Why Cacao Is Great For Your Gut!

Mmm, cacao… We all know it’s heaven on the heart. But did you know that good quality cacao is also great for your gut?

And since gut health is increasingly linked to mental health[1], here’s yet another reason we call this delicious superfood The Wellbeing Remedy for our time.

In this blog, we’re getting up close and personal with our gut bacteria to understand why it LOVES a daily dose of cacao.

Prebiotic action

Today, many people understand the importance of including probiotic food and drinks in their diet to support gut health – such as yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kombucha. Probiotics are live yeasts and good bacteria that live in our body and support our digestive system.

But when it comes to strong gut health, probiotics are only half the story. The other half is prebiotics – which are found naturally in many of the plant-based foods we eat, including cacao.

Prebiotics are undigested fibres that pass through to our lower digestive tract, where they are used as food by all the friendly flora – or probiotics – living there[2]. Prebiotics enable probiotics to thrive and grow in population, which in turn supports our digestive health.

High in fibre

Cacao contains a significant amount of dietary fibre – around 33g in every 100g of cacao. Our good bacteria transform this fibre into short-chain fatty acids like acetic acid that fends off harmful microbes and strengthens the gut barrier against antigens and invaders[3]. Choosing fibre-rich foods like cacao can also make us feel fuller and help prevent constipation[4].

By drinking a daily mug of cacao, adding some to your smoothie or sprinkling some on your porridge, you’re contributing towards meeting your daily fibre requirements and actively supporting your digestive health.

Increases good bacteria

Cacao has been scientifically proven to increase the good bacteria in our digestive system: one study[5] found that people who consumed cocoa high in antioxidant flavanols for four weeks experienced significant increases to the populations of probiotics in their gut.

But that doesn’t mean you should chomp on any old chocolate to support your microbiome, because not all products are born equal. Many are loaded with dairy and refined sugar which can harm rather than help our delicate internal ecosystem.

To get maximum nutritional benefits, choose unprocessed cacao where heat treatments haven’t diminished the natural vitamin, mineral and flavanol content. Experts recommend daily consumption for at least 8 weeks to reap the beneficial effects[6]. You’ll also need to ensure probiotics are present in your gut for the prebiotic magic to take place – which is why cacao sprinkled on a probiotic yoghurt makes for a winning (and tasty) combination!

For gut health, recipes and a wealth of nutritional information, our affiliate Mays is a trained Naturopath & Nutritionist with a Masters in Clinical Nutrition, she supports clients with 1-1 Nutritional therapy alongside holistic tools such as yoga and meditation.

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