Accra, March 6, GNA-A researcher at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana has advocated daily consumption of natural cocoa powder without additives including sugar and milk saying the diet reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Mr. Kwame Agyente-Badu, Acting Head of the New Products Development Unit of CRIG, discouraged the use of the additives saying they interfered with the flow of antioxidants, substances that prevented damage of the body's cells.

Speaking on Saturday at a forum organized by CRIG to sensitize the public on the importance of consuming natural cocoa products in Accra, he said regular daily intake of natural cocoa drink helps to reduce persistent cough, asthmatic attacks and overcome erectile dysfunction and other forms of sexual weakness.

Mr. Agyente-Badu said cocoa was the natural source of dietary magnesium which research had shown to be effective in treating diabetes, epilepsy, sleeplessness, menstrual pains, migraine and arthritis. "For external usage, non-edible cocoa benefits include treating lip sore, nipple sores on breastfeeding women, burns and rashes, skin irritations, haemorrhoids and skin irritations.

Mr. Francis Osei Owusu, Acting Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ghana Cocoa Board, said the company had targeted to hit 1 million tones of cocoa production by 2012.

He said management was committed towards making cocoa production the highest foreign exchange earner and to serve as the spine of the economy in spite of the discovery of oil in commercial quantities. 6 March 10