Sheila Magazine

sheila I feature No need for a spoonful of sugar to make this medicine go down TEXT: Kristen Watts Treat yourself as easy as munching down on the best- tasting snack you could ever wish for? It's hard to believe, but there is a deli- cious superfood that can deliver weight loss, increased fibre intake, bucketloads of magnesium, more antioxidants than green tea. W Not only that, this food is so good, it also makes you feel happy and wait for it…increases libido? I have to admit, I was a skeptic too, especially when I found out that the food in question is sugarless chocolate made right here in Western Australia. In fact, I laughed out loud when a colleague returned from a trip to Fremantle with news of such a find. He was so convinced of the seemingly magical properties of his fine food discovery, that I started to think the samples he had apparently devoured were laced with mind-altering substances. "It is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted," he announced, eyes almost rolling back in his head as he relived the pure delight of gorging himself on this healthy treat. "Pigs can fly and I have got lots of work to do," I responded, annoyed that my normally smart workmate had been sucked into an obvious scam. A few weeks later, when I had just finished research for a story on the dangers of sugar indulgence (Sheila May 2012), I was busy plotting my hat if treating yourself with a whole pile of seriously good vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants was path to what I thought would certainly be a miserable, sweet-less future. With the past four decades spent honing my appreciation for lollies and other goodies, the thought of a lifetime without the joys of a daily 3pm sweet treat was enough to make me ponder the whole purpose of life. And then, much like divine intervention, Fremantle organic, holistic foodies Willow and Catherine Francis appear in our office. "We come bearing gifts," they say. All I can do to restrain myself from eye rolling and making scoffing noises is to bite on the dark chocolate they thrust into my hands. I brace myself for the disgusting taste I am convinced will come with the thousands of anti-oxidants, bucketfuls of magnesium and fibre I am about to consume. If it's going to make me skinny, I know that no pain means no gain. I'm ready for it, my lips curling back as I bite down. all the glory for bringing this exquisite superfood to the market. The amazing properties of cacoa beans were known as far back as 300AD when the Mayans became the world's first chocoholics. Pottery found in Ancient Mayan burial tombs features pictures of gods fighting over cacao beans and kings waiting to be served cacoa creations. But it wasn't until the Spanish conquered the Aztecs that crushed cacao beans were mixed with sugar and eventually sweet chocolate was developed. In the meantime, people had PROPERTIES of cacoa beans were known as far back as "The AMAZING But instead of the taste that comes with a handful of Blackmores, I feel like I have just landed in pure Lindt heaven. "A-ha, you can't fool me," I announce. "That's the real deal appetizer. When are you going to give me the raw chocolate?" I ask. And with that team Roar Superfoods cheer with delight. It is a victory. Yet another skeptic has been won over. But Willow and Catherine, don't claim MAYANS became the world's first chocoholics." 300AD when the recognised that cacao had the amazing ability to provide energy and resilience to disease. When Europeans started adding sugar to the mix, chocolate as we know it today began to set the world on fire. But Willow says the reason today's mainstream chocolate does not deliver the astounding health benefits discovered in ancient times, is largely because of the manufacturing processes used. He says cacoa needs to be eaten raw to get the most out of it and he claims the addition of sugar and dairy to the mix reduces the medicinal potency of the beans. Willow and Catherine's Roar Superfoods chocolate, unlike mainstream varieties, is not tempered and it's made without dairy or sugar. SHEILA JULY 2012 29

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