Why would a cancer researcher turn to chocolate as a tool for better health?

Dr. Beata Lerman opens up about her journey from gene therapy and cancer research to developing food as a form of medicine. After being diagnosed with cutaneous T cell lymphoma, she began investigating the relationship between sugar and disease. Her search for healthier options led to cutting sugar and processed foods, a process she describes as challenging.

Finding no chocolate she could eat safely, Dr. Lerman traveled to Costa Rica to learn traditional chocolate-making methods. Whole-plant sweeteners like stevia and chicory root replaced refined sugar.

She now incorporates microgreens, including broccoli microgreens, into chocolate to boost nutritional value. Dr. Lerman discusses using food technology to create products free from artificial ingredients for people interested in health and prevention.

Join the community to discover how food can support wellness, one chocolate at a time!

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Key Takeaways

1. Dr. Beata Lerman shares her diagnosis with cutaneous T cell lymphoma and how it was a wake-up call that led her to rethink her lifestyle, diet, and approach to health. Her experience underscores how personal health challenges can prompt deep self-examination and motivate major changes.

2. Through her research and personal journey, Dr. Lerman discovered compelling scientific evidence that sugar feeds cancer. This realization led her to meticulously cut sugar and ultra-processed foods out of her diet, highlighting the importance of diet in disease progression and recovery.

3. Dr. Lerman emphasizes that quitting sugar is a difficult, withdrawal-like process, made harder by sugar’s ubiquity in store-bought foods. Her journey demonstrates the challenges of maintaining a healthy, sugar-free diet in today’s food landscape and the need for personal innovation in the kitchen.

4. Unable to find chocolate without problematic ingredients, Dr. Lerman dove into traditional methods—traveling to South America—to learn how to make and sweeten chocolate using natural, non-glycemic alternatives. Her efforts resulted in creating a chocolate that’s both indulgent and health-promoting, showing how food traditions and science can merge for healthier indulgences.

5. Dr. Lerman founded Seamless Treats Chocolate and Reva Green to develop functional foods, starting with nutrient-rich chocolate enriched with microgreens like broccoli. This theme highlights the capacity of innovative foods to deliver both pleasure and significant health benefits, especially by targeting chronic diseases and nutrient deficiencies.

Timestamped Overview

00:00 Cancer Treatment & Sugar's Role

04:02 Reinventing Diet Against Cancer

07:12 Struggles with Sugar-Free Chocolate

12:05 Rethinking Sugar: A Health Necessity

14:55 Nutrient-Rich Chocolate Revolution

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