Hello there and welcome to the Nutrition Diva podcast.

I'm your host, Monica Reinagle, and today's topic is both timely and tasty, and it was

suggested by Jane.

She wrote, with colder weather approaching here in the Northeast, I make a lot of hot chocolate

from scratch.

And I'd like to know if powdered cacao has more antioxidants than cocoa powder, there's

a big difference in price, so is it worth paying extra for powdered cacao?

The health benefits attributed to chocolate stem mostly from compounds known as cocoa

flavonols, and these are antioxidants that are unique and specific to the cacao bean.

These flavonols have been linked to reduced blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation.

They can increase your insulin sensitivity, which improves your body's ability to regulate

your blood sugar and can help prevent type 2 diabetes.

And they may also improve blood flow to the brain, which can help protect cognitive

function as we age.

There's also research to suggest that regular intake of these flavonols can improve the

texture and structure of your skin, and if all that weren't enough, chocolate also

contains compounds that make you feel happier.

The only potential fly in the cocoa butter is that most people get their cocoa flavonols

primarily in the form of chocolate, which also contains a fair amount of sugar, fat,

and calories, along with those health promoting antioxidants.

Cocoa powder and powdered cacao, on the other hand, are both quite low in sugar and fat,

and the difference between them lies in how they are processed.

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