aw, organic cacao is a super
food that’s an exceptional
source of antioxidants.
Antioxidants protect your DNA
against damage from pollution
and ageing and also help to
decrease inflammation, which is linked to many
diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and
cancer. Cacao is also rich in important vitamins
and minerals such as magnesium, iron, calcium,
selenium, zinc, copper and potassium.
Cacao originates from the cacao tree,
Theobroma cacao – ‘theobroma’ roughly
translates as ‘food of the gods’. The tree
produces cacao pods that are cracked open to
release cacao beans. From there, cacao beans
are sweated, fermented, and dried before being
processed a few different ways. The outer lining
of the bean is fatty and is turned into cacao
butter; the rest of
the bean can be
chopped or ground
to form nibs
and powder.
The difference
between cocoa
and cacao lies
in the level of
processing, which
also determines
cost, nutrient
content and health
benefits. Cacao
(ka-cow) is made by cold pressing unroasted
cocoa beans and is the purest form of chocolate
you can eat. Cocoa (ko-ko) is derived from the
same plant but is roasted at a high temperature
during processing, which reduces the antioxidant
levels. The bitter tasting cocoa powder is then
combined with sugar and fats to make the store-
bought chocolates that we all know and love.
Both cacao and cocoa are very good for
you and can be used interchangeably in baking
recipes, smoothies, and so forth but if you
want an extra nutritional boost then raw cacao
is the way to go. Unfortunately, as with many
other types of health food, raw cacao is more
expensive than cocoa but its extraordinary
properties might be worth the extra cost!CACAO, THE
PUREST FORM
OF CHOCOLATE,
IS PACKED WITH
ANTIOXIDANTS AND
OFFERS SEVERAL
HEALTH BENEFITS.R
RAW CACAO
BY NICKY PERKSTHIS MONTH’S
MIRACLE
INGREDIENT
fat 37g
carbs 14g
protein 14gCacao is rich
in important
vitamins and
minerals such
as magnesium,
iron, calcium,
selenium, zinc,
copper and
potassium.