord is our Judge, and He is our Lawgiver, and for man to command, after God has commanded, is absurd presumption. God has shown us what is good, and has exhorted us to ?eat that which is good;? and we are content with simply declaring His Word. We have no controversy with any. Our correspondent says further, in relating his experience: ?I do not drink tea; coffee I may drink once in a year or longer, cocoa no oftener as a rule. I often long for coffee, but very seldom take it, as stated, as I detest stimulants, after the inner man, as I believe they somewhat dull the conception of glorious truths.? {June 28, 1900 EJW, PTUK 405.6}

That is exactly what they do. But the statement, ?I often long for coffee,? shows that our correspondent has not yet come to the Gospel basis of health reform. Healthful living is embraced in the Gospel, and a man?s Christian life is his whole life, including every act, which, whether it be eating or drinking, or anything else, is to be to the glory of God. But the Christian life is not a penance; it is not a continual longing for forbidden things. The Christian does everything that he has a mind to do, yet he does nothing that is contrary to truth and purity, because he has the mind of the Spirit. When God saves us wholly from the guilt of sin, He saves us from the love of it, so that our heart and our flesh cry out for God, and not for anything that will dull our sense of His presence. In Christ is all fulness, and those who dwell with Him in the heavenly places are ?abundantly satisfied? with the fatness of the house of God, drinking continually of the river of His pleasures. {June 28, 1900 EJW, PTUK 405.7}

A firm in the West-end of London was recently fined for selling as cocoa what the magistrate described as ?horrible stuff,? a powder that contained forty per cent. of sugar, and twenty-seven per cent. of starch, coloured with red oxide of iron. When such stuff is sold in the West-end, what must be dealt out to people who patronise the cheaper shops? The safest, and by far the healthiest drink, is water; and if one wishes an addition to it, the various fruits afford an abundant supply of wholesome juice. {March 19, 1903 EJW, PTUK 189.1}

If people drank only at the right time, there would be far less drinking of substances that are injurious; for it is a fact that the greater portion of the tea, coffee, chocolate, etc., which ought never to be drunk, are taken at meal time, when one ought not to drink anything. If it we not for the ?table beer? and wine, a great deal less of those harmful beverages would be swallowed. {August 24, 1899 EJW, PTUK 541.8}

A T Jones

It is proper, indeed, to study not only what is not good food, but what is not the best food; for the Lord wants his people to have the best of everything. He has given us the best Gift in his possession. In this he has given us the best religion in the universe. And he wants his people to have the best health, so that we can enjoy, in the best way, the religion which he has given. And that we may have the best health, he wants us to live on that which is best. On this subject the Testimonies use the expression that such and such ?is not the best? many more times than the expression, ?is not good.? This simply illustrates the thought that the Lord wants us to use that which is the best. {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.4}

Having shown the injurious effects of tea and coffee, and that those things have no other than injurious effects, the questions have been asked: ?What about cocoa?? and, ?When we leave off tea and coffee, is not cocoa a good substitute for them?? {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.5}

If we use the word ?substitute? in the sense of doing the same thing that tea and coffee would do, then cocoa is a perfect substitute for them. But if we use the word ?substitute? in the sense that is evidently here intended, of using cocoa with the expectation of its doing good where tea and coffee do only evil, then it is not a substitute at all. {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.6}

We have seen that the evil effects of tea and coffee come altogether from the theine and caffeine that they respectively contain?theine and caffeine, however, being but different names for the same identical thing. Now the truth is that a given amount of cocoa always contains nearly as much, and often more, of the same identical poison that is found in the same quantity of tea, and one-and-one-fifth times as much as is found in the same quantity of coffee. The active principle of tea is theine; the active principel of cocoa is theobromine. And all three of these words are simply three different names for the same thing. Theine and caffeine and theobromine are identical. Perhaps we had better give the proof of this; so here it is:? {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.7}

?Theine is an alkaloid identical with the caffeine obtained from coffee. . . . Theine is precisely the characteristic constituent of coffee.???Encyclopedia Britannica,? art. ?Tea.? {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.8}

?The constituent upon which the peculiar value of cocoa depends is the theobromine, an alkaloid substance which, till recently, was supposed to be distinct from, though closely allied to, the theine of tea and coffee. It is now, however, known that the alkaloid in these and two or three other substances similarly used is identical, and their physiological value is consequently the same?.?Id., art. ?Cocoa.? {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.9}

?The physiological and dietetic value of coffee depends principally upon the alkaloid caffeine, which it contains in common with tea; cocoa; mate, or Paraguay tea; guarana; and African cola-nut.??Id. art. ?Coffee,? also under ?Tea.? {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.10}

The proportion of this constituent that is identical in tea, coffee, and cocoa is as follows: tea, 1.8 to 3 per cent.; average, 2.4; cocoa, 2 percent.; coffee, .8 per cent. {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.11}

Now when you leave off coffee because of the evil effects of four fifths of one per cent. of stimulant, and take in its place cocoa, which has in it two and one-half times as much of the same identical stimulant, it is evident enough that that is not exactly health reform. Indeed, it is not reform of any kind; it is only to make the matter worse than it was before. And when you leave off tea because of the injurious effects of two-and-two-fifths per cent. of stimulant, and ?substitute? for it cocoa, which has almost as much, and in many cases more, of the same identical stimulant, it is evident that this is also just as far from being true health reform as the other. {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.12}

This only illustrates the necessity of our using thought and judgment in all this work of health reform. It is not acting, sensibly to leave off a thing that we have learned is bad, and then blindly take up, simply because it tastes good, something that is as bad, or perhaps worse, or is the same identical thing under another name or in another form. This is not health reform. We need to think on all these things, and act upon a thoughtful, well-formed, and well-balanced judgment. Of all things, this is one in which haphazard action is not allowable. Every one needs to learn, and never to forget, that health reform does not consist in simply leaving off what we have learned is not good, but in using that which is food, or even the best. When we use only what is good or the best, all those things that are injurious will drop away like dead leaves from a tree, and will simply be left behind and never missed. {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.13}

There is a difference, however, between cocoa and tea and coffee. That is, whereas tea and coffee have a very small proportion of food elements, or none at all, cocoa has a large proportion. More than four fifths of the constituents of cocoa?82 per cent?are food elements; while in coffee less than one fifth is food, and in tea there are practically no food elements at all. From tea and coffee, therefore, practically nothing is obtained but the stimulants, which are only injurious; while from coca the same, or a greater amount of the same, stimulant is obtained, yet along with it there is more than forty times as much of food elements. The proportion is: theobromine, 2 per cent.; food elements, 82 per cent. fat, 20 percent. Nitrogenous compounds, and 10 per cent. starch. The effect of the stimulant is the same, whether taken with the larger proportion of food elements in cocoa, or with very little, or none, in tea and coffee. It is better to do without the food elements as found in cocoa, and thus escape the stimulant, than to take the stimulant with the food elements. In other words, it is far better to use that which contains only food than to use what contains both food and stimulant. {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.14}

This brings us to another principle of health reform. It is this: As anything, the effect of which is only to stimulate, is not food, and therefore is not to be used at all, so also anything that carries with it any stimulant is not good food, and is therefore not to be used if it is possible to avoid it. {June 7, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 363.15}

These statements could be abundantly corroborated from the writings of others; but what is the use of it? If a person will disregard the evidence is here presented on this subject, he would disregard all the evidence is that could possibly be brought together. The evidence is here given clearly show that flesh-meats, cocoa, tea, and coffee form but a graduated scale of stimulants and intoxicants, and that flesh-meats, as they are to-day, are not the least injury is in the scale. {June 14, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 377.12}

This is one of the reasons that flesh-meats are not good food. Flesh-meats have in them stimulating properties akin to those in tea, coffee, cocoa, etc. Perhaps we had better have the proofs of this statement, too, so here they are. The ?Encyclopedia Britannica,? in discussing tea and its kindred stimulants, says:? {June 14, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 377.2}

?The theobromine of cocoa is closely allied to theine, and the characteristic components of the extract of meat shows certain points of contact with these stimulant bodies.? {June 14, 1898 ATJ, ARSH 377.3}

IN the REVIEW AND HERALD of May 17, 1898, in an article on temperance, we printed from the ?Encyclopedia Britannica? the following: ?From tea to hashish we have, through hops, alcohol, tobacco, and opium, a sort of graduated scale of intoxicants, which stimulate in small doses, and narcotize in larger. The physiological action of all these agents gradually shades into each other, all producing, or being capable of producing, consecutive paralysis of the various parts of the nervous system.? {February 7, 1899 ATJ, ARSH 89.1}

In articles the following two weeks, we gave extracts from the same authority, showing that coffee also belongs in this list; and that cocoa, though having food elements, yet has in it the identical elements referred to in the scale of intoxicants from tea to hashish. Then in the REVIEW AND HERALD of June 14, 1898, we gave an extract from the same authority, showing that flesh-meat has in it also properties that belong in this graduated scale of intoxicants. By these evidences, and for this cause, we showed that the eating of flesh-meats is a species of intemperance; and that those who would be strictly temperate?that is, those who would practise Christian temperance?can no more use flesh-meats than they can use tea, coffee, or tobacco. {February 7, 1899 ATJ, ARSH 89.2}

How is Chocolate Made?

Cocoa comes from the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao. It originated in the rainforests of South America, but is now grown all over the tropics, including in Australia. There are several varieties of cocoa. The most common variety is Forastero. Criollo and Trinitario (a cross between Forastero and Criollo) are generally considered to be superior varieties.

Cocoa beans grow in large pods (botanically they?re actually berries and the beans are its seeds). After being hand-picked, cocoa pods are husked and the beans removed. If they?re left too long in the pods, the beans start to rot or dry out.

The beans are then allowed to ferment for a length of time determined by the type of bean. Fermentation affects the chemical composition of the cocoa, and has to be done correctly for optimal chocolate flavour.

The beans are then dried, which reduces their acidity and water content. If they?re dried too slowly they may go mouldy; too quickly and the acid levels remain too high. Some companies use substandard beans, inevitably resulting in lower-quality chocolate.

After cleaning and roasting, the dried beans are shelled and separated from the ?nibs? inside, which contain about 53% cocoa butter and 47% cocoa solids. The nibs are crushed to form cocoa liquor. At this point the liquor can be separated into cocoa butter and cocoa solids.

To make dark chocolate, the cocoa liquor is mixed with more cocoa butter, sugar is added and often vanilla ? beans or ?flavour?. The product is then ?conched?, a kneading process that improves its flavour and texture. The longer the conching, the better the quality of chocolate. Time is money, so some companies reduce conching time to reduce costs.

Finally, the chocolate is tempered ? heated, cooled and heated again, with frequent stirring ? which gives it a glossy finish and a good snap. Faults in this process show up in the appearance of the chocolate ? rather than glossy, it?s dull, may have white spots (fat bloom) or a greyish film. It?s then poured into moulds to create the finished product. http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/food-and-health/food-and-drink/groceries/dark-chocolate-review-and-compare/page/how%20is%20chocolate%20made.aspx

?Raw chocolate? is a consumer product made from cocoa beans which have not been roasted to such a degree that its molecular structure begins to change significantly. The goal of raw food consumption is to preserve enzymes and other beneficial molecules which break down in the process of prolonged heat exposure. The goal of and the incentive to consume raw chocolate are similar. Raw cocoa is either extracted from fermented cacao beans which are dried without roasting, or roasted at lower temperature. Subsequent processing is similar to that of roasted cocoa. To remain raw, later processes, such as melting, also cannot reach temperatures which will break down the desired molecular structures. Read more:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_make_raw_chocolate#ixzz28VvVwE9v

Raw chocolate contains enzymes that preserve anandamide, a chemical produced in the brain when we are in a good mood. Cacao makes anandamide last longer. Natural chocolate also contains phenylethylamines (PEAS), chemicals that make us feel like we?re in love. http://www.rawchocolate.com/

Cacao is the seed of a fruit of an Amazonian tree called Theobroma, which literally means ?cacao, the food of the gods?. Cacao beans contain no sugar and between 12% and 50% fat depending on variety and growth conditions. Nature?s First Law cacao beans are around 40% fat content (low compared to other nuts). There is no evidence to implicate cacao bean consumption with obesity.

Stimulant or Superfood?

Cacao contains subtle amounts of caffeine and theobromine. However, experiments have shown that these stimulants are far different when consumed raw than cooked.

Consider the following: Experimental provings of chocolate by homeopaths indicate its stimulating effect when cooked. One experiment conducted with a decoction of roasted ground cacao beans in boiling water produced an excitement of the nervous system similar to that caused by black coffee, an excited state of circulation, and an accelerated pulse. interestingly, when the same decoction was made with raw, unroasted beans neither effect was noticeable, leading the provers to conclude that the physiological changes were caused by aromatic substances released during roasting. http://www.thepowermall.com/thecenterforhealth/healthy_food/chocolate.htm

But is Raw okay?

No animal in nature will eat it unless tricked into it with milk or sugar.

If you can convince an animal to eat it then it greatly shortens their life span if it doesn?t kill them immediately.

The native people who ate it only ate the fruit of the theobroma (which contains all the benefits and none of the detriments) and only used the cacao seed as an addition to their psychedelic brew ahyuwasca and as a medicine in emergencies.

Native people did not eat it as a food nor as a supplement, only for sacred use.

Cacao is one of the most addictive substances known

Cacao is super toxic to the liver

It acts as a stimulant and agitates the kidneys and adrenal glands. This can cause: insomnia, nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night, shakes, and extreme energy shifts

It is extremely clogging due to the toxins carried in the oils contained within. Plus the fat chains are highly complex and require tons of work to break down.

The result of long term use is a high level of liver and blood toxicity which can cause extreme mood swings, angry outbursts, violence, depression, paranoia, & dizziness.

In some cases of long term use, there are also psychological effects that range from addictive tendencies, sexual dysfunction, violent outbursts, lack of reasoning, and decreased will.

At mega does of 40 plus beans, it acts as a hallucinogen and can cause many effects attributed to LSD or Hashish

Jeremy concludes that his personal study (it took 1.5 years of him eating it to see extreme negative effects) and his friends showed him clearly the negative effects of cacao.

From my study it seems that the people using cooked cacao powder had less toxic effects than those using roasted cacao beans whole and far, far less than those using whole, raw cacao beans.

There are a good amount of people who have experienced the same negative affect of cacao and have changed their opinion about it being such a super food. I personally can?t see anyone taking it for a long time not feeling the negative effects on some level. A big problem is, at that point so many people are already addicted to it and can?t stop even if they wanted to. Very similar to the addiction people have to cooked food. They just can?t except that it?s not healthy for them so they make excuses to keep consuming it.

Jeremy and I both feel the sadness that raw food promoters command so much public attention and use it to sell anything they can. It should be information, not products that people seek out.

The bottom line is no matter what someone feels, or believes, cacao is toxic! Science will confirm it. You may be able to consume the drug cacao and not have felt any negative affects, but in time you will. Please do not wait to experience the negative affects and get off this drug as soon as you can.

For those of you who say, I am always knocking someone else?s glory or product, I can just reply by saying I am concerned about each individual?s health. That is the most important thing to me. I know what it is like to live with disease and I want to help as many people as possible avoid it. I am so blessed to know people like Jeremy who have an open mind and continue to share the same mission with me of bringing the truth to the surface and helping others.

Jeremy and I acknowledge there are many toxic things that people do everyday from using a computer, to driving a car, from drinking coffee to smoking to all sorts of wild practices and toxic substances and experiences. Each one must make a choice and it?s our hope that people with power use it responsibly.

Jeremy wanted me to share with my readers a warning to always study and research before promoting or selling anything. He learned the hard way. Years ago he promoted the use of coconuts because he lived in the tropics and knew the benefits well. The down side was people wanting coconuts and not realizing that the answer was to go where they grow. Instead they found a way to engage in exploitation and buy toxic formaldehyde dipped bleached nuts wrapped in plastic irradiated from Thailand. He went back and tried to dissuade people from eating the toxic nuts but they didn?t seem to care. Cacao seems the same, those who want to engage with it will, toxic or not. (Once again after recently getting tons of coconuts right off the trees in Florida, I feel such a difference after eating Thai coconuts.)

Jeremy?s final stand on cacao is it is for medicinal, sacred and entertainment usage only, it is not a health food! My personal, final opinion is that we should only consume foods for nutritional needs, anything else will lead to disease, especially the way we overuse it! http://www.living-foods.com/articles/toxiccacao.html

Storage Dangers

There are some dangers associated with improperly storing raw cocoa beans. According to Germany?s Transport Information Service, cocoa beans must be stored in certain ventilation, temperature and moisture conditions. Storing the raw bean in the wrong conditions could lead to mold, over fermentation or even self-combustion in extreme heat.

Contamination Dangers

TIS warns transporters and consumers of possible contamination issues associated with raw cocoa beans. The TIS states that raw cocoa beans are known to take on odors and other airborne particles that may come into contact with the bean. A report conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also found contamination of cocoa beans in the form of mold. Individuals with a mold allergy, or an allergy to particles such as dust, may react to the bean.

Raw cocoa beans are susceptible to insect infestation. According to the U.S. FDA, cocoa trees are usually treated with fertilizers to prevent insects from getting to the insides of the cocoa beans. However, a FDA report indicates that 4 percent of cocoa beans have an insect infestation; they refer to insects as a ?filthy substance.?

Allergy Dangers

Though allergic reactions to raw cocoa beans are rare, their similarities to fruit can be reason for concern. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that allergic reactions to food products are the body?s way of defending itself against an unwelcome substance. Allergies to cocoa can create headache, heart burn and skin irritations. In extreme cases, breathing problems may occur. If a person has a history of allergies, a doctor should be consulted before consuming raw cocoa beans.

Read more: What Are the Dangers of Raw Cocoa Beans? http://www.ehow.com/info_8426591_dangers-raw-cocoa-beans.html

Theobromine is found in chocolate and is defined by Webster?s Dictionary as ?a crystalline alkaloid powder, C7H8N4O2 related to caffeine, obtained from the cacao bean and used chiefly in medicine as a diuretic and stimulant.?

You will notice that both ?caffeine? and ?theobromine? are defined as ?alkaloids? along with being ?stimulants? in Webster?s Dictionary. This is an important factor in our effort to learn more about these toxic substances.

Below, please note the bad company these stimulating alkaloids keep as Webster?s Dictionary defines ?alkaloids?:

?Any of a large class of bitter tasting, nitrogen containing, alkaline ring compounds common in plants and including caffeine, theobromine, morphine C17, H19, N2, , nicotine C10, H14, N2, quinine C20, H24, N2, O2, and strychnine C21, H22, N2, NO2.?

But before we go any further, I need to lay a little biblical foundation for what will follow, so that we can better understand why ?caffeine? and ?theobromine? are so dangerous to the body:

The Bible Tells Us In Psalm 139:14:

?I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.?

Truer words were never spoken! The physical body we each possess is ?wonderfully made? (by God), and it is important that we realize the body we each possess is comprised of approximately 100 trillion living cells.

If we keep our bodily fluids purified and our cells free of toxic build-up, we will experience health.

If we fail to keep our bodily fluids purified and our cells free of toxic build-up, we get sick.

We keep our bodily fluids purified and our cells free of toxic build-up when we cease consuming toxic substances and start consuming the primarily raw, 100% plant based foods God designed our bodies to thrive on ? especially when our diets include an abundance of raw vegetable juices and green smoothies.

If We Want To Promote Health and Avoid Disease

If we want to promote health and avoid disease, we must carefully avoid placing protoplasmic poisons into the body.

Yet, on a daily basis, the average person consuming the World?s Diet is placing protoplasmic poisons into their bodies, not realizing that every one of these poisons is a toxic drug that does great harm to the body!

These drugs may be in the form of caffeine, theobromine (a drug related to caffeine), inorganic sodium chloride (white table salt), refined sugar, alcohol, nicotine and other drugs derived from plants including but limited to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, along with doctor prescribed and over-the-counter drugs.

Not a single one of these substances are a food that will nourish the physical body.

They are all addictive drugs, that will poison the body.

Sadly, most of these drugs are socially accepted and even cherished, commercially advertised, some medically prescribed, and often government subsidized.

Caffeine Is A Drug

Coffee is the most popular and widely used stimulant in the world and coffee is the major source of caffeine.

Coffee is also the most popular beverage in the world, with tea and caffeinated soda coming in second and third place.

One cup of drip coffee contains 150 mg of caffeine; one cup of brewed black tea 50 mg of caffeine; and green tea, which is being so highly touted for its antioxidant properties, can contain as much caffeine as black tea. (Three cups of decaffeinated coffee still has the same amount of caffeine remaining in it as a cup of regular coffee.)

A 12-ounce can of caffeinated soft drink contains 50 mg of caffeine, and an 8-ounce bar of milk chocolate contains 50 mg of caffeine.

Raw Chocolate

While many realize the dangers inherent in the average commercial chocolate product, there is an organic, raw chocolate craze sweeping the raw food movement today, with some touting its benefits.

However, on closer examination we learn the following about raw organic chocolate:

The cacao bean, from which organic raw chocolate is made, contains: methylxanthines (a stimulating drug known as caffeine), theobromine, and theophyllin, (all of which are known to produce permanent degenerative alterations in cellular protoplasm). The cacao bean also contains more tannin than tea, plus oxalic acid, cannabinoids, and aflatoxins.

Dr. John McDougall Speaks On The Subject Of Caffeine

Following are a few quotes taken from Dr. John McDougall?s book ?The McDougall Plan?:

(1) ?Some of the most popular drugs consumed by people of affluent western nations are found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa beans (chocolate) . . . all of which contain a group of natural substances known as methylxanthines. These chemicals include caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. Many prescription and nonprescription drugs also contain methylxanthines.

(2) ?One of the most important of the methylxanthines is the popular drug ?caffeine?. . . undesirable effects from the stimulating properties of caffeine include: elevated heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, frequent urination, increased gastric acid secretion (which contributes to indigestion, gastritis, and ulcers), nervousness, irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea. Obviously, discontinuing caffeine will relieve the problems caused by this drug. It is particularly important for someone with hypertension who is trying to lower his or her blood pressure to stop drinking caffeinated beverages.

(3) ?Caffeine has been shown to cause birth defects in animals and is suspected of causing the same defects in humans. It would follow that you should completely avoid coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate in all forms during pregnancy.

(4) ?All three of the methylxanthines can stimulate growth of breast cells, causing painful enlargement of breast tissue and benign lumps. This condition is known as fibrocystic disease. . . In as many as 90 percent of women with fibrocystic disease, these benign breast lumps significantly improve or completely disappear in two to six months when methylxanthines are eliminated from the diet. There is also concern from investigators that the chronic stimulation of the breast tissue by methylxanthines may progress to cancer of the breast. Cancer of the bladder also has been related to caffeine use.

(5) ?One more undesirable effect of caffeine is that the drug has been shown to cause loss of calcium from the body. Therefore, another dietary manoeuvre you can use to prevent and possibly correct thin, calcium-deficient bones, or osteoporosis, would be to discontinue use of caffeine.

(6) ?The body actually becomes physically addicted to caffeine. When you attempt to quit taking this drug, expect withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, irritability, drowsiness, tension, and depression. Withdrawal symptoms can last as long as a week. ?

Dr. Russell Blaylock Speaks Out On The Subject Of Caffeine

In the November 2005 issue of Newsmax magazine Dr. Blaylock reports:

?Caffeine is considered to be the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. In some ways it is acting like MDMA (Ecstasy) and cocaine. That is, it stimulates brain cells intensively . . . If you stop drinking caffeine you will notice two things right away: that you cannot stay awake and that you have a splitting headache . . . This is because the brain has turned down the sensitivity to caffeine so much that your brain is struggling to remain conscious. The headache is because of rebound dilation of the blood vessels in the scalp. . . Excessive caffeine has several dangers. With high consumption, one can have a sudden seizure or even abnormal heartbeats. On some occasions the abnormal heartbeats ? called arrhythmias ? can lead to sudden death, especially if your magnesium is low.? http://healthtip.hacres.com/index.php/tag/raw-chocolate/

Dr. Neal Barnard says in his lecture, Breaking the Food Seduction, namely that, ?Chocolate, just like sugar, elicits an opiate reaction within the brain that trips the dopamine receptors and gives us a pleasure response?I don?t mean to say that chocolate is a drug. What I mean to say is that chocolate is the whole darn drugstore!?

When Narcan or Noloxone, the drugs used to block opiate receptors for those suffering a heroine overdose are used in research studies for those with a chocolate addiction, test subjects lose their desire for chocolate.

Jeremy Safron?s findings were as follows:

Cacao is one of the most addictive substances known.

In some cases of long term use there are also psychological effects that range from addictive tendencies, sexual dysfunction, violent outbursts, lack of reasoning, and decreased will.

At mega does of 40 plus beans it acts as a hallucinogen and can cause many effects attributed to LSD or Hashish.

Cacao is super toxic to the liver.

The result of long term use is a high level of liver and blood toxicity which can cause extreme: mood swings, angry outbursts, violence, depression, paranoia, and dizziness.

It is extremely clogging due to the toxins carried in the oils contained within. Plus the fat chains are highly complex and require tons of work to break down.

It acts as a stimulant and agitates the kidneys and adrenal glands this can cause: insomnia, nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night, shakes, and extreme energy shifts.

No animal in nature will eat it unless tricked into it with milk or sugar.

If you can convince an animal to eat it then it greatly shortens their life span if it doesn?t kill them immediately. (as with dogs)

Native people did not eat it as a food nor as a supplement, but only for sacred use.

When Native people did eat it, they only ate the fruit which contained the benefits without the detriments.

Jeremy Safron?s final stand on cacao is that it is for medicinal, sacred and for entertainment usage only; it is not a health food!

Paul Nison says, ?The processing of cacao beans into powder and chocolate is an unsanitary, risky procedure to say the least. To be blunt ? chocolate and cacao are laced with animal feces and hair, insects, and molds. The carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin has been found in large quantities on cacao beans.? and continues?

Watch Paul Nison in this very informative 9:33 minute video of with references to the scientific research regarding the harmfulness of raw cacao/chocolate:

Doctor Fred Bisci, a raw foodist for about 40 years also confirmed what Jeremy Safron and Paul Nison suspected; cacao is toxic!!!

You can hear him speak about his findings and personal experience with raw chocolate here in this 3 minute clip:

Listen to Dr. Brian Clement explain in this short clip why he does not recommend raw chocolate:

Cacao is a Dangerous Heart Stimulant

Just last week I was visiting a health food store to purchase my greens (nature?s best source of minerals, trace minerals and magnesium) all without stimulants, addictive substances and high amounts of saturated fat, when I got into a conversation with a very health conscious gentleman who asked me what I thought about cacao. I told him that I agreed with Dr. Neil Barnard and others, that chocolate is harmful to our health. Chocolate contains caffeine, theobromine, as well as phenylethylamine which slows down the breakdown on anandamide just as with the use of marijuana. Now you can understand why it?s so addictive!

He relayed an interesting story to me that clearly illustrates raw chocolate?s stimulating effects. He told me how he had recently started adding chocolate to his energy sports drink to help his energy and recovery. He rode his bike to the Blood Donor Clinic as he does every two months and tried to donate blood.

Unfortunately he couldn?t pass the screening test because his heart rate was too high! They asked him to sit for 15 minutes to allow his heart rate to normalize but it was still too high. He was shocked since this had never happened to him before!

Adding raw cacao was the only thing he had changed in his diet. Now, you might wonder why chocolate would make his heart race? Its due to the caffeine and theobromine, a sister molecule to caffeine, the same chemical that kills many dogs when they eat chocolate! The adrenal glands rev up metabolism so as to quickly eliminate the offensive substance. This is called stimulated energy which is always followed by fatigue, and therefore a desire for more of the stimulant.

My Personal Experience with Cacao

I never bought into the raw cacao craze; I was forewarned by knowledgeable people who knew the truth, but when a friend of mine wanted me to import some for her a few years ago, I obliged after trying to persuade her not to buy it. When it arrived I asked her if I might sample some so I could have a personal experience with it. She offered me a few nibs which I popped into my mouth. I chewed them a few seconds and felt compelled to spit them out into the kitchen sink. They were so bitter I couldn?t stand them and I used to be a dark chocolate fan! Apparently no animal in nature will eat them either unless you fool them into by combining the raw cacao with milk or sugar. So ended my desire to ever try it until?

I had the opportunity to try a raw chocolate dessert (a brownie made with raw cacao powder) for the first time at a raw food potluck. After just a few bites I felt a strange trembling sensation throughout my entire nervous system and then faintness came over me. I became very weak and had to be supported to walk. I linked the experience with the raw chocolate and decided not to touch it again until?

I worked for Avena Originals and they begged me to try their chocolate saying it was more ?pure? than the cacao I had imported from a supplier in California. So after much coaxing I agreed to their request ? to test their cacao by consuming just 2 tablespoons daily in my banana smoothie at lunch instead of the usual carob. After adding twice the amount of dates to the smoothie that I usually used, it was actually quite delicious.

The first thing I noticed was that I always wanted more after I had consumed the last drop, unlike the satisfied feeling I had with my banana ?carob smoothie.

Secondly, I found it difficult to sleep through the night and suffered from insomnia. My gums started bleeding after about a week of consuming cacao daily, but the most unbearable side effects I experienced were the excruciatingly painful leg cramps in my calves that occurred nightly after about 2 weeks of consuming cacao. It was then that I abandoned my experiment and decided that cacao was definitely harmful for me. It appears that the cleaner one?s body the greater the sensitivity, which explains why long term raw foodists tend to experience the worst side effects. Fortunately all of these symptoms disappeared when I stopped consuming cacao.

I know you probably don?t like to hear that your favourite raw food is not good for you. That?s why I?ll never be as popular as those you try to convince you that it?s a SUPERFOOD. But then I am only doing my best to educate you; I?m not trying to convince you that the chocolate addiction you brought with you from the cooked food world is now actually good for you and that you should now consume cacao or raw chocolate with reckless abandon because it?s a SUPERFOOD! No, I wouldn?t be able to sleep at night, not due to cacao?s stimulating effects (I don?t eat it!) but because I have a conscience.

Please note that I stand nothing to gain by telling you not to consume cacao except knowing that I did the right think to inform you so hopefully you would not be led astray and lose what health you?ve gained by consuming more raw food. Reserve your money to buy real superfoods ? leafy greens!

?Greens are nature?s true superfoods.?~ Sergei Boutenko

NOTE BY FREDERIC:

Some people claim that raw cacao is perfectly healthy because it?s a fruit. Because I live in Costa Rica half the year, I know what a real cacao fruit is. In fact, I often buy it at the supermarket. There?s a sweet/acidic pulp surrounding the seeds, and the way to eat the fruit is simply suck on the seeds like a candy, and then throw away the seeds! Why? They are not edible and taste horrible in their completely raw, natural state.

On the right is a photo of a Bribri native in Costa Rica, eating Cacao fruit.

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