The Principal Quality Control Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District, Mr Ohene Amankwa has urged cocoa farmers to consume more cocoa products to enjoy its enormous health benefits.

Speaking on the essence of chocolate consumption, Mr Ohene Amankwa said cocoa farmers had long depended on cocoa for its economic gains and had neglected the enormous health gains of cocoa products to improve their health status.

“Cocoa farmers should not solely rely on the economic value of the golden bean alone but the enormous health benefits as well.”
Mr Ohene Amankwa

He pointed out that cocoa and its related products have anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant qualities which have positive health effects on the human body when consumed. Cocoa products aid in lowering blood pressure, improving the elasticity of blood vessels and the circulatory system of the human body as a whole.

Researchers have shown that dark chocolates are loaded with organic compounds that are biologically active and function as antioxidants. These include polyphenols, flavanols and catechins, among others. The flavanols in dark chocolate stimulate the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide which send signals to the arteries to relax, thereby lowering the resistance to blood flow and therefore reducing blood pressure.

Scientists have also proven that chocolate consumption significantly improves the cognitive function of elderly people with mental impairment. Cocoa contains stimulant substances like caffeine and theobromine which helps improve brain function in the short term. Cocoa consumption also lowers the risk of heart disease as well.

Consuming cocoa has shown antidepressant-like effects on certain physiological processes that help to enhance mood and combat depression. Cocoa has demonstrated beneficial effects in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells without affecting the growth of normal healthy cells and preventing high-fat diet-induced obesity.

Reflecting on the National Chocolate Week, Mr Amankwa said the event, organized by COCOBOD in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and Cocoa Processing Companies (CPC), is aimed at promoting the local consumption of chocolate and other cocoa-based products by making chocolate a gift of choice on Valentine’s day.

Mr Amankwa expressed the hope that activities earmarked for this year’s event would help boost cocoa production and chocolate consumption. He urged the organizers to sensitize people about the nutritional value of cocoa products. He said the government had mounted an ambitious drive to raise local consumption of cocoa and its products.

Meanwhile, residents in the Central Region have expressed concern about the high cost and the lack of chocolate on the market. They have challenged COCOBOD to ensure that the Chocolate Week is observed amidst affordable and available chocolate products.

This year’s National Chocolate Week is an expansion of a one day- activity, the National Chocolate Day, which was introduced in 2007 to complement the Valentine day celebration by the late former Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey.

The weeklong event, which is on the theme: “Eat chocolate, Stay healthy and Grow Ghana” begun on February 8 and will end on February 14,2021.