Chocolate, Oxytocin, and the Biology of Courage with Yaniv Simpson

While most of us associate chocolate bars with a guilty pleasure, cacao in its purest form is actually a superfood with a ton of benefits. Today’s guest is Yaniv Simpson, and he is the CEO of The Conscious Bar, a 100% sustainable chocolate that is both delicious and nourishing. Our conversation with Yaniv is all about chocolate, the good kind, and we dive into the story behind The Conscious Bar and the many benefits of this superfood for health. Yaniv talks about his journey as an athlete and how he had to leave basketball behind because of a series of injuries. After shifting into the world of business, Yaniv struggled with the question of purpose for many years, and this was when he got the idea to combine his passions for wellness and chocolate by founding The Conscious Bar. We talk about the ethics behind the product and how this fits into its nourishing ingredients, sourcing approach, and sustainable packaging. Yaniv weighs in on the fact that his chocolate is only made from two superfoods, cacao and dates, and we get into the many health benefits of the antioxidants, minerals, and fibers found in them. Here we explore the stress-relieving effects of oxytocin, the high count of antioxidants in cacao and dates, and a whole lot more. So for all this and some other great perspectives on the artistry of chocolate making, be sure to tune in for today’s great conversation.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Yaniv’s journey with injuries while pursuing his first love of basketball.
• How Yaniv had to leave basketball and move into business but felt he had no purpose.
• Yaniv’s lifelong passion for chocolate and how he got the idea to create a healthy and nourishing form of it.
• How the healthy intention behind Yaniv’s product influenced the name ‘The Conscious Bar’.
• Challenges getting environmentally friendly packaging due to a lack of suppliers.
• The role of the best chocolatiers in achieving the difficult task of sweetening chocolate with dates. 
• Corruption in the cacao industry and challenges around paying farmers for cacao directly.
• The low benchmark for accepted amounts of cacao solids in chocolate bars.
• Perspectives on the flavor profiles of different cacao beans and the artistic skill of chocolatiers.
• The health benefits of the antioxidants and minerals found in cacao.
• Chocolate’s effect on oxytocin levels and its association with warmth and love.
• The health benefits of dates, the only ingredient in Yaniv’s chocolate other than cacao.
• How Yaniv’s chocolate doesn’t spike glucose levels and fits in with a keto diet.
• Kelly McGonigal’s research on making stress your friend and the role of oxytocin in the stress response.
• The role of the food we eat in our general sense of health and wellbeing.
• The role of social interaction on good health and how chocolate encourages this.
• Imagining a place where only good food can be bought and the mood-enhancing effects of this environment.
• Where to find The Conscious Bar online and learn more about its healthy chocolate.
• Last words about the exciting toasted coconut flavor of The Conscious Bar.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Yaniv Simpson

The Conscious Bar

The Conscious Bar on Instagram

Episode 1 with Jessie Inchauspe

Kelly McGonigal Ted Talk

Support the show