COCOBOD CEO, Joseph Boahen Aidoo has outlined some scientific benefits of cocoa to the human body.
According to Mr Aidoo, cocoa has numerous health benefits hence the need for Ghanaians to patronize made-in-Ghana chocolate as well as cocoa.
Among some of the benefits are the prevention of memory loss, easy flow during menstruation, anti-cancerous properties, resistance to malaria, among others.
Touching on benefits of the antioxidant properties of cocoa at the National Chocolate Day celebration in Accra, he said, “Manganese is so crucial to body metabolism. Cocoa has magnesium, calcium, iron, and manganese zinc. Cocoa assists for the oxygen to be carried to the cells. When you have free radicals, then you will be saved from getting cancer… which means cocoa in a way has anti-cancerous properties.”
He added that “it helps in the development of your cognitive performance.”
Boasting of Ghana’s cocoa, he said “Japan takes all its cocoa from Ghana.” According to him, the more cocoa you take, the more intelligent you become. “That is why we are introducing it into the School Feeding program”, he remarked.
He also treated the guests to his new special JB chocolate recipe made of cocoa powder and honey. He entreated the audience to try his recipe with bread and biscuits. Some students who tasted the recipe expressed their satisfaction and admiration for the recipe.
Creating humour, Joseph Boahen Aidoo remarked that the more chocolate one takes, the younger one looks adding that he does not use the elevator when he goes to work but rather climbs the stairs. This invited laughter from the audience.
When it came to malaria, he tasked his audience to go and ask Father Campbell how he had been able to stay in Ghana for twenty years without contacting malaria.
He cautioned the older ones to be cautious of their sugar intake when taking chocolate whiles tasking children to eat more chocolate since they were younger.
He paid tribute to the late Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey on instituting the celebration of the National Chocolate Day in Ghana.
National Chocolate Day
The National Chocolate Day Celebration was instituted by the Ghana Tourism Authority under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism in 2005 by the late Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey in order to change the perception of the celebration of Valentine’s Day to the promotion and consumption of made in Ghana chocolate and cocoa based products.
Also, it was to create awareness for Ghanaians to appreciate health benefits of chocolate and to promote Ghana as the preferred chocolate destination.
