Organic Raw Cacao

DID YOU KNOW?


Lore has it, money does grow on trees. The Aztecs once used cacao beans as a form of currency. When the Spaniards arrived in Central America, they were in search of gold. Imagine their surprise to discover that the locals traded raw chocolate for everything from rabbits to tamales. The Spanish marveled at chocolate, noting in their travel journals this delicious beverage sold in the night-markets, flavored with vanilla, honey, flowers and spicy peppers. The conquistadors brought cacao back to Spain, where it was consumed privately by their warriors for nearly a hundred years before the secret leaked to the rest of Europe.

Cacao (kə-kau, ka-kow):

the dried seeds of a South American evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao of the family Sterculiaceae) that are most commonly used in making cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa butter -- called also cacao bean, and cocoa bean.

Food of the Gods

Cacao has long been enjoyed for its healthful and invigorating properties in Mexican, Central, and South American cultures – dating back to Mayan cultures believing that the special food was a food their gods thrived upon. In fact, so impressed were the Mayans with cacao’s taste and its ability to promote energy, cacao paste was frequently used in sacred rituals, and an annual festival was held to entirely devoted to honoring the “cacao god.” Today, we continue to celebrate the bean of the cacao plant as the nutritional and flavorful source for all chocolate and cocoa products.

The Power of Cacao

Cacao contains a naturally rich supply of antioxidants, and is also an excellent source of dietary fiber. In addition, cacao is known to be one of the highest dietary sources of magnesium, boasts an impressively high iron content, and possesses many other essential minerals in significant quantities.

For the Love of Chocolate

Ask most people to think about chocolate, and watch a smile instantly appear. Being the ingredient that all chocolate is made from, raw cacao can take commercialized “chocolate” to a whole new level through the alchemy of homemade chocolate confections. For both the true chocolateer and health seeker alike, there’s so much that can be done with this incredible food. Raw cacao when paired with sweet foods of any kind -- including raw nectars and syrups, dried fruit, or as a special addition to a dessert recipe – cacao’s beloved chocolate intensity comes to life, providing enjoyment in boundless variations.

SUGGESSTED USES

  • SMOOTHIES
  • DESSERTS
  • CHOCOLATE DRINKS
  • TRAIL MIX

BENEFITS

  • IRON
  • DIETARY FIBER
  • MAGNESIUM
  • POLYPHENOLS
  • FLAVANOLS

CERTIFICATIONS

Organic Certification Kosher Certification Raw Certifications