Mayesa NewsArchive for the ‘News and Information’ CategoryCeliac Disease, Gluten-Free and MayesaJanuary 16, 2013
First let’s look at just what exactly is “gluten.” Gluten is a protein found in grains, such as wheat, barley and rye. It is ingested not only from breads and other flour-based foods, but most processed foods as well where it is liberally used as a stabilizer and thickener. Gluten is especially detrimental to anyone who has been diagnosed with celiac disease – a chronic digestive disorder which causes the body to mount an inflammatory immune response to the presence of gluten. (more…)
Categories General, Gluten-Free, Health, Healthy Chocolate, Healthy Lifestyle, News and Information, Nutrition
Great Changes in School Lunches for Healthy KidsJune 19, 2012  Michelle Obama is seen here joining students at Parklawn Elementary School in Alexandria, VA, for a healthy lunch of turkey tacos, black bean and corn salad, and fresh fruit, prepared by celebrity chef Rachael Ray The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2012 was signed by President Obama as a major step forward in America’s effort to provide all children with healthy foods in their schools. Since then USDA guidelines are implementing important provisions of the legislation, which includes significant improvements that will help provide children with healthier and more nutritious food options, educate children about making healthy food choices, and teach children healthy habits that can last a lifetime, says a White House statement.
Categories General, Health, Healthy Chocolate, Healthy Family Eating, Kids Eating Right, News and Information, Nutrition, Organic Cacao, Raw Cacao
Can Chocolate Keep You Slim? – A New StudyApril 19, 2012
The study looked at diet, calorie intake, and body mass index (BMI) of almost 1,000 participants. “Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight,” said Golomb. “Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favor weight loss rather than fat synthesis.” Interestingly that link remained even when other factors, such as exercise, were taken into account. And it appears it is how often you eat chocolate that is important, rather than how much of it you eat. The study found no link with the quantity that was consumed. In addition, Dr Golomb and her team believe that antioxidant compounds found in raw cacao, called catechins, can even improve lean muscle mass and reduce weight. Mice fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in dark chocolate) had improved exercise performance and observable changes to their muscle composition. Dr. Golomb says clinical trials are now needed to see if this is the case in humans. The type of chocolate consumed is important. Most chocolate used in candy bars, chocolate milk, snacks and desserts contain low percentages of cocoa and large amounts of sugar and fat, which can cause obvious problems such as weight gain and onset of diabetes. For the health benefits of chocolate be sure you eat dark chocolate which is listed as 70% or higher. The percentage indicates the amount of raw cacao in the product. The more raw chocolate the less sugar and fat. And drink Mayesa – a great way of indulging in healthy chocolate because it’s made from healthy organic raw cacao. Welcome to the Ultimate Blog Party – Where We Party with Healthy Chocolate!April 12, 2012
Mayesa is all about indulging in chocolate – healthy chocolate! Made from organic cacao – one of the healthiest foods on the planet – Mayesa is chocked full of good things for you, including fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin D and those great immunity-boosting antioxidants. And a bonus – Mayesa is dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free! What does a delicious Mayesa drink do for you? Besides allowing you to pamper yourself with decadent chocolate, you’ll also find that it energizes you, it replenishes you, it increases clarity, and it suppresses hunger. A healthy chocolate Mayesa drink is great for breakfast, a mid-morning pick-me-up, as a way over the mid-afternoon slump, and is perfect for dessert in the evening. You’ll love giving it to your kids, too – knowing that they can now have a chocolate drink that is actually good for them. Mayesa comes in two delicious flavors – Original Cacao, and Cacao Mint. (And here’s a secret – keep watch for the introduction of three new flavors this summer!) It’s so great to have you here to visit. Please feel free to browse around and learn more about healthy cacao. Here’s how to enter our Party giveaway: Want extra entries into the contest? Do the following..!
Make sure we have a way to reach you, by leaving your email in the comment. One winner will be chosen at random by using random.org. The contest ends April 20th at 11:59 EDT. We will announce the winner Monday April 23rd. And, don’t forget to head over to the Ultimate Blog Party (#UBP12)! It’s a chance to win another 12-pack of delicious healthy chocolate Mayesa drinks! You’ll also discover many other great blog sites, and there’s prizes galore! This is our first year participating in the Ultimate Blog Party, so, welcome! And thanks for learning more about Mayesa – the healthy chocolate drink!
Categories Event, Health, Healthy Chocolate, News and Information, Organic Cacao, Ultimate Blog Party
March is National Nutrition Month – Drink Healthy Chocolate Mayesa!March 20, 2012
Mayesa is packed with great nutrition, starting with organic cacao – the purest form of chocolate. This is blended together with such things as pea protein and rice, along with special spices, for an unusually indulgent nutritional source. And that’s just the beginning of the amazing nutrition of Mayesa. Here’s more: Mayesa contains no cholesterol and no trans fats. What Mayesa does contain is: 1. Antioxidants – Cacao contains a higher 2. Magnesium – supports the heart, brain, and digestive system 3. Iron – 314% of RDA of Iron per ounce serving. 4. Theobromine – dilates the cardiovascular system, making the heart’s job easier 5. Anandamide – An endorphin known as the “Bliss Chemical” that is released naturally by the body after exercise and is found in Cacao Nutritional Bonus! Mayesa is dairy-free, gluten-free,soy-free, and VEGAN! Isn’t it great to have a way of making sure you get great nutrition on a daily basis, and indulge in healthy chocolate at the same time? Can’t beat it! About National Nutrition Month National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to promote nutrition awareness and education. It originated in 1973 as “National Nutrition Week” and expanded to the month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. The theme changes each year, but it always focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. This year’s theme, “Eat Right with Color,” provides an easy way to focus on improving eating habits — simply include plenty of color on your plate. And the rich brown of healthy organic cacao is a great color to add to your nutritional palette!
Categories Event, Health, Healthy Chocolate, News and Information, Nutrition, Organic Cacao, Raw Cacao
Healthy Chocolate Mayesa a Triumph at Natural Products Expo West!March 13, 2012 Healthy chocolate is a hit! We had a successful – and fun! – time at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA, this past weekend of March 8-11. And we met some new friends!  Karel and Ziggy Marley  Favio and Karel Natural Products Expo West – Mayesa Will Be There!March 6, 2012
And what does that mean for you? We’ll be talking with representatives from many different types of businesses who sell healthy products just like Mayesa. These businesses include conventional supermarket and grocery stores, gourmet specialty retailers, natural product chains, health practitioners, and natural food restaurants. It’s amazing that just 30 years ago, natural and organic products were sold mostly by independent and co-op retailers, and the size of the industry was estimated at $2.4 billion. Today, natural and organic products are sold in almost every retail channel, and the industry is worth nearly $68 billion, according to Natural Foods Merchandiser’s “2009 Market Overview.” We’re excited to be attending the largest natural, organic and healthy product trade show in the country! This will bring our wonderful healthy chocolate Mayesa drinks to the attention of thousands of industry professionals. Expo West will see our debut of three new flavors, and our brand-new packaging! And soon you’ll have many more options of where to buy your favorite Mayesa drinks!
Chocolate as the Perfect Gift – When Did it Start?February 14, 2012
When the Aztecs conquered the Mesoamerican lands in the 1400s, they, too, became enamored with the great cacao bean, and required that the people they conquered pay their tribute in cacao seeds. The Aztecs favored cacao beans above gold, and the beans soon became the society’s form of money. Since the Mayans and Aztecs also used cacao beans, and the chocolate drink made from them, as gifts to their gods in religious ceremonies, you could say that the practice of giving chocolate as a precious gift originated here. Used as it was in their religion, the Mayans and Aztecs considered the cacao bean and the chocolate drink made from it to be sacred. For this reason only the elite of their societies were allowed the privilege of drinking the beverage. These included the rulers, priests, and decorated soldiers, with an honored merchant occasionally included. Enter the Spanish Conquistadors, who marched across Mesoamerica beginning in the first part of the 16th Century. Cortez had been sent by the Spanish king to seek out the gold known to be heavily used by the Aztecs. So Cortez and his men were surprised to find that the Aztecs did not use gold as their form of money, but instead prized the lowly looking cacao bean. After watching the Aztecs enjoying a chocolate drink, the Spaniards indulged, became fans, and started shipping cacao beans back to Spain, resulting in Europe’s first contact with chocolate. Interestingly, although Columbus actually brought cacao beans back to the Spanish court years earlier, the Spaniards had no idea what to do with them, and it was left to Cortez to learn from the Aztecs the rich secret of cacao. Anytime you are looking for the perfect chocolate gift, the perfect answer is Mayasa - it’s not only delicious but healthy chocolate, too! Image Credit: maya-aztec.com
New Year Resolution – Eat More (Healthy) Chocolate!January 17, 2012
This year you can keep that resolution – because it will be fun, delicious, and maybe even decadent! Who wouldn’t want to stick to a resolution like that? From the Ochanomizu University in Tokyo to the University of Cambridge in England, and dozens of universities and research labs across the United States, scientifically-designed medical studies are showing that there is a positive correlation between healthy organic cacao and a reduction in the risk of developing heart disease. The flavanols contained in cacao have been found to act as “cardioprotective” agents. Although the mechanisms behind this effect are still under investigation, cacao is thought to possibly exert its benefits on cardiovascular health by activation of nitric oxide and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The flavanols have chemical structures favoring antioxidant actions such as free radical scavenging and chelation of metals. In addition, it appears that the antioxidants in cacao can prevent the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol relating to the mechanism of protection in heart disease. In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, results showed 47% improvement in “endothelium function,” which measures how much the arteries dilated. There was also indication that there was an increase in cells that are produced in the bone marrow and that can develop into the structural cells that line and repair the arteries and veins. It’s important to note that it is raw cacao that is indicated as an element that helps reduce heart disease. The more sugars and fats that are added to chocolate as it is refined and used to manufacture chocolate products used in hot chocolate beverages, chocolate milk, candy and other chocolate sweets, the further away you get from the health benefits of raw cacao. Drinking delicious, healthy chocolate Mayesa – in its Original Cacao flavor and its Cacao Mint flavor – can both satisfy your chocolate cravings, and offer possible health benefits as well!
What is the Difference Between “Cacao” and “Cocoa”?December 20, 2011
Today the FDA defines cacao as the source bean, and cocoa powder (along with chocolate liquor and cocoa butter) as products. At the time these products are processed from the cacao bean, they are still raw and unsweetened. It’s when a long refining process that adds sugar, other flavorings, and chemicals to lengthen shelf life are added to the chocolate product that “cocoa” veers widely from natural, raw, cacao. And during the refining process much of the antioxidants are destroyed by the heat. Since that is what most consumers think of as cocoa, that’s where the difference lies. Most chocolate candy, cakes, cookies, ice cream and milk sold to the American public contain only 10% raw cocoa and the other 90% is made up of high caloric, high carbohydrate sugar, cream, oils, etc. Many of these commercial items contain transfats, and up to 40 grams of sugar. For example, “milk chocolate” contains just 10% pure chocolate liquor while dark chocolate has a minimum of 75%. When sold as candy bars, both, of course, also contain sugars and fats. This is why it’s been hammered into our heads for years that to eat healthy is to stay away from chocolate, and no wonder since chocolate in the supermarket form has had most of the original nutritional qualities processed out. Mayesa uses organic raw cacao. In this state cacao contains the highest concentration of antioxidants by weight – more than acai, blueberries, pomegranates, red wine and goji berries. It is also a natural source of iron, magnesium, and theobromine (which supports the cardiovascular system). When you drink Mayesa, you are getting all of the rich chocolate flavor and natural nutrients of cacao, and none of the refined sugars, transfats , and nutrient loss of that “other cocoa.” Photo Credit: zupas.com
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