Very recently, I received an email condemning cooked, processed or raw
cocoa beans as dangerous. The email claimed that it "greatly shortens
[animals'] life span if it doesn't kill them immediately" when forced fed
cocoa beans. All of that information was exaggerated and seems made-up
according to my research. What animals were forced to eat raw cocoa
beans that it "greatly" shortened their lives or immediately killed them?

Humans are animals. I know thousands of people who eat raw cocoa and not
one has died or gotten sick from it thus far. The email claimed that no
tribal people eat it yet Kuna Indians of Panama consume about 3 cups of
cocoa brew daily. The email also claimed that aflatoxins (byproducts of
molds), hair and rodent feces found in chocolate were highly toxic and
would add to disease and early death. Aflatoxins are lowest in beans
and highest in grains such as wheat, rye, corn, and peanuts. Therefore,
it would be much more dangerous to eat breads, pastas, cereals, peanut
butters and any manufactured grain product. The feces and hair issue is
true of all almost all processed foods. Cooked and processed chocolate
products are subject to industrial cooking and processes. Whole raw
cocoa beans used to make raw chocolate recipes are not intrinsically
problematic when eaten in moderation.

The email claimed that raw cocoa caused the most problems and was
extremely addictive. When I was a cooked-food consumer, I was
addicted to chocolate, cigarettes, coffee, alcohol, and speed
(methamphetamines). Because I was so ill with chronic fatigue,
fibromyalgia, angina and diabetes, I consumed chocolate, coffee and
amphetamines and smoked cigarettes to produce energy. From all of that,
by evening I was so jittery and nervous that I had to drink about a
bottle of gin or bourbon nightly to sleep. On SAD (Standard American
Diet), I had a very addicted personality and bodily need for all of
those products in order for me to function.

Since I have been on my Primal Diet for many years, I have no
addictions. I had many strong cravings because my body was deficient
in many nutrients but I could eat several foods on my Primal Diet
to satisfy those deficiencies. Since I have been making my homemade
chocolate from whole raw cocoa beans blenderized with raw egg, raw fat
(mostly unsalted raw butter and a little raw cream) and unheated honey,
I have not experienced any addiction to it. I have eaten the mixture
about 10 times yearly for 2 years. That certainly could not be called
an addiction. Usually, I eat it only when people make it for me as a
gift. Even though I enjoy it immensely, I have not craved it but once.

I remember when, 38 years ago, I first began eating the same combination
made with raw carob pods instead of raw cocoa beans. I craved it to
the point that someone could have called it an addiction. However,
since carob does not have any addictive chemicals in it, it could not
have been an addiction. Consider instead that my body craved all of that
butter mixed with some cream, protein in eggs and digestive enzymes in
honey. When my body had had certain deficiencies satisfied intensely
and repeatedly for about 3 months, the craving subsided. My skin, nerves
and entire body were much healthier.

I discovered many times that when deficiencies are satisfied, intense
cravings vanish. Most people who crave raw chocolate to the point of
wanting it daily are people who are very deficient in raw fats and the
egg-proteins and honey enzymes help to digest those needed fats.

Most beans are not directly physical health-giving substances
for humans. The caster (from which caster oil derives) and soy are
health-damaging, especially in their raw state. Even cooked, caster beans
may cause death from eating them. Commercially, soy must be chemically
processed and heat-treated to prevent sickness and/or death. Fermented
raw soy products are not likely to kill anyone but they are cumulatively
toxic to most people when mixed with salt. Raw cocoa contains flavonoids
(antioxidants), strengthens blood pressure, heart and vascular system
improving circulation, glucose metabolism and eye sight.

The email claimed that theobromine, caffeine and theophyline, raw,
processed or cooked were "known to produce permanent degenerative
alterations in cellular protoplasm." In micro amounts, raw theobromine,
caffeine and theophyline stimulate creative thought processes and do not
cause diseases. The only safe bean from which to get those are the cocoa
when it is raw. Cocoa beans eaten excessively may cause hunger or nausea,
demineralization that sometimes results in loosened teeth and pain in
jaw and around teeth, acidic and sore tongue, headaches, hyperactivity,
lack of focus and clarity plus insomnia. I have only seen those symptoms
when people ate 1/2 cup or more daily for several days of the chocolate
mixture, undiluted in milk, cheesecake or other recipe. Some people who
over-ate raw chocolate became immune to those side effects and continued
to overeat it, asymptomatically.

Most people on a raw diet could consume safely about 2 tablespoons of
pure cocoa beans weekly blenderized with raw egg, 6 tablespoons of raw
fat and some unheated honey without any harm. Eating it only occasionally,
they might benefit with increased energy, mental activity and creativity
as well as the physical benefits mentioned earlier.

See @Natural Bitter-Chocolate Recipe and @Raw Orange Chocolate Cheesecake.