100% Raw, Natural and Organic Goodness

Amy Hirsch, Raw Chocolatier
Creator of Amy's Raw Chocolates 

RAW CHOCOLATE (Theobroma Cacao)

Did you know that the average American consumes nearly 11 pounds
of chocolate each year? Major food manufacturers earn very high
profits because of our love-affair with chocolate, and there continues
to be much controversy over the effects that eating chocolate has on
our body.

The RIGHT kind of chocolate can provide many "good for you" health
benefits. Consumed in its unprocessed, raw form for maximum
benefit, cacao is considered one of nature's most powerful
superfoods. It is a strong antioxidant and one of the richest natural

sources of magnesium, a heart and brain mineral. Cacao is renowned for stimulating neurotransmitters
(like serotonin) in your brain, inducing a positive mood, sense of well-being, and providing a healthy
energy boost.

How chocolate is created for your consumption is of vital importance when it comes to the health benefits
it provides. The quality, quantity and ratio of chocolate and other ingredients, plus the processing
method, all determine to what degree the final product contributes to your healthy physical and emotional state.

Which brings us to the BIG difference with Amy's Raw Chocolates … it is the ratio of chocolate to
other superfood ingredients that gives our product the edge over the average chocolate product on the
market, including other raw and organic chocolates. In every one of our varieties, you get as much
additional superfood as chocolate in every bite! Yes, our ratio of raw cacao to other superfood
ingredients is 1:1. We carefully measure our ingredients to be balanced, based on the amount of
specific superfoods that your body requires for peak functioning and support. That's how our chocolates
are balanced and why they make people feel so good!

The history of chocolate dates back to 200 B.C., and encompasses many nations and peoples of our
world. The scientific name of the cacao tree's fruit is "Theobroma Cacao" which means "food of the
gods." Ancient Mayans, Aztecs and Incans used cacao for daily rejuvenation and healing; at one time
cacao beans were the main currency exchange among many South American natives.

All real chocolate comes from cacao beans, which are the seeds of a fruit pod often described as a
culinary nut. The authentic cacao tree is a small evergreen tree that thrives in Mexico, Central America,
South America and the West Indies, and was cultivated long before the discovery of America by the
Europeans. Cacao trees grow from 12 to 25 feet high and branch out at the top; when cultivated for
chocolate they are not allowed to grow to their magestic heights. The cacao pods grow on the tree trunk
and stems. The pod has numerous seeds that are about 1 inch long with a reddish-brown skin, darkbrown
on the inside, and are imbedded in a white, buttery fruit pulp. Chocolate comes from the darkbrown,
rich, bitter and oily bean part of the fruit.

Cacao contains a wide array of unique properties and minerals, including high levels of sulfur and
magnesium. It may increase your focus and alertness and even contains nutrients to keep you happy.
Chocolate and cacao are often associated with love, primarily as a result of the phenylethylamine
contained in the cacao. Anandamide is produced in the brain when we are feeling great, and cacao
makes anandamide longer lasting. Raw cacao has a taste that may remind you of unsweetened bakers
chocolate when you first taste it in its natural state. When mixed with a little raw sweetener like agave
nectar or honey, the decadent, rich flavor and health-enhancing benefits of raw cacao can be fully
enjoyed.