By Cynthia Sagoe
The continuous consumption of cocoa products has been recommended as a way of eliminating chronic diseases and boosting the immune system. At a durbar to mark Chocolate Day in Accra, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in collaboration with the Cocoa Processing Company, demonstrated the diverse ways cocoa products can be used to harness its health benefits.
Chief Executive Officer of Cocoa Processing Company, Nana Dr. Agyenim Boateng, said it is important to cherish and patronize cocoa products for a healthy lifestyle. Cynthia Boateng reports that Cocoa is one of the main cash crops produced in the country. It is mostly exported and it contributes to the country’s economy GDP.
Apart from its economic benefits, cocoa has been proven to contain vital compounds and other medicinal properties which helps to reduce inflammation, improve blood circulation, lower blood pressure and control cholesterol among others. To help raise awareness and increase the consumption of cocoa products such as chocolate and cocoa butter, the cocoa processing company, CPC, and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation organised a durbar to educate people on different ways cocoa can be incorporated in our daily meal.
Chief Executives officer of the cocoa processing Company, Nana Agyanim Boateng said cocoa products have the potential to eliminate most chronic diseases when consumed in the right proportion whether as food or cosmetics.
” We have chocolates that we have blended with nuts, we move them into spreads. We have cashew, we have tiger nuts, we have almonds. Basically, this is how far we have come to let you know the good benefits of what we have, which we are not cherishing but rather export and import. With this opportunity we want to let you know what we have, what Ghana has so we all patronize these products”, he posited.
Director-General of the GBC Professor Anim-Alhassan emphasized the need for the country to do more for Ghanaians to make cocoa consumption a lifestyle.
”We were unaware that we can cook with cocoa butter and now that CPC is producing it,I hope to learn to purchase cocoa butter and use it to cook as it has medicinal effects and consuming it is good. Ghanaians should eat and cook with cocoa products, we have a very large workforce of varying ages, the understanding is that drinking royal in the evenings and going to bed improves upon your heart circulation and health. It is the best to do. Drink it in the evenings and it will help improve your health. Today’s section was targeted at GBC staff”, according to the GBC DG.
Professor Anim Alhassan also urged staff of the GBC to improve their daily intake of cocoa for a healthier life.
Related Post: https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/general/chocolate-day/2022/