Have you Heard of the “Bliss” Molecule? 

Chocolate, Meditation and Love Aphrodisiacs

An article by Lacey Budge written for The Adult Chair

It’s time to up your chocolate consumption. Say goodbye to milk chocolate and hello to pure raw chocolate in the form of superfood drinks {elixirs}, smoothies and sweet desserts {bliss balls}.

Anandamide, the bliss molecule, is found in raw cacao (a.k.a chocolate) and is pronounced as ca-cow not coco. This natural pleasure boosting compound is released when we are feeling good and induces the same euphoric feeling as a runner’s “high” – minus the sprints and squats!

If you are looking for a boost, (mood or libido!), consider adding this superfood to your diet. Cacao is high in the amino acid tryptophan, which is key for the production of dopamine and serotonin – a natural mood stabiliser.

It even releases natural endorphins and compounds like theobromine and phenylethylamine (PEA) which gives us the natural “high” we feel when we are in love.

Cacao, known as the Food of the Gods by the Aztecs, comes from a plant native to Costa Rica (where it was once used as local currency). It is the highest antioxidant food in the world, along with chaga, maca, acai and goji berries.

The nutritional profile for this favourite treat is extraordinary. It is the highest source of the mineral magnesium – important for heart health and extremely beneficial for women, especially during their moon cycle. The pure of chocolate is also very high in iron, potassium, calcium, B vitamins and copper; promotes longevity and even weight loss.

Choose cacao in its pure raw form (vs baking cocoa), as many of these health compounds can be damaged by heating and over processing. If you can’t get your hands on a ethically sourced 100% chocolate bar, I recommend raw cacao powder. Other options include cacao beans and nibs.

Are you already excited about bringing more chocolate back into your life? Now, consider combining it with certain foods to increase its aphrodisiac effects.

We begin with Maca, also known as Peruvian Ginseng. This superfood root veggie, grown in the high altitudes of the Andes, helps you adapt to stress and promotes long lasting energy…especially during love making!

Next, we do like the Mayans! In traditional Mayan “heart opening” cacao ceremonies, warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, clove, cardamom and cayenne have always been utilised. These spices don’t only warm up your digestion, but can spice up your love life too.

Fun fact: hot peppers open the blood vessels and allow you to absorb the benefits of the cacao and maca even more. Vanilla bean relaxes the body, which is important for all aspects of life, and is traditionally grown along side the cacao plant.

Start using this powder in your chocolate love potions, morning smoothies, kids hot chocolates and any dessert that calls for cocoa.

You can join Holistic Lacey for a heart opening cacao ceremony in Costa Rica, during her 9 Day Holistic Lifestyle Retreat, this April at Farm of Life.

One last thing… when it comes to aphrodisiacs, we cannot forget about the importance of meditation. This mindfulness practice quiets the mind and increases an overall sense of well being, relaxation and connectedness. When we become more present in our life, we become a more present lover. Through a regular meditation practice, we begin to feel content and whole in the present moment, and no longer look to our partner to “complete” us.

By Holistic Lacey | Nourishing body, mind and Spirit

Recipe : The Aphrodisiac Hot Chocolate

Serves 2 

2.5 cups Chai Tea, hot and brewed

4 heaping tbsp of raw cacao powder

1 heaping tbsp organic coconut oil

1 tsp maca

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp maple syrup, raw honey or 3 Medjool dates

1/2 tsp vanilla extract or powder

a small piece of ginger root

a pinch of cayenne

2 tbsp hemp seeds

Blend until well combined and super deliciously frothy! If you like, top with  additional superfoods like cacao nibs, bee pollen, hemp seeds or goji berries,  Enjoy at your own risk. Warning: may induce a state of euphoria and bliss! 

For more chocolate recipes, try  her Raw Decadent Chocolate Truffles, Healthy Chocolate “Mylk,” Chaga-Cacao Superfood Tea, and an All in One Chocolate Tonic she created specifically for women to boost mood, increase immunity and balance hormones.

Lacey Budge, @HolisticLacey, is dedicated to guiding individuals to live a holistic life, and to rediscovering that which already lies within. Her dharma {life purpose} is service. She believes that the best way to truly serve and make a difference is to inspire, educate, and live by example. With her clients, she offers tools such as whole food nutrition, yoga, meditation, self inquiry and connection to nature to reunite them with their True Self. Lacey, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, works in Canada and internationally as a Retreat Centre Coordinator and Facilitator, Vegan Chef, Yoga and Ecstatic Dance Teacher, Public Speaker and is currently so inspired by bringing women together into sacred sisterhood through her Emergence program.