Chocolate As a Health Food: The Power of Chocolate + Adaptogens with Jonathan Pantalis

Episode Highlights With Jonathan

• How he almost opened a pie shop- a wild story and his journey into the world of chocolate 
• What the real story of chocolate is, and all of the components that can be in chocolate 
• The dark side of chocolate and how it can be a healthy food when it’s done right
• How heavy metals can be in chocolate if it isn’t sourced well
• Why you crave chocolate and why this might not be a bad thing
• What true chocolate is and why raw, fresh cacao beans actually taste horrible 
• When mold contamination can happen in the chocolate-making process and why a lot of chocolate has mold and heavy metals.
• What theobromine is in chocolate, and how can this be beneficial 
• The bliss molecules in chocolate that can support neurotransmitters and energy production
• Why he isn’t a fan of alternative sweeteners in chocolate and what to watch out for
• His take on monk fruit and how it can be used in a healthy way, as well as how it's grown makes a huge difference since it's technically a juice extract 
• What fair trade actually means and why chocolate prices have tripled in the past few years
• Why he uses ashwagandha, cordyceps, and reishi 
• How certain adaptogens can help with cortisol and hormones
• Why many products only contain trace amounts of adaptogens, even if they’re listed on the label

Resources Mentioned

• Cacao Calm