Welcome to Mayesa’s BlogArchive for the ‘Uncategorized’ CategoryHeart-Healthy Chocolate for Valentine’s DayDecember 12, 2014
Hearts, chocolate, and Valentine’s Day have gone together like hands in gloves for decades. But it’s just recently that science has been putting its stamp of approval on dark chocolate as a true benefit of a healthy heart. Cacao is being studied more and more, and the findings are exciting for chocolate lovers. It turns out that “Healthy Chocolate” is a real concept. In fact, dark chocolate, the same type that is in Mayesa drinks, has been recently cited by some top health professionals and researchers as the single most exciting health food. In universities and research labs across the U.S. and around the world scientifically-designed medical studies are showing that there is a positive correlation between organic cacao and a reduction in the risk of developing heart disease. The flavanols contained in cacao have been found to act as “cardio-protective” agents. Benefits of consuming dark chocolate like that found in Mayesa: 1. Effect on Arteries and Veins In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, results showed 47% improvement in how much the arteries dilated. There was also indication that an increase in cells occurred that are produced in the bone marrow and that can develop into the structural cells that line and repair the arteries and veins. In another study with a sample of over 2200 patients, the more cacao that was eaten, the fewer clogged arteries were found. Cacao consumption has also been found to improve arterial flow in smokers. 2. Effect on Cholesterol It appears that the antioxidants in cacao can prevent the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol relating to the mechanism of protection in heart disease. Studies have shown that people with both normal and elevated cholesterol levels, who ingested cacao powder mixed with hot water lowered LDL (bad cholesterol) and increased HDL (good cholesterol). All three doses of high-flavanol cacao powder – 13, 19.5, and 26 g/day – proved beneficial. If you’re wondering, 26 grams of powder is about a quarter cup. 3. Effect on Blood Pressure Research pretty consistently shows that dark chocolate consumption is related to lower blood pressure readings. For example, one study found that fifteen days of eating dark chocolate lowered blood pressure in healthy subjects. Another study used flavanol-rich cacao to increase nitric oxide production in healthy humans which dilated the blood vessels thus lowering blood pressure. Still another study found that eating dark chocolate improved circulation directly to the heart. Valentine’s Day Super Food Cacao is a superfood for all seasons, and especially for Valentine’s Day. Valentine chocolates are generally presented in a heart-shaped box, or are created in the shape of a heart. And now science is telling us that dark chocolate – is actually “heart-healthy!” It’s important to note that it is cacao (dark chocolate) 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 candy and other chocolate sweets, the further away you get from the health benefits of cacao. Both the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association recommend eating a moderate amount of dark chocolate every day to contribute to maintaining a healthy heart. So, enjoy your Valentine’s Day chocolate – just make sure it is quality dark chocolate.
 Comments Off on Heart-Healthy Chocolate for Valentine’s DayMayesa Demo Schedule: June 11-30, 2014December 11, 2014
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Great discounts are also available at the demo locations, so come on by! Comments Off on Visit Us During the Month of October!One More Reason to Drink Mayesa: Dark Chocolate is a Probiotic!December 4, 2014
Comments Off on One More Reason to Drink Mayesa: Dark Chocolate is a Probiotic!Mayesa Chocolate Drinks – A Good Source of Vitamin DDecember 31, 2013
Why is that important? Globally over a billion people are Vitamin D deficient and 77% of American adults have insufficient levels of Vitamin D. What is Vitamin D Vitamin D is more commonly known as the “sunshine vitamin.” It is actually a fat-soluble hormone that the body can synthesize naturally from the sun when your skin is exposed to UVB rays. Why is vitamin D necessary? Vitamin D assists in the absorption of calcium and promotes bone mineralization. It also helps to strengthen the immune system and protect against a number of serious diseases, including rickets. Recent research even suggests that Vitamin D may also provide protection from hypertension, psoriasis, and several autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, growing evidence has demonstrated an important role in the body’s defense against cancer. Studies link a deficiency of Vitamin D to as many as 18 different types of cancers. What are the signs of Vitamin D deficiency? Deficiencies of Vitamin D are common, especially in countries in northern latitudes, where sun exposure is typically lower. Studies indicate that another cause of low levels of Vitamin D is the prevalent use of sun screens that block UV rays. Vitamin D deficiency is indicated by porous bones, weak muscles and easy fracturing. However, as mentioned above, a deficiency can also cause other problems in the body that are not as easily diagnosed as a Vitamin D deficiency. How do you get enough vitamin D from foods? Good dietary sources include fortified foods, eggs, salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines. Since sunlight causes our bodies to make vitamin D, daily exposure is helpful. However, you’ll need to check with your doctor on how much exposure to the sun without sunscreen he or she recommends. Health care providers are becoming more aware of the role Vitamin D has to our over-all health. The next time you see your physician be sure to discuss Vitamin D and its links to health risks. You’ll want to know his or her suggestions on Vitamin D-rich foods, supplements, and foods fortified with Vitamin D. Getting Vitamin D is one of the many benefits of Mayesa, a healthy chocolate drink.
Comments Off on Mayesa Chocolate Drinks – A Good Source of Vitamin D5 Surprising Health Benefits of Dark ChocolateDecember 28, 2013
Here are five health benefits of dark chocolate that just might surprise you. Dark chocolate: 1. Makes you slim Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favor weight loss rather than fat synthesis. Researchers have discovered that adults who consumed chocolate frequently had a lower BMI than those who didn’t. And, the number of calories decreases as the percentage of raw cacao in the dark chocolate increases. 2. Makes you smarter Dark chocolate is rich in chemical compounds called flavonoids, which has been found to boost brain activity. Cognitive skills are enhanced when flavonoids create new sets of neurons in the brain. These new neurons assist in the formation of new memories, as well as improving blood flow to the brain. 3. Prevents wrinkles Topical creams, lotions, and even cosmetic treatments by physicians, can only go so far in making your skin appear younger. For real sustainable results you need to look to your diet. Free radicals in our environment are some of the most extreme reasons why wrinkles appear in the skin. To fight free radicals, your diet should contain many sources of antioxidants. While fruits and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants, dark chocolate has actually been found to contain higher percentages of antioxidants than even “superfoods” such as blueberries. 4. Slows down muscle aging Recent studies are showing that the plant compound, epicatechin, found in dark chocolate, stimulates the same muscle response as does vigorous exercise. A type of antioxidant compound, epicatechin can help slow down muscle aging as well as improve lean muscle mass. 5. Helps you live longer There is antidotal evidence that dark chocolate can help you live longer. The oldest verified human being to have lived to 122 years old, Jeanne Calment, gave her daily consumption of dark chocolate credit for her longevitiy. And now scientists are finding that the high percentage of antioxidants in raw cacao may very well be the key that does help you live longer. This power-pack of antioxidants helps fight disease as well as cuts your risk for heart disease. 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, which is what contains the compounds that give you these wonderful health benefits. Photo Credit: livestrong.com
Comments Off on 5 Surprising Health Benefits of Dark ChocolateWhat is "Fair Trade" in the Chocolate Industry?December 26, 2013
A trading partnership, based on respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers. What exactly does this mean and why is this a big deal? In 2000 journalists began documenting the continued practice of forced child labor in the West African cacao trade, a source of 70% of the world’s chocolate. Since the Ivory Coast in West Africa alone produces 40% of the planet’s raw cacao, its beans are mixed into almost every brand of mass-produced chocolate. Large global corporations such as Hershey and Nestle have historically done little to address the problem of slave labor, and most cocoa on the world market is bought “blind,” through importers and brokers. Besides the slave labor issue, cacao farmers are often forced to sell their harvest to middlemen who rig scales and misrepresent prices. Fairly traded cacao is monitored by independent, non-profit, certifying organizations that guarantee that the chocolate was produced and traded in a socially responsible manner, specifically that: 1. International Labor Organization Conventions on child labor and forced labor are adhered to. 2. The cacao beans were bought directly from a democratically controlled co-operative of small scale farmers, which helps them gain more control of their livelihoods and ensures farmers a higher percentage of cocoa export revenues. Organic cacao has a built-in aspect that makes it somewhat automatically a fair trade product. Organic farms are subject to their own independent monitoring system that checks labor practices. Also, as of now, cacao beans are not organically grown in the Ivory Coast, which is where the vast majority of the reports about exploitation and slavery in the chocolate trade are centered. Mayesa purchases its organic cacao beans through Fair Trade from farmer co-operatives in Peru. Knowing this you can enjoy your delicious healthy chocolate drink feeling as good about the way the chocolate was grown and harvested as you do about the way it tastes.
Photo Credit: telegraph.co.uk
Source: Fairtradeusa.org Vision.UCSD.edu
Comments Off on What is "Fair Trade" in the Chocolate Industry?Back to School – How to Help Kids Learn Better with Healthy EatingDecember 23, 2013
“Your brain can’t work if you’re not consuming enough calories, and in general that’s not a problem,” Krista Casazza, an assistant professor in the nutrition sciences department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said in a university news release. “But when kids go to school without eating breakfast, their thinking and learning skills can be affected,” said Caxazza. Before School Nutritionists advise that children should start the day with fruits, proteins and whole grains. And most definitely avoid sugary cereals which are not only low in nutrition, but can cause a sugar high followed by a crash. “A balanced breakfast will fuel the body for a long period and help sustain their attention level through lunch, when they need to eat well again,” Casazza said. “This will hold them until dinner, and they won’t snack ravenously after school.” After School No matter how well you plan, often your kids will and do come home from school too hungry to wait until dinner. Healthy after-school snacks include yogurt, fruits and raw vegetables. Baked chips, in moderation, can be an option. For a drink, give them water instead of soda. Almond or rice milk instead of dairy drinks. Allowing your kids to help make nutritious snacks will go a long way toward their willingness to eat them. There are many fun ideas on creative ways to make these types of snacks appealing. Ideas for fun nutritious snacks 1. Instead of hard-boiled eggs – make deviled eggs 2. Instead of candy – make a healthy trail mix that includes plenty of Omega3-rich walnuts and almonds 3. Instead of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – offer naturally sweet, crisp, apple slices and peanut butter 4. Instead of ice cream – make fancy frozen bananas. Peel a banana, dip it in low-fat yogurt (any flavor), roll it in crushed cereal (again, stay away from the sugary brands) so that it’s completely coated, then freeze. 5. Instead of high-calorie dips – make warmed cinnamon-spiced applesauce (especially good on a cold day) and serve with apple slices Delicious – and oh, so healthy! Mayesa healthy chocolate drinks are another easy way to help your students eat right. Try offering Mayesa heated as a hot chocolate drink in the morning with breakfast, or as a frozen chocolate pop for an after-school snack. Photo Credit: acscan.org Comments Off on Back to School – How to Help Kids Learn Better with Healthy EatingCacao as MedicineDecember 22, 2013
The Aztecs knew that this delicious bean was famous for healing the nervous system and improving digestion and elimination. Other medicinal properties for which the Aztecs used cacao included alleviating fever, anemia, poor appetite, mental fatigue and poor breast milk production. It was also used for respiratory ailments, gout, kidney stones and low virility. In recent years modern science has delved into the secrets of this amazing bean to discover that it’s the Theobromine, antioxidant flavanols, catecins , and many other body and brain enhancing elements contained in the bean that makes it such a powerhouse of medicine. In fact, chocolate has been very recently cited by some top health professionals and researchers to be the single most exciting health food. How is it possible that something that only recently was thought of as an unhealthy indulgence is now being hailed as so remarkably beneficial? Answer – “chocolate” does not necessarily equal “cacao bean.” Most chocolate candy and other chocolate products on the market contain low levels of cacao and high amounts of sugars, milk fat, and artificial flavorings. In addition, the quality and processing of cacao used in these products is often low due to alkalinization, refining, processing and over-roasting of the bean. If you want the true health benefits that cacao can give you, choose only high cacao percentage dark chocolate, with a minimum of 75% cacao and even better, stick to at least 85% cacao. And for true healthy chocolate, look for products that use organic cacao, and are soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Source: BrainFood
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