Although coconut oil is used in many natural beauty products, it’s well-known for being a “superfood” and contains several fatty acids, with powerful benefits including weight loss, improved brain function, healthy digestion, skin health, and heart regulation. At Righteously Raw, we value superfood ingredients for their impressive health benefits and medicinal properties, especially coconut oil. Coconut oil provides exceptional amounts of fiber, magnesium, and copper, as well as lowers your “bad” cholesterol. Here are the top 5 health benefits of coconut oil: 1. Coconut Oil Contacts Healthy Fatty Acids Although coconut oil has been criticized for having too much saturated fat, studies reveal that saturated fat has no link to heart disease. In fact, coconut oil is high in natural saturated fats that are metabolized differently. Coconut oil contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) which travel straight to the liver from the digestive tract, where they’re used as an energy source; these MCTs have healthy effects on brain function. 2. Coconut Oil Can Help Burn Fat Across the globe, obesity is currently one of the largest health epidemics. Although some people argue that obesity is a matter of calories, others believe it’s the source of those calories, too. In fact, different [...]

With countless types of chocolate to choose from, there’s never just one or two to satisfy cravings. Cacao and cocoa, for instance, sound similar in name, however, they’re unique in taste, texture, nutrition and cost. If you’re unsure whether to buy cacao or cocoa, check out the qualities and differences of each below so you can make a well-crafted decision. What is Cacao? Cacao is a raw chocolate base that’s less processed than cacao powder or chocolate bars. Cacao is well-known for its high source of antioxidants, and its high amount of magnesium. For many years, cacao has been used for health remedies, and even in traded commodity. How is Cacao Made? Cacao comes from the cacao fruit tree, or the Theobroma Cacao, which produces cacao pods that are full of cacao beans. When the cacao pods are cracked open, the cacao beans are released, and then processed in a number of ways. Cacao Butter makes up the outer lining of the inside of a cacao bean and is the fattiest part of the fruit. During production, cacao butter is made by removing the cacao bean; the leftover fruit is used to make raw cacao powder. Cacao butter has a [...]

Have you ever wondered just how different raw chocolate is from dark chocolate? While both chocolates offer plenty of antioxidants and minerals, such as magnesium and iron, they’re unique in taste, ingredients, and nutrients. Here's a list of key differences between raw chocolate and dark chocolate. Enzymes A main difference between raw chocolate and dark chocolate is the amount of enzymes in each. Raw chocolate has thousands of living enzymes that have been preserved through the chocolate’s processing. All enzymes aid in healthy digestion and overall well-being, as well as enhance the absorption of vitamins and minerals found in raw cacao. Because dark chocolate is heated during processing, the enzymes are removed. However, most raw chocolate is cold pressed into the forms of cacao paste, cacao butter, or cacao powder. Sugar Content A huge and obvious difference between raw chocolate and dark chocolate is the amount of sugar. On the market, all dark chocolates have added sugar, unless you buy 100% unsweetened chocolate bars for baking, which is actually 100% cacao dark chocolate. Although chocolate baking bars are heated, they’re the closest type of dark chocolate you can purchase that’s similar to raw chocolate. Many raw chocolate brands don’t [...]

To avoid losing too much of the precious flavonoids that give dark chocolate its healthy name, Righteously Raw takes the term “minimally processed” to heart. They produce a “raw” chocolate, assuring that the cacao is never heated above 118 degrees. The low-temperature preparation means you’ll get as much flavonoid activity as possible. That’s good news, because the benefits are significant: These antioxidant compounds relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure and have an overall positive effect on heart health. Righteously Raw’s line of dark chocolate bars also includes an 80 percent cacao content Acai bar and a 90 percent cacao content Goji bar -- both “superfood” berries are praised for their own strong antioxidant power. Retails for $5.50 per bar. View Details