Organic Cacao Powder – Gut-Friendly, Antioxidant-Rich Superfood

In simple terms, cacao beans are the most pure, and unadulterated form of what you may know as chocolate. 

Untreated, organic cacao has been used for centuries as a wonderfully nourishing food. 

This food is precisely what Hippocrates had in mind when he said,

“Let food be thy medicine.” 

Cacao: Food of the Gods

Seen as one of the most incredible foods on earth, revered by shamans and ethnobotanists, and used for currency by the Mayans and Aztecs, pure cacao is one of nature’s most wondrous creations.

Rich in the flavanols epicatechin and catechin, with procyanidins providing the majority of antioxidant activity.

The experience of eating a nourishing form of cacao can be attributed to the synergy of unique compounds in this food.

1) Caffeine: The great stimulant 

First is the infamous alkaloid caffeine. For a good reason, it is safe to say that caffeine is the world’s most widely used stimulating agent. It is well-known that caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. And according to studies, it may also stimulate blood flow in the brain (8) (9) and increase the secretion of serotonin (8). Around 300 milligrams (mg) a day of caffeine has been shown to be a beneficial dose for most adults, with a 50-gram serving of cacao packing about 35 mg of caffeine.

2) Theobromine: The powerful Antioxidant

Theobromine, also known as caffeine’s cousin, is primarily found in cacao and tea. In one 50-gram serving of cacao, you might discover about 250 mg of theobromine. Featured in Frontiers in Pharmacology, researchers found that this fantastic compound offers remarkable antioxidant properties and may be a key player in some future treatments (10).

3) Phenylethylamine (PEA): The feel-good chemical 

Phenylethylamine (PEA) is the actual love compound found in cacao. While PEA is in cacao only in small amounts, it carries a significant effect. Via stimulation of the nervous system, PEA triggers the release of endorphins and potentiates the activity of dopamine associated with sexual arousal and pleasure (11,12). So, in other words, that restless feeling you have when you are in love is primarily due to PEA.

4) Resveratrol: The healthy aging compound

It is fair to say that resveratrol is one of the most well-studied compounds when discussing how to support a healthy aging process. On average, just under 200 mcg of resveratrol is present in cacao powder per 100 grams which is half as much as you will find in California red wine. While that is a minimal amount, a little bit goes a long way.

Here are a few more reasons to throw out that cheap chocolate and eat some cacao…

A Healthy Heart

Cacao may nourish many aspects of a healthy heart. And the research is quickly piling up. According to a Japanese study, the polyphenolic compounds (a class of antioxidants) found in cacao show great promise in possibly suppressing inflammation levels in the cardiovascular system (1). Another study showed that consuming cacao flavanols positively impacted cardiometabolic function — affecting the heart and metabolic conditions like diabetes (2).

The ultimate feel-good brain-food

Cacao seems to have even more happy effects. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Reading showed the positive effects of cacao on the pressure of blood flow to the brain (3), while Italian researchers recently showed how cacao might have positive neuroprotective effects (4). Even more, research showed that cacao positively impacts mood and cognitive enhancement (5). Because cacao is rich in so many unique compounds used to support healthy mood and cognition, around 2018, a new concept was proposed to understand the roles and interactions of cacao’s major and minor constituents called The Moods Pyramid. The idea is that all test samples for future research should be phytochemically categorized in much more specific detail.

The pyramid breakdown going from the base to the tip.

• Cacao Flavanols (Epicatechin)
• Methylxanthines (Caffeine, Theobromine)
• Tetrahydroisoquinolines (Salsolinol)
• Orosensory properties

Cacao Butter: A nourishing fat

Cacao contains approximately 50% fat, comprised of two saturated fatty acids (palmitic & stearic) and one mono-unsaturated fatty acid (oleic). In an article titled Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease, the following facts are stated regarding the nourishing qualities of cacao fat.

• The oil in cacao, referred to as cocoa butter, is a mixture of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. In the monounsaturated fraction, oleic acid predominates, as it does in olive oil.
• The majority of saturated fatty acids in cacao are palmitic acid and stearic acid.
• Stearic acid is unusual because it does not elevate serum lipid levels to the same degree as other saturated fatty acids.
• Shorter-chain saturated fatty acids such as myristic acid (14:0) and palmitic acid (16:0) are associated with increased LDL and atherogenesis; stearic acid is not.
• Although the lipid content of chocolate is relatively high, one-third of the lipids in cocoa butter is stearic acid (18:0), which is believed to be non atherogenic and to exert a neutral cholesterolemic response in humans.

Dark Chocolate: The transitional food

You may have noticed that many “Dark Chocolate” bars show a wide variety regarding the percentage of cacao solids it contains. Cacao solids are the components of the cacao bean remaining after the fatty portion (aka butter) has been extracted. The amounts of cacao solids can range anywhere from 70%-95%.

It may surprise you that companies can claim their products as “Dark Chocolate” with as little as 50% cacao solids in their product because every country has its own standards. The remaining percentage of all these bars is often sugar used to sweeten and dairy used as an emulsifier.

Some exceptions may use stevia or Luo Han Guo as the sweetener and leave more of the cacao butter in the product to fill the gap and give it a more decadent and indulgent flavor and texture.

Like your morning cup of coffee, the purest form provides the most significant benefits. 

The more sugar and artificial sweeteners you add, your body may have to work to derive the benefits. Whether eaten whole or milled into a powder, the cacao bean has a rich and bitter flavor profile. To the untrained palate, this may be an acquired flavor and take some time to get used to, so using percentage-based dark chocolate products may be an excellent way to help your palate transition into the authentic flavor of cacao. The one thing that seems universally agreed upon is that products with 70% cacao solids should be your starting point.

Pure cacao provides you with the feel-good benefits that have been falsely associated with chocolate products low in cacao solids.

Dutch and Alkalized

You may have seen terms like dutch or alkalized on a product label (you may know this as cocoa) and wondered what that means. They are the same process in which the cacao has been washed in potassium carbonate alkaline solution. The process is done to reduce bitterness and PH levels and to neutralize the acidity, which completely changes the flavor profile of the end product.

Pure cacao has a pH level of around 5-6 with a sharp, bitter flavor profile. Dutch-processed cocoa powder has a pH level of 7 and a smooth, mellow, earthy flavor profile. This neutralizing process allows the cocoa not to react with baking soda. For these reasons, Dutch-processed cocoa was the more popular choice for baking for a long time. Today people’s palates are changing because they are eating more dark chocolate and eventually becoming lovers of natural, pure cacao. It is universally agreed upon that the Dutch/alkalized process severely degrades mood and brain-supportive qualities.

Bitter Sweet Chocolate

This term describes when the cacao bean’s first chocolate liquor is pressed during processing. Bittersweet is essentially a mixture of chocolate liquor, sugar, cacao butter, vanilla, and lecithin (as an emulsifier) and contains no milk or dairy.  For clarity purposes, chocolate liquor contains no alcohol. It is produced by grinding the bean down into a liquid form. To be considered bittersweet, it must have a minimum of 70% cacao solids.

What does all of this mean?

In a nutshell, there is a vast difference between eating chocolate regardless of its variety and pure cacao, which provides the body, mind, and soul with impactful nourishment. But don’t be so quick to throw out your high percentage cacao solid rich dark chocolate products, as these are excellent tools to help you transition to the pearly of pure, rich, decadent cacao heavens.

Summary of Important information

Z Natural Foods hand-picks specific individual ingredients for our customers based on three concepts to provide the best quality product possible for supporting optimal well-being.

• Versatility
• History of safe and effective usage
• Strong evidence of positive research outcomes in humans

• Pure cacao is one of nature’s most wondrous creations.
• Rich in the flavanols epicatechin and catechin, with procyanidins providing the majority of antioxidant activity.
• Not to mention, cacao also contains a treasure trove of essential minerals like Calcium, Magnesium, and potassium.
• Depending on the quality of your cacao and which food analysis you are looking at, one tablespoon of cacao (approximately 5 grams) yields 15 milligrams of Calcium, 43 milligrams of Magnesium, and 120 milligrams of Potassium.
• Some ethnobotanists believe that cacao may be the single most nutritious food you can put into your body.
• Compounds found in cacao: Caffeine: The great stimulant, Theobromine: The powerful Antioxidant, Phenylethylamine (PEA): The feel-good chemical, Resveratrol: The healthy aging compound
• Cacao contains approximately 50% fat, comprised of two saturated fatty acids(palmitic & stearic) and one mono-unsaturated fatty acid (oleic).

Some research suggests that Cacao may contain the following constituents:

• Minerals: Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Sulfur
• Vitamins: Vitamin C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin A (IU), Vitamin E, Vitamin K
• Amino Acids: Tryptophan
• Phytochemicals: Flavonoids, PEA (phenylethylamine), Anandamide, Theobromine, Caffeine, Resveratrol
• Essential Fatty Acids: Oleic Acid

Suggested uses: Add one tablespoon to hot water and sweeten with Agave Nectar to create a healthy hot chocolate. Add to chocolate recipes, shakes, or smoothies.

Mixing suggestion: To increase flavor and nutritional profile, combine a good strong cup of coffee and our organic coconut milk powder.

Miscellaneous Facts about our Extra Rich Trinitario Cacao Powder

Certifications: Certified USDA Organic.

Ingredients: Extra Rich Cacao.

Parts Used: Cacao Beans.

Name: Theobroma Cacao.

Other Names: Cocoa, Chocolate Tree, Koko, Kakaobaum, Kakaw, Kakao,  Trinitario Cacao.

Origin: Processed in Switzerland. Packaged with care in Florida, USA.