Customer Reviews

Naked Chocolate: The Astounding Truth About The World's Greatest Food

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

David Wolfe explores the history, nutrition, and magic of this powerful food. He even suggests how it could save the world!

As a trainer and motivator, I know first hand the power of raw chocolate and how it can affect mood and energy levels. I use it as my "secret weapon." Raw chocolate is one of the most potent sources of magnesium--a mineral that is essential for muscle function, bone growth and overall wellbeing. Since--depending on where you get your information--60-80% of all Americans are deficient in magnesium, it seems that raw chocolate could be the perfect fit to re-mineralize the population.

Lack of magnesium creates sluggishness, mood changes, and in-the-dumps feelings. Raw chocolate can bring balance to your system and bring you out of the fog.

This book also identifies other fantastic qualities of this superfood that enhance mood and stimulate your body for optimal health!

Kevin Gianni, NCSF-CPT
Author and Personal Trainer

This was one of the first books I ordered when I decided to adopt a raw food lifestyle in October 2006. It helped me tremendiously overcome the temptations of processed cooked sweets filled with sugar and flour.

The history lesson of raw cacao was interesting reading, and the glossy book is filled with great color photos. I learned that all chocolate is derived from the cacao bean, which of course grows on the cacao tree. The caocao bean is also the staple diet of the Oompa Loompa. Raw cacao is natural and healthy food that one can enjoy in it's natural state and reap many health benefits, including weight loss, while eating delicious treats. I have lost 28 lbs so far including these recipes in my diet.

I would recomend it to those transitioning to raw food for sure. The chocolate del diablo hot drink is delicious and spicy, and I use the chocolate sauces all the time. I actually bathe in them. Just kidding. The cinnamon rolls are delicous. The raspberry berets are so cute and good. Violet's violent end pie is absolutley delicious. There is even a recipe for raw chocolate bars~ with almonds! I could go on and on.

The writing is very entertaining and informative, with a charming bit of english wit and phrases sprinkled in, and Shazzie's and David Wolfe's passion and research for thier subject is evident. An excellent book. Well worth the price.

I learned a lot about history and the properties of chocolate, which I enjoyed. I tried a recipe or two and then went my own way with the net result being I no longer buy my raw food bars but make them myself and like them better.

The writing; well, I didn't buy it for the writing, I bought it for the info.

Naked Chocolate is packed full of information about chocolate. In fact, of the many chocolate books I have looked at, it is one of the most informative I have found.

The book has chapters dedicated to: legends and history of chocolate, chemical composition of cacoa, myths and beliefs about chocolates abilities, rumors and urban legends about chocolates, chocolate and health, and a huge collection of chocolate recipes. The legends, especially the historical ones, are very interesting. They tell the legends of how cacao came to be as told by the various native tribes of South America. They also chronicle the history of cacao as it is used as money in South America, traded with European explorers, brought back to Europe, and eventually made into the chocolate we know today.

While the information is there, it is sometimes unsubstantiated. For the most part it is either referenced or believable, but some of the claims are a little far out. For example, in one page the authors explain how chocolate is good for the heart because it contains magnesium. In the next paragraph, they authors write that chocolate opens the heart center on a metaphysical level. Magnesium is science, chakras are a different realm.

The recipes look really great, and the photographs are beautiful. However, most of the recipes require kitchen gadgets that some people do not have (like myself). You must have: a food dehydrator, a juicer, a food processor, a blender, a spice/coffee mill, and a hand blender. I have a blender. Of the pages and pages of recipes, I think I found two that I could make with my limited gadgetry. So, unless you are equipped with the gadgets of a raw-foodists kitchen, do not expect to be able to make all these recipes.

Also, there are occasional places in the text when the authors jump around randomly, inserting quotes with no transition, including long quotes from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" without apparent reason, etc.

And finally, the authors also talk about themselves a little too much. They tell all about their experiences with chocolate as though it is a personal journey, and I guess for them it is, but for me, I'm just trying to read about chocolate.

Despite all this, it is still overall informative and worthwhile.

David Wolfe is my personal hero and inspiration. He and the beautiful Shazzie have put together the ultimate research, history, and nutritional information about the planet's greatest food...Chocolate. If you ever wanted to know the difinitive history of the cacao (cocoa) bean, this is it. The recipes are delishious, and the info is incredible. I thought I was addicted to Hershey's chocolate..Nuh-uh...Raw Chocolate is the way to go. I have never felt so energized in my life. This book would be very good for even the newest raw foodist. One drink of one of the concoctions and you will be a believer in the power of raw and living foods. For me this book is a great addition to my collection of raw food information and the the single greatest addition to my library as well as diet. I can't wait until my next bag of Navitas Cacao Nibs, Goji berries and Maca Powder arrives via Amazon!

I never knew how amazing chocolate could be. This choc-o-holic will be giving this book as a gift to all her friends on birthdays and Christmas.
Read all you can by David Wolfe(The Sunfood Diet Success System!!!!), he will change your life by the first 2 pages.

Now I just need to find a way to get ahold of some Durian fruit!

It was very interesting to read about the history of chocolate and how why most of the chocolate out there on the market is bad for you. Raw chocolate is good for you, while most chocolate you buy in the stores is processed and literally dead of all nutrients!

David Wolfe has done great reearch and offers a this book is a great resource. Asa result of this in my family we use raw chocolate and the health benefits are really amazing. Definetely a book to have in your personal library if you are after a healthy life!

Great background on cocao. But most of all-
Incredible recipes! It's that simple.

Naked Chocolate presents a great deal of interesting information about the properties of cacao, its health benefits, psychoactive properties and its interactions with other natural substances. Some of its claims seem a little grandiose, but I can't say they're wrong.

However, the authors overuse the exclamation point. Every other sentence ends with one, it seems! Neither the writers nor the editors seem to understand the value of using it sparaingly. Overused, it loses its impact! And if you read, as I do, paying attention to punctuation and using it to gauge the tone of sentence, reading this book is like having a conversation with an overcaffeinated aerobics instructor.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't read it! Just be prepared.

I got this on a whim b/c I am looking into raw food diet/lifestyles and I thought this would be a fun intro. Although many people have commented on the writing style, I didn't notice anything unnecessary. I can fully blame this book however for my now insatiable excitement about chocolate. I still prefer green and blacks 70% dark to cocoa nibs. Too much work for me, but I do appreciate the amazing food now. Worthwhile fun read.

I was recently turned on to Cacao, and I found out about this book. It is filled with information on cacao...from the history to the health benefits. It also has a great recipe section. My favorite recipe so far is cinnamon rolls. I highly recommend this book!