Focus: Cacao
When you hear the word “cacao”, chances are real you instantly see yourself munching on your favorite sweet tasting chocolate bar. But the cacao bean wasn’t called “food of the Gods” by ancient tribes in Mexico, Central America and Colombia for no reason. While it has nothing to do with the many processed candy bars you find at the stores nowadays, cacao is an actual superfood. You’d be surprised how much nutritional value is packed in this beautiful bean that grows on the Theobroma Cacao tree.
The cacao bean is a bean with a whole history behind it. The word “cacao” is probably one of the oldest words in use today, as it was made up by the Aztecs, more than 50 000 years ago. The word “chocolate” would be derived from the Mayan word “xocolatl”, which means “bitter water”, and this is most likely due to the fact that they drank the cacao beans crushed, mixed with water and chili. Cacao was seen as a gift from the gods and treated as a divine elixir, and it was also used as a currency, so drinking it was like drinking actual liquid gold. The Mayans even had their own cacao god and called him Ek Chua.
In these ancient cultures, cacao was seen as a “heart opener”, meaning when the cacao reaches your heart, it opens your energetic centre, improving the oxygen flow between your brain and your heart. This is believed to bring more clarity to both your mind and feelings, as well as bringing vitality to your body. This is why cacao is traditionally used in sacred “cacao ceremonies”. These events are a type of shamanic healing and are one of the oldest holistic healing practices used by indigenous cultures all over the world. These healing ceremonies work with rebalancing energies in the body to regain optimal health and consciousness, by gathering together to drink cacao in its purest form. This can create healing, connection and inspiration, as it engages with chocolate as a ritual, rather than consuming it as candy. These heart opening ceremonies would have a direct positive impact on our individual well-being as well as our global ecosystem. Many people have recently realized this, which is why cacao ceremonies are becoming more and more popular in our modern culture.
We all know that having a few squares (or a whole bar) of chocolate can instantly lift our mood, but did you know there actually is a scientific explanation for that? Cacao is packed with four scientifically proven bliss chemicals: serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine, making it a perfect food for an instant feeling of wellbeing and happiness. It is even believed to be a powerful antidepressant, but without any of the side effects.
Not only is cacao an amazing mood booster, it is also a nutritional powerhouse. It’s amazingly high in antioxidants and important minerals, such as iron and magnesium. There’s even more iron in 100 grams of cacao than in 100 grams of beef! Due to its high magnesium content, cacao is great for boosting your focus and concentration, but it also helps relax your muscles and it can improve your heart health. Another surprising fact about this mighty bean is that it contains slightly more calcium than cow’s milk, making it a fabulous food for strong and healthy bones.
Important to note is that there is a big difference between “cacao” and “cocoa”. The first one is the one we’re talking about when we mention all of these amazing benefits. It is basically just the inside of the cacao bean that has been ground at low temperatures to keep all of its healing properties intact. Then, there’s “cocoa”, which is the product of cacao beans that have been roasted at high temperatures, just like with coffee beans, meaning it is far less nutrient dense. So when you find yourself craving some nicely comforting chocolate, try opting for the real deal. That way, you can completely satisfy your cravings, while still doing your beautiful body - and soul- a real favor.
The nice thing about raw cacao is that it’s so versatile. You can put the powder in your smoothie along with some frozen bananas to create a chocolate milkshake effect, stir it in some warm plant milk for a soothing hot chocolate, blend it together with avocado and maple syrup into a creamy and rich chocolate mousse, blitz it up in your bliss balls for an energy boosting snack, sprinkle cacao nibs on top of your oats for some extra crunch… Seriously, the possibilities are endless.
So next time you feel like you could use a mood and wellbeing boost, why not try engaging in a cacao ceremony? Or if this seems a bit overwhelming at first, a nice piece of raw chocolate is already a great way to make yourself feel good.
You could also make yourself a lovely uplifting treat, like these raw vegan brownies I’ve written down the recipe for right here. They take minimal effort to make, but it’s safe to say they taste every bit as divine as the Mayans considered their holy cacao beans.
So go ahead, surrender to the magical flavor and benefits of this powerful vitalising bean. Let this delicious treat open your heart.
Recipe: Raw vegan chocolate brownies
2 and ½ cups of raw nuts (walnuts and almonds are my favorite ones)
2 cups of dates (medjool are the best ones for this recipe)
4 tbsps of Aho Botanicals Raw Cacao powder
A pinch of sea salt
Optional (but amazing for a delicious crunch) a few tablespoons of cacao nibs, some crushed nuts, goji berries, sunflower seeds or dried coconut shreds
Simply put all of the ingredients in your blender or food processor (except for the optional add ins) and pulse a few times until you get a sticky, yet crumbly dough. Add the brownie mixture to a small parchment lined dish and before pressing down evenly, add the cacao nibs, crushed nuts, goji berries, sunflower seeds or dried coconut shreds if using them. Put the dish in the fridge for at least half an hour. After that, cut into nice little squares, take them out of the dish and enjoy your little piece of heaven.
Sources
Sandia L.B., (06/08/2020). Cacao — Superfood of the Gods - Cacao Ceremonies
https://medium.com/cacao-ceremonies/cacao-food-of-the-gods-b000297e0537
Garcia J.P., (30/12/2018). Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine
https://rcm.imrpress.com/EN/10.31083/j.rcm.2018.04.3187
Montagna M.T. (06/12/2019). Chocolate, "Food of the Gods": History, Science, and Human Health
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31817669/
Jackson S.E., (01/10/2019). Is there a relationship between chocolate consumption and symptoms of depression? A crossâsectional survey of 13,626 US adults
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/da.22950
Price A.C., (28/11/2019). 9 Awesome Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
https://draxe.com/nutrition/benefits-of-dark-chocolate/
Levy J.C., (02/12/2019). Cacao Nibs: Superfood that Boosts Energy and Burns Fat
