Live Superfoods Raw Peruvian Cacao Powder

Many people consider eating chocolate a “guilty pleasure.” But the reputation of chocolate as a junk food should more accurately be attributed to the harmful effects of commercial processing and refining techniques, and the other ingredients commonly added, most notably white sugar. All chocolate is made from the cacao (cocoa) bean, and cacao beans in their natural, unprocessed, unadulterated state are rich in nutrients and beneficial to health.

What is Cacao Powder?

Cacao powder is simply the bean from the cacao tree, that through a cold-pressing process, has had the fat (cacao butter) removed. With the fat removed, cacao powder becomes hydroscopic, so it dissolves easily in liquids. Cacao powder can be used to make chocolate by mixing it with cacao butter and sweetener (we recommend light agave nectar).

The Cacao tree (theobroma cacao) comes in three varieties: 

Criollo, which was the predominant bean two hundred years ago, is rarely found today due to the Criollo tree's lack of resistance towards disease. The Criollo beans most often found today come from Venezuela. 

Forastero is the most widespread of cacao beans found today. Orginally, Forastero beans were found in the Amazon region, but now Forastero trees are being cultivated all over the world. Most Forastero beans are made for bulk production, with almost 70% of the chocolate on the market coming from this tree. A notable exception to this is a variety of Forastero known as Cacao Nacional or Arriba Forastero, which is treasured as a fine/ flavour cacao due to its jasmine-like aroma and flavor profile.

Trinitario is a hybrid between Criollo and Forastero trees, originating in Trinidad. Trinitario trees can be found all around the world, in Ecuador, Venezuela, Cameroon, Sri Lanka, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea. Trinitario beans are often used in quality dark chocolate.  

Our Peruvian Cacao Powder is an Arriba bean. Unlike some other Forastero beans, the Arriba has a sweetness and unique characterization. Because it is so different from other, often more bitter, Forastero beans, there is some debate over whether or not the Arriba bean is a completely different variety of bean that should be catagorized seperate from other Forastero beans.

Excellent with lucuma, vanilla powder, agave nectar, yacon syrup and coconut oil.

12 oz in resealable package.

WARNING This product carries the California Prop 65 warning. Not sure what this means? Click here to learn more.

Why Unprocessed Chocolate is Good for You

Cacao Powder Benefits: 

Antioxidants: Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea. Health benefits of these antioxidants include:

• Promote cardiovascular health - Help dilate bloods vessels, reduce blood clotting, improve circulation, help regulate heartbeat and blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks.
• Protect from environmental and metabolic toxins - Help repair and resist damage caused by free radicals, and may reduce risk of certain cancers.

Neurotransmitters: By increasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters in our brains, cacao promotes positive outlook, facilitates rejuvenation and simply helps us feel good.

• Serotonin - Cacao raises the level of serotonin in the brain; thus acts as an anti-depressant, helps reduce PMS symptoms, and promotes a sense of well-being.
• Endorphins - Cacao stimulates the secretion of endorphins, producing a pleasurable sensation similar to the “runner’s high” a jogger feels after running several miles.
• Phenylethylamine - Found in chocolate, phenylethylamine is also created within the brain and released when we are in love. Acts as mild mood elevator and anti-depressant, and helps increase focus and alertness.
• Anandamide - Anandamide is known as the “bliss chemical” because it is released by the brain when we are feeling great. Cacao contains both N-acylethanolamines, believed to temporarily increase the levels of anandamide in the brain, and enzyme inhibitors that slow its breakdown. Promotes relaxation, and helps us feel good longer.

Essential Minerals: Cacao beans are rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

• Magnesium - Cacao seems to be the #1 source of magnesium of any food. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and helps regulate heartbeat and blood pressure. Magnesium deficiency, present in 80% of Americans, is linked with PMT, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and joint problems.
• Sulfur - Cacao is high in the beauty mineral sulfur. Sulfur builds strong nails and hair, promotes beautiful skin, detoxifies the liver, and supports healthy pancreas functioning.

Essential fats: There is a misperception that chocolate is fattening. In truth, the fats in cocoa butter are healthy fats. Cacao contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, also found in olive oil, that may raise good cholesterol. Also, substances found in cacao are known to help reduce appetite.

Important note- To fully benefit from chocolate’s wide array of nutrients, eat chocolate that is as close to its natural state as possible. Whole cacao beans and nibs are best. You lose many of the health benefits when you eat commercially produced chocolate.

Cacao: Its History and Use From the Time of the Aztecs to Today

The cacao tree has been cultivated in Mexico and Central and South America for thousands of years, and it has been so highly valued that some Native peoples once used its seed, or bean, as currency. The Aztecs believed cacao to be of divine origin, and both they and the Mayans used the roasted bean in the famous beverage Chocolatl, together with vanilla and other flavorings.

In the early 16th century, Columbus brought sacks of cacao back to Europe, but he did not realize its economic value. Then, in 1519, Cortez brought cacao back to Spain, and it was soon made into a luxury drink for the upper classes. By the 17th and early 18th centuries, chocolate was considered a cure for many illnesses, as well as a catalyst for provoking passion, although it was still too expensive for the general populace. Finally, in the 18th century, chocolate houses were established in London, making chocolate available to a broader spectrum of society, and their popularity quickly surpassed that of the coffee houses.

Today cacao is planted on over 43,000 square miles worldwide. Forty percent of production is from Cote d’Ivoire, while Ghana and Indonesia produce about 15% each, and Brazil, Nigeria, and Cameroon provide smaller quantities.

How Cacao is Harvested

Cacao beans are harvested today in much the same way as they were by the Aztecs. After the pods ripen, which takes 5 to 6 months, they are removed from the tree and carefully cut open with a machete, and the cacao beans are extracted.

After harvesting, the beans are placed on banana leaves in large wooden boxes and left to ferment for several days. During fermentation, complex chemical changes take place. The bitterness of the bean is reduced and the rich chocolate flavor begins to develop. The beans are dried after fermentation, and during this drying process, the brown color develops and further flavor development occurs.

Different Kinds of Chocolate

Many types of chocolate are made from the cacao bean:

• Chocolate liquor is made from raw, ground cacao nibs (the meat of the cacao bean)
• Cocoa butter is the fat of the cacao bean, and is solid at room temperature
• Cocoa powder is made by separating most of the cocoa butter from the liquor
• Unsweetened chocolate is pure chocolate liquor, containing about 50% cocoa butter
• Bittersweet chocolate contains at least 35% liquor, along with cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla
• Semisweet chocolate contains the same ingredients as bittersweet but has a greater sugar content
• Milk chocolate has only about 10% chocolate liquor, and also contains about 12% milk solids
• White chocolate does not contain any chocolate liquor; it gets its flavor from cocoa butter

Using Cacao Powder

Cacao powder is the most versatile of the raw cacao products, because it is finely ground and ready to be added to smoothies, homemade energy bars, raw and baked bars, cookies, and other desserts. It blends well with water, nut and dairy milks. Raw cacao keep well in cool, dry conditions.