Cacao: The magic bean
I first came across Cacao when my best friend and I were invited to a Cacao Ceremony by some new friends we met one weekend at a Qigong convention. The invitation felt exclusive and I knew that Cacao was used traditionally by indigenous shamans to facilitate their journeying so we naturally were very curious and accepted the invite.
Once we got there, we all stood together around a fire and were told the history and significance of the Cacao bean while holding our mugs of Xocoatl, the name for the sacred drink. A shaman from Costa Rica had grown, brought back and brewed this special drink for us. I felt that I was in for a real treat. Finally we said a few chants and sipped from our mugs, the moment we had all been waiting for.
Cacao is said to open up the Heart Chakra in our body, associated with unconditional love, compassion, and joy. It is the source of deep and profound truths that cannot be expressed in words.
'I felt that I was literally about to drink love into my body' and consequently, this is the best way I could describe it's affects. Not only did I feel it spiritually and internally but I had physical feelings which I cannot explain, right in the area surrounding my heart. The wonderful feelings lasted a few hours and we spent the rest of that night talking, laughing and dancing under the moon. It was a very special and unique experience.
Little did I know I had just been introduced to something that would influence my life and my health in such a grand and divine way.
History of Cacao
Have you ever heard that dark chocolate is good for you and wondered why that is? I'll let you in on a little secret... The magic is all in the Cacao seed.
Everything we know as chocolate, in all of its forms, starts at the same source: the Theobroma Cacao tree. This tree, native to South America, produces seed pods. Harvesters crack them open and take out the seeds, which are called Cacao beans (originally 'Cacahuatl') and kind of look like coffee beans. After this the beans are dried, fermented and processed into either Cacao nibs, Cacao butter or Cacao powder. If it is processed further and at higher temperatures, it is urned into what we know as Cocoa, used to make chocolate.
Long before Columbus first set foot on the shores of the New World, the Cacao tree was revered by the Aztecs and Mayans of Central America. They had already been cultivating the plant for several hundred years and regarded it as a source of divine ambrosia, which had been bestowed upon them by their great God Quetzalcoatl, who was the first to have planted Cacao in his garden.
The Aztecs knew several species of Cacao, none of which are used commercially today. As there are different species, the larger seeds were used as currency while the smallest, known as 'Tlacacahuatl', was exclusively used to make their sacred beverage, 'Xocoatl'. Linnaeus gave the species its scientific name accordingly:
'Theobroma Cacao', which literally translates as 'Food of the Gods'
In ancient society, drinking Xocoatl was sacred in Ceremony as well as being regarded as a "powerful aphrodisiac and stimulating tonic." There was much folklore surrounding the origin of the Cacao.
Research into certain aspects of neurochemistry has shed some light on this ancient reputation. Scientists at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego found dark chocolate to contain three compounds that closely resemble a naturally occurring neurotransmitter known as 'Anandamide', which induces a sense of well-being. They also found compounds (N-acylethanolamines) that block the breakdown of Anandamide [Piomelli, 1996].
Anandamide, derived its name from the Sanskrit word 'Ananda', meaning 'bliss'. It (the chemical compound) links to THC receptor sites in the brain, producing a similar, but much less pronounced effect as Tetrahydrocannabinol, which is commonly found in Cannabis.
Once he secret of the bean was out, other colonial powers began to establish plantations far away from the original homeland of the Cacao tree - first in Indonesia and the Philippines, then in West Africa and South America.
Today Cacao is one of the most significant cash crops of third world countries, worth about $5 billion in world trade. Worldwide more than a hundred million tons of Cacao beans are produced annually, more than half of which are grown in West Africa.
Benefits + Uses
Cacao has many benefits to be gained from a daily intake as it is one of our planet's superfoods. This means it contains significantly higher quantities of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other health-boosting, anti-aging, disease-fighting goodies.
"Cacao has the highest antioxidant concentration of any major food in the world. Cacao is thirty times higher in antioxidants than red wine, twenty times more potent in antioxidants than blueberries, three times higher than acai, and twice as much as chaga mushrooms. These antioxidants protect our cells from free radical damage and therefore contribute to our longevity and state of well-being." -David Wolfe
- Cacao is the highest plant-based source of iron. At a whopping 7.3mg per 100g, this compares to beef and lamb at 2.5mg, and spinach at 3.6mg.
- Raw Cacao is also one of the highest plant-based sources of magnesium, the most deficient mineral in the Western world. Magnesium is important for a healthy heart, and helps turn glucose into energy enabling your brain to work with laser-sharp clarity and focus.
- Cacao has more calcium than cow's milk, at 160mg per 100g vs only 125mg per 100ml of milk.
- Cacao is a Natural Mood Elevator and Anti-Depressant. Cacao has natural mood-boosting compounds like anandamide and theobromine, which help with mood imbalances like depression. It provides high levels of various B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B9) that are important for proper neurotransmitter creation.
The health benefits of raw cacao are fantastic: it can improve your memory, reduce heart disease, shed fat, increase immunity, boost your bliss, and give you loads of energy. It is a great addition to any of your practices due to it's ability to improve your focus. Use it to start your day in a yummy, beneficial and blissful way
Easy Cacao Recipes
1. Put Cacao in your coffee!
If you're obsessed with both Cacao and coffee like I am, your morning dose of caffeine is the perfect time to get some Cacao in your body. Simply put 1 Tbsp of powder Cacao into your cup of brewed coffee, mix and enjoy your Cocoa Mocha flavored coffee!
2. Brew Up A Hot Chocolate Milk.
If you're making for more than one person, mixing it on the stove is easiest way. Start by boiling some water in a pot (or milk of you prefer). Next you can either throw some Cacao powder in or melt some Cacao nibs. Once it's all mixed up and hot simply pour the drink into mugs and add a dash of milk, sugar or sweetener at your preference! For a super easy version, try this: Add 1 Tbsp of raw cacao powder to a mug, pour in 1c of warmed plant-based milk, and add 1-2 tsp of natural organic sweetener. Simple as that :)
3. Whizz Into a Smoothie
Add 1-2 Tbsp of raw cacao powder or nibs to your regular fruit smoothie or milkshake to enjoy an extra boost in health, energy, and focus! It is also great to put on top of smoothie bowls for an added aesthetic and color.
4. Put Cacao in your desert!
Use Cacao as an added ingredient to any desert item needing an extra boost of chocolate flavor. My favorite is Cacao Brownies but there are so many more to be tried. Add it to cake, cupcakes, pudding, croissants, you name it, the possibilities are endless!