What is Cacao?
To best understand cacao, let’s first omit the other two similar and often confusing terms… cocoa and chocolate.
Let’s start with cocoa, it is roasted and ground cacao seeds and then the cacao is heated. Don’t worry, it is not inferior to raw cacao, it’s just been heated to a higher temperature but still retains lots of antioxidants that are good for heart, skin, blood pressure, and stress.
While chocolate is still made from fermented, roasted, and ground cacao seeds. It is actually a food that has been prepared into a form of liquid, paste or a solid, hard block. It is most commonly referred to as sweet chocolate which is a combination of cocoa solids, fats and sugar. If you want milk chocolate, it just contains additional milk products. Chocolate can be added to hot or cold milk for a yummy treat.
But the real question is, What Is Cacao? Simply, it’s the raw beans or seeds of the cacao tree that have been fermented to develop flavor and reduce the bitter taste. It is often referred to as “raw” chocolate because it is far less processed than either cocoa or chocolate.
Some keen facts include:
- Extracts from these beans are commonly used for cocoa butter and they are used to make chocolate.
- A study performed by Cancer Research of Hawaii revealed that cocoa beans have high concentrations of several bioactive compounds with distinct properties that when consumed offer great health benefits for humans.
- According to a 2011 review in the “Chemistry Central Journal,” cacao is a “super fruit” producing large antioxidant effects and having a high nutrient content.
- Antioxidant Benefits Extracts from the cacao bean have been scientifically proven to have a high concentration of antioxidants. Antioxidants are chemicals that rid your body of free radicals that cause cell damage and promote disease.
- Cardiovascular Benefits Scientific research has also indicated that cacao beans possess anti-cancer properties. “European Journal of Cancer Prevention” stated that the antioxidants contained in the cacao bean, beta-sitosterol in particular, play a protective role against the development of cancer.
- Lowers Cholesterol Due to the presence of antioxidant in cacao, consumption of cacao has been associated with lowering serum cholesterol in humans. The higher the cacao content of chocolate, the greater its cholesterol-lowering benefit will be.
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And, GUESS WHAT? Cacao is considered a “super food.” These super benefits include:
- Cacao has the highest concentration of antioxidants such as polyphenols, catechins and epicatechins among any other food in the world – more than blueberries, goji berries, pomegranates, acai, and red wine combined! Antioxidants are the tiny warriors that protect our cells from damaging diseases and aging.
- The cacao bean may very well be the number one highest source of Magnesium as well. Magnesium is good for the heart, improves blood flow, enhances brain function, helps prevent constipation, and even relieves menstrual cramps.
- Cacao beans contain 314% of the U.S. RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of Iron per 1 oz. (28 grams) serving making it a strong defense in the battle of anemia.
- Cacao contains enough Chromium to replenish those deficient in this important trace mineral. Believe it or not, nearly 80% of Americans are deficient in Chromium which helps to balance blood sugar.
- Manganese is yet another trace mineral found abundant in cacao. Manganese works hard helping Iron oxygenate the blood and assists with the formation of hemoglobin.
- Cacao is an excellent source of Zinc, as well, which plays an important role in keeping our immune system strong, liver functioning well, along with a healthy pancreas, sexual fluids, and skin. Zinc takes part in many enzymatic reactions throughout the entire body too.
- Raw cacao is a great source of Vitamin C.
- The fiber in cacao works well to keep the digestive track running and clean.
- Raw cacao contains essential omega 6 fatty acids, also, but once cooked or made into chocolate, those essential fatty acids become rancid (trans fats) = unhealthy for you.
- Cacao beans contain “feel good” compounds can that trigger a euphoric feeling when eaten improving mood greatly.
Now that’s a super deal served up as good health! So how do you find cacao? You can look for cacao beans with or without skin, cacao nibs, cacao butter, powder or paste and ideally it should all be organic. An easy way to enjoy cacao would be to buy raw cacao products and include them in your usual drinks like coffee or tea. You can, also, use cacao nibs in desserts. If you love dark chocolate, you should be able to adapt to the bitter taste of raw cacao which offers so much more superfood qualities than if you were to eat it cooked.
When all is said and done… on behalf of all us chocolate lovers… I would like to thank the cacao bean for the birth of chocolate. Chocolate bars, chocolate milk, chocolate ice cream, chocolate covered fruits… we love it all and are always looking for an invitation to indulge in it. Consequently, there’s always new research being conducted on chocolate and the benefits from eating it – Remember though, the darker the chocolate with less sugar, the bigger the benefits.
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