Cocoa feeds the bad bugs? RE: Re: Struggling with SCD

[Guest guest]

Hi n,

I totally appreciate the Why's..

Anyway, there is a lot of debate about cocoa and many of the answers can be

unsatisfactory.. But many people relapse after eating cocoa.

I would say check the archives- Marilyn has discussed this extensively at

different times as cocoa seems to be a major Why for many people.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

fructansHi n,I totally appreciate the Why's..Anyway, there is a lot of debate about cocoa and many of the answers can be unsatisfactory.. But many people relapse after eating cocoa.I would say check the archives- Marilyn has discussed this extensively at different times as cocoa seems to be a major Why for many people.Jodi

[Guest guest]

At 03:01 PM 3/8/2009, you wrote:

Ok, I need to ask this. As I

said before, I’m the type who needs the “whys” answered. Milk chocolate

being bad I can see (and besides that it doesn’t even taste good, in my

view). But straight cocoa would seem to me a whole other ballgame. As

would a good, rich 70% or 80% (or higher) dark chocolate with honey

rather than sugar added.

So I’m hoping someone can tell me why natural cocoa is bad – based

on CURRENT knowledge of cocoa and its positive properties. It

contains no sugar or milk, and it does contain healthy stuff – which was

not yet recognized when Elaine wrote her book. I admit I’m skeptical

about this non-use of cocoa. What in it, exactly, “feeds the bad bugs”?

That just doesn’t seem logical.

n,

Well, I'm the kind of person who sticks her finger in the fire to find

out if it's really hot.

Sooooo... this comes under the heading of another Marilyn Did It Yet

Again. In my early days on SCD, the topic of chocolate came up over and

over and over again. (Those of us with gut issues seems to be dedicated

chocoholics, which really ought to give us a clue, since really bad

cravings can be the bad bugs demanding their preferred food.)

Elaine was absolutely adamant about NO CHOCOLATE. Like you, I thought it

had to be the sugar. I was certain that if I could work out a honey-based

chocolate candy, it would be SCD legal and the delight of every

SCDer.

I bought pure cocoa powder. Tried mixing it with butter, vanilla and

honey: hadn't yet found a good source for cocoa butter. Also tried it

with coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. And I tried it with pear sauce

instead of honey. I had some great mixtures. And every single one of them

gave me the runs. Didn't matter what other well-tolerated substances I

mixed several different types of cocoa powder (just to be sure it wasn't

a specific brand), it all gave me the runs. I gave up on SCD-legal

chocolate using real cocoa.

A craving for chocolate, intriguingly enough, can indicate a need for

extra magnesium. I crave it much less now that I'n working on getting my

magnesium balanced.

Originally, btw, my gut issues took the form of urgency, soft, mushy

stool, sometimes diarrhea, occasionally soft mushy stool accompanied by

inability to go, gut cramps... and obesity. Yep. So many people with gut

issues struggle desperately to gain weight. Me, I'd be glad to give the

Thin Brigade my extra pounds!

I've lost 180 pounds on SCD.

For the last 15 months, though, I've been really struggling. I have

another 100 pounds to go. And I can't seem to get there, although about

95% of the time, my stools are now normal.

I discovered that eating as little as 10 grams of Lindt 85% cocoa once a

week will cause me to gain weight, even though my calorie expenditure is

otherwise the same. Ditto if I try an otherwise legal mix.

So, I conclude, once again, that even if I don't understand the why of no

cocoa, that Elaine knew what she was talking about.

I don't like it. I really don't like continuing to give up chocolate.

Barring the experiments, I haven't touched chocolate in over 7 years.

But I have to conclude that in someway, the cocoa feeds the bad bugs

which are continuing to keep me from fully normalizing my weight and

reaching the full healing that I'm working towards.

So... no chocolate. And NO experiments until I've lost that remaining 100

pounds. SCD. By the book.

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Sorry if this is a repeat, but it appears it didn't get thru the first time.

Re:Cocoa feeds the bad bugs? RE: Re: Struggling with SCD

Hi n (and all),

From Elaine's Website, "Elaine writes with great finality:

We did a whole week on chocolate a while back and it is somewhere in my files but someone else can report on it or look it up on a search engine. I am sick and tired of chocolate - it is not permitted and until I get an accurate analysis of every ingredient in the chocolate, per se, I am too busy right now to give this illegal commodity any more time."

I can see why Elaine was a tad exasperated, considering there are about 300 chemicals in ONE cocoa bean, that she would have to find the time to analyze.

According to "Chemicals in Cocoa Beans" at http://coffee-chocolate.tripod.com/chemicals.htm:

Chemical Breakdown of a Cocoa Bean

Fat: 40 - 50%

Albuminous Matter (Protein): .06 - 18%

Starch: 1.3 - 7.5%

Ash: 2.0 - 4.0%

Theobromine: .88 - 2.34%

Caffeine: .05 - 0.36%

Various Trace Materials: 17.8% - 49.77%

Although chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is currently being touted as good for the general public, starch is a SCD illegal and "Theobromine (among other effects) can cause sleeplessness, tremors, restlessness, anxiety, as well as contribute to increased production of urine. Additional side effects include loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting" (according to the site referenced above).

There are probably other reasons why chocolate, even in it's most native form, is not SCD legal . . . but, this is all I had time to check out.

Well wishes to all. ferna, UC/CD, SCD 97, 06, No Meds

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