In this 21st Century, raw organic chocolate came into the picture.
But...
Is raw chocolate good for you or is it just as bad? Both "raw" and "highly processed" chocolate come from the cacao bean.
I've found the raw chocolate can be both good and bad! Here's the good side

1. Higher in antioxidants.
   I have definitely experienced this since I make my own raw organic chocolate treats.
   If I'm feeling sick for some reason, eating this treat, will ease it.
   Please don't get me wrong.
   It's not a cure all for what may be ailing you but it definitely has the power to boost the immune system.
   
2. Less likely to cause allergic reactions.
   The only thing I can say about this aspect of raw organic chocolate, you just have to try it and see if it affects you like the processed kind.
   Just start out with a tiny, tiny bit.
   You don't want to turn on a full blown reaction if you are allergic to it.
   
3. Boosts up nutrition availability since it is usually found in recipes with other raw organic ingredients.
   When I ate chocolate as a child, I really loved it but I reluctantly learned that I just couldn't deal with it.
   I went for 30 years without touching it.
   I've since learned that it wasn't just the chocolate I was having trouble with, but all the other ingredients that were not necessarily healthy for me.
   I now always look at the ingredients list before buying anything, and I make my own treats to get full benefit.
   
4. More healthy nutritional elements are in raw chocolate as opposed to the highly heated chocolate.
   Back in high school, I learned that heating chemicals together, can create new compounds.
   This became very significant to me when I applied this to the cacao bean - "raw" versus "roasted.
   " There are an astounding amount of chemical compounds in the raw cacao bean that are very good for human bodies.
   What do you suppose happens when the beans are heated to over 250 degrees Fahrenheit?I don't mind creating my own chocolate treats to get the full value from the raw cacao bean.
   

Now the Bad Side

1. Contaminated skins on raw cacao beans do exist.
   Bacteria and fungi are present during the procedure of drying the raw cacao beans for both types of chocolate, "raw" and "roasted.
   "For traditional chocolate, cultivating the bacteria and fungi is encouraged after harvesting, so the cacao beans end up with the familiar chocolate taste in the final product.
   During this procedure, bad microbes can also flourish, but during the high heat process, they are destroyed.
   With the raw chocolate, it is important to ensure the bad microbes do not flourish.
   There are certain procedures that are taken to keep the bacteria count very low, and with no mold.
   I always look for certification of this fact.
   If not found, I don't buy.
   Some cacao farmers and manufacturers do not take the precautions and you can end up with poor quality raw cacao products.
   As far as the familiar chocolate taste, I have found one type that has that great chocolate taste, without going through the traditional procedures.
   It's called Aromica and is grown in Ecuador.
   I always get the kind that is certified raw, organic and free of mold.
   
2. It can be very expensive.
   Sad but true.
   Raw organic chocolate is way more expensive than the traditional chocolate.
   I've reduced my costs drastically by buying the highest quality ingredients in bulk and making my own treats.
   It can be pretty easy once you get the hang of it.
   One thing for sure, we are getting more value for our food dollar.
   
3. You can eat too much of it.
   I've experienced this maybe once or twice.
   It was handy to eat and I didn't want to take the time to fix anything else.
   The result...
   a slight headache.
   Usually I eat 3 oz of my chocolate treat which contains about 50% raw organic cacao beans in the form of cacao nibs and powder.
   Note: Cacao nibs are the broken pieces of the bean when the skin is removed.
   Very handy to grind and to make tasty things.
   I also put about 1 oz of cacao nibs and cacao powder in my breakfast drink.
   This little bit extra does not cause me any problem.
   

So there you have my observations on what is good and bad about raw organic chocolate.
I'm quite happy with the result and avoid the bad aspects of it, however I can.