If your dreams include diving into vats of chocolate, being left alone with a fork and a mile-long sweet table or if you can’t pass a candy counter without tossing a chocolate bar into your cart, you’re probably addicted, and that’s a good thing! The darker the chocolate, the better this sweet (and sometimes savory) treat is for your health, so no worries about your doctor begging you to swear off the stuff. Adding chocolate to your life can keep you healthy and happy.
It’s all a matter of nutrients: flavonoids in cocoa beans fight toxins and repair cell damage and anti-oxidants in cocoa beans help your cells fight free radicals that attack your body and even cause low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to clog your artery walls. There’s more: flavanols lower blood pressure, improve blood flow to the heart and brain and aid in the clotting process when you suffer a skin break. Who wouldn’t fall in love with the cocoa bean after finding out how much it does for your body?
Given this bounty of health benefits, you might want to make a pilgrimage to Chocolate Mecca. We call it Belize. You’ll call it heaven. Here, the cocoa crop has been king since Belize’s Toledo Cacao Growers Association (TCGA) was formed in 1984 to take advantage of Belize’s superior soil and weather. As a result of this large-scale emphasis on cultivating cocoa beans, Belize has become something of a chocolate capital.
Given your passion for chocolate and Belize’s reputation, you owe it to yourself to make a pilgrimage here. Nibble on chocolate as you book a stay at Chabil Mar Resort, one of the most glamorous accommodations in Belize, where complimentary chocolates are always part of a sweet stay.
Make time for the beach. Set off on adventurous water activities. But your sweet tooth won’t be satisfied unless you spend a majority of your time in country exploring the history, versatility and benefits of chocolate. Chabil Mar’s transport service and concierge desk can send you off on delicious, chocolate-focused tours like these:
-Travel to a farm to see how cacao crops are grown in an agricultural setting
– Learn how cacao is processed and used in recipes and products that are putting Belize on the map
-Learn to use a stone tool to make chocolate during a chocolate tour
-Sample unusual foods—everything from decadent desserts to wines!
Stop at specialty shops where homemade candies, wines, souvenirs and even chocolate-themed clothing will tempt you, but don’t be surprised by the amount of stamina you enjoy during your Belize vacation. After all, you’re giving your body big hits of flavanols and antioxidants throughout your stay, so keep indulging!
Think there’s nothing else to get excited about once you undertake your pilgrimage? Au contraire, chocolate lover. Start making plans immediately to return to Belize next May. That’s when the nation pulls out all stops to honor its most successful cash crop by staging a three-day bash known near and far as the annual Chocolate Festival of Belize. Your Chabil Mar hosts will be happy to welcome you back when you return for those three days of insanity. Sweet insanity, of course!
Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on traveling to Belize, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize vacation.
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