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SO WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT COCOA?
You may be surprised to learn that cocoa is actually a FRUIT – and even more surprised to learn that it is actually one of the healthiest fruits commonly eaten by man!
Cornell University food scientists discovered that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea.
Cocoa was valued as a means to heal colds and coughing attacks, enhance mental acuity, fight inflammation, and improve overall nutrition.
Recent research studies have shown a link between cocoa and cardiovascular health, with reduced risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
While cocoa was a celebrated and valued part of ancient Mesoamerican society, ancient records have also revealed more than 150 uses of cocoa for medicinal purposes.
Cocoa differs from tea and coffee in that it is rich in nutritious food, and having in it no tannin or other deleterious elements, its theobromine, or characteristic property, being connected with albumen – a muscle making element.
Cocoa products were valuable as respiratory excitants. Ads in the late 1800’s touted cocoa’s benefits for patients with asthma, bronchial, and lung trouble.
Cocoa powder is rich in the polyphenols, mainly flavonoids. Cocoa is from the plant Theobroma cacao.
Even though we are taught that saturated fats are harmful to the cardiovascular system, the saturated stearic acid fat from the cocoa bean does not elevate blood cholesterol like other saturated fatty acids. 
The cocoa bean also contains some insoluble and soluble fiber, which contributed to lower cholesterol levels.
Dark chocolate contains magnesium, potassium and copper.
Cocoa is loaded with a variety of phyto-nutrients like Resveratrol, making it very high in antioxidants. Pound-for-pound, dark chocolate has the highest concentration of these flavonoids of any food—even more than acai or blueberries.
Cocoa rates as one of the highest whole foods on the ORAC scale—even higher than green tea, acai, blueberry and red wine, which have all been shown to be very effective antioxidants.
This fun report about chocolate is provided for your enjoyment courtesy of http://Benefits-Of-Resveratrol.com
Today’s Workout
Buy In – 5 rounds of 1 Snatch Deadlift, 1 Snatch pull, 1 Hang Power Snatch, 1 Overhead squat
- Increase weight each set, working up and above the weight you are starting with in the workout
- If new to the snatch and overhead squat, work through technique with the coach for your warmup
- Time cap of 10 minutes
WOD – “Snatch and Ladders”
Part 1 – 5 Rounds of:
- 1 snatch
- 5 Overhead squats, increasing 5lbs/10lbs each round
* 2-3 people per group, rest time is just enough time to change the weights and let your partners do a round
* Time cap 15 minutes (in groups of 3 that is 1 minute to do your reps and change up the weight for the next person)
* Coaches, call out the minutes as they pass to keep the class on time.
Part 2 – “Ball Breaker”
2 Rounds for time:
- 2 minute max wall balls (14/20)
- Rest 2 minutes in between rounds
Zone 3 – scale to 1 minute rounds of wall balls
Zone 2 – scale wallball to 10/14lbs. Pick one weight and stick with it, focus on technique. Rest 1 minute between rounds
Zone 1 – scale as needed
Score both workouts separately. Your score is your final weight lifted. To Rx Part 1, you have to keep increasing weight or it is not considered Rx’d! If you fail an attempt and have to redo a weight, it is not Rx’d.
Cash Out – MWOD
* 1 minute each side – Pigeon stretch
* 1 minute each side – lacrosse ball in figure four stretch
* 1 minute each leg – couch stretch
* 4 minutes rolling out shoulders with lacrosse ball or foam roller
