Raw Cocoa Beans Nutritional Benefits

Cocoa beans are most commonly made into a variety of chocolate products, including candy and baked goods, but they can also be eaten raw. Also called "cacao bean," this small bean has a taste similar to unsweetened chocolate, with a slight bitterness. The food offers a variety of nutritional benefits.

Calories

A 1-oz. serving of raw cocoa beans contains 180 calories, or 9 percent of the calories you should consume each day if you eat a 2,000 calorie diet. While the amount of calories appropriate for a snack may vary from person to person, the standard number of calories suggested is 100 to 200, according to the Diet Channel's contributing expert, Michele Turcotte, MS, RD/LDN. The limited number of calories in these beans makes them a good choice for a snack for most people.

Fat

Raw cocoa beans may not be a smart choice if you eat a restricted-fat diet, as each serving contains 15 g of fat, including 9 g of saturated fat. Your body does require fat to function correctly, though, so aim to consume 44 to 78 g of fat per day; that's roughly 20 to 35 percent of your daily caloric intake in a 2,000 calorie per day diet. Limit your intake of saturated fat to only 10 percent of your daily caloric intake. If your nutritionist recommends that you eat at the higher end of the fat range, raw cocoa beans help you take in the fat you need.

Carbohydrates and Fiber

Eat a serving of raw cocoa beans, and you get 7 g of carbohydrates. Include 225 to 325 g of carbs in your daily meal plan, based on a 2,000-calorie diet; this nutrient breaks down to use as energy. Cocoa beans are a good source of fiber, a nutrient important for your digestive function, with 5 g per serving. You need 25 to 38 g of fiber each day.

Protein

Consuming a snack containing protein contributes to the energy you have at your disposal; this makes raw cocoa beans a smart option for snacking. One serving provides 3 g of protein. This quantity accounts for 5.3 to 6.5 percent of the amount you require each day.

Iron

The iron content in raw cocoa beans makes this food a good option for fighting anemia or supplementing an iron-poor diet. Each serving has 21 percent of the iron you need daily. Not getting enough iron can trigger lethargy, dizziness, circulation problems and heart palpitations. Pregnant women need extra iron due to fetal needs, according to research published in the April 2011 issue of "Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America," so snacking on cocoa beans makes sense when you are expecting a child.