The importance of consuming natural cocoa products

[Kofi]

Cocoa tree gives cocoa pods. Cocoa pods give cocoa beans and from cocoa beans we get chocolate and many other cocoa products.

Mr. Kwame Agyente-Badu, a researcher at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, has advocated the daily consumption of natural cocoa products without additives such as sugar and milk, saying these reduce the potency of the cocoa.

He said even though cocoa diets reduce the risk of heart diseases and strokes, the use of the additives interfere with the flow of antioxidants, substances that prevent damage of the body's cells.

Speaking on Saturday at a forum organized by CRIG to sensitize the public on the importance of consuming natural cocoa products in Accra, Mr. Agyente-Badu noted that regular daily intake of natural cocoa drink helps to reduce persistent cough, asthmatic attacks and overcome erectile dysfunction and other forms of sexual weaknesses.

He indicated that cocoa is the natural source of dietary magnesium which research has shown to be effective in treating diabetes, epilepsy, sleeplessness, menstrual pains, migraine and arthritis.

"For external usage, non-edible cocoa benefits include treating lip sore, nipple sores on breastfeeding women, burns and rashes, skin irritations, haemorrhoids and skin irritations.”

Acting Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ghana Cocoa Board, Mr. Francis Osei Owusu, on his part said the company had targeted to hit 1 million tonnes of cocoa production by 2012.

He said management was committed to making cocoa production the highest foreign exchange earner and to serve as the spine of the economy in spite of the discovery of oil in commercial quantities.