Why is Cocoa Illegal? (Repost)

[Guest guest]

Courtesy of Ferna, we have the following information, which she

originally posted to the BTVC-SCD list on 9 March 2009:

From Elaine's Website, " Elaine writes with great

finality:

We did a whole week on chocolate a while back and it is somewhere in my

files but someone else can report on it or look it up on a search engine.

I am sick and tired of chocolate - it is not permitted and until I get an

accurate analysis of every ingredient in the chocolate, per se, I am too

busy right now to give this illegal commodity any more

time. "

I can see why Elaine was a tad exasperated, considering there are about

300 chemicals in ONE cocoa bean, that she would have to find the time to

analyze.

According to " Chemicals in Cocoa Beans " at

http://coffee-chocolate.tripod.com/chemicals.htm:

Chemical Breakdown of a Cocoa Bean

Fat: 40 - 50%

Albuminous Matter (Protein): .06 - 18%

Starch: 1.3 - 7.5%

Ash: 2.0 - 4.0%

Theobromine: .88 - 2.34%

Caffeine: .05 - 0.36%

Various Trace Materials: 17.8% - 49.77%

Although chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is currently being touted

as good for the general public, starch is a SCD illegal and

" Theobromine (among other effects) can cause sleeplessness,

tremors, restlessness, anxiety, as well as contribute to increased

production of urine. Additional side effects include loss of

appetite, nausea, and vomiting " (according to the site referenced

above).

There are probably other reasons why chocolate, even in it's most native

form, is not SCD legal . . . but, this is all I had time to check

out.

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Theobromine is related to caffeine, it is used as a bronchodilator---my feeling that this is not why Elaine was against it. Perhaps all of the variables; starch, caffeine, theobromine and 'various trace materials' ( that bothers me more---what are they???????) all together made it too complex to ever recommend.

Now that I am healed, I have tried chocolate ( ILLEGAL). It does NOT bother me. I experimented, cocoa powder (ILLEGAL) DID bother me. My theory is that the fat in the chocolate helped the digestion, whereas the plain powder didn't have any buffer in the gut. I would not have it every day, even though I am healed.

I do NOT recommend this for anyone following the SCD, most especially newbies. I only tried it as I am 2.5 years out on SCD and have been symptom free, med free and in remission. It is very important to follow SCD exactly and as diligently as possible in order to obtain results that are positive. That's the way I became symptom free. And, everyone is different.

Terry

Proctosigmoiditis June '08

SCD July '08

med free since approx Fall'09

Total remission since I can't remember

[Guest guest]

Terry,

Boy did I love reading " Total remission since I can't remember "

I am so full of joy reading that.

WAY TO GO YOU!

Jodi

> Terry

> Proctosigmoiditis June '08

> SCD July '08

> med free since approx Fall'09

> Total remission since I can't remember

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the replies. Kathy

>

> Terry,

>

> Boy did I love reading " Total remission since I can't remember "

> I am so full of joy reading that.

> WAY TO GO YOU!

>

> Jodi

>

> > Terry

> > Proctosigmoiditis June '08

> > SCD July '08

> > med free since approx Fall'09

> > Total remission since I can't remember

> >

>