Open Your Heart With Cacao

When you introduce Cacao into your life, you are allowing Mother Nature into your heart.

Cacao is a truly wonderful natural product, with an abundance of health benefits.

Cacao comes from the edible seed of the cacao tree, which is native to tropical regions such as Central and South America.

A little history...

Often confused with cocoa, cacao is the seed (shaped like a bean) from which chocolate is made, whereas cocoa is an ingredient in chocolate. The word cacao comes from the Olmec people who inhabited what is now Mexico, and it is believed to be the closest pronunciation to the original name of the plant. History shows that chocolate then changed hands from the Olmec to the Mayans to the Spanish. The word cacao is the only word ever used in any of the Hispanic languages to describe what English speakers think of as cocoa. It is in fact widely believed that the word cocoa has its origins in a spelling mistake—a mistake which was never corrected!

Cacao has a rich history in Mesoamerican native cultures traced back over 4000 years. It possessed a divine status in different cultures like the Olmecs, Maya, Toltecs, Aztecs and Incas. As a godly, expensive drink, it was mainly consumed by the elite. Deities were worshiped for bringing cacao to the world and it was used in rituals, ceremonies, feasts and festivals. The beans were even used as an early form of money due to their high value.

The word ‘cacao’ stems from the Olmec and Mayan word kakaw and translates as ‘Heart of The Earth’. Cacao was used in many different recipes, from sacred drinks to energising breakfasts. Chocolātl in Nahuatl language, spoken by the Aztecs, means 'bitter drink’ and is the origin of the word ‘chocolate'. The official Latin name for the cacao tree is Theobroma Cacao, meaning ‘food of the gods’. Theo = god and broma = food. When the Aztec emperor Montezuma dined with Cortés and his officers, they were amongst the first Europeans to have been offered a cacao drink.

The health benefits of cacao

Raw cacao offers amazing health benefits for your entire body and is one of the healthiest foods you can consume.

Feel the love with cacao

Cacao contains the mood improver, anandamide – known as the bliss molecule, which creates a feeling of euphoria. Plus it's loaded with theobromine, found to halt coughs better than codeine or commercial cough suppressants with the equivalent of two cups!

Another mood-enhancing compound found in cacao is PEA or phenethylamine, which triggers the release of endorphins and pleasurable opium-like neurochemicals. These often release naturally when we fall in love and during sexual activity. Amazingly the only other food on earth that contains PEA is blue-green algae- never tried it myself!

Improve mood swings and PMS

Cacao boosts our levels of serotonin, the feel-good brain chemical. When women are experiencing PMS serotonin levels drop dramatically. The benefits of cacao are proven to boost the brain levels of calming hormones and restore feelings of well-being.

Protect against heart disease

Flavanols are an anti-inflammatory and heart-protective antioxidant group found in cacao, and studies show they can protect against cardiovascular disease, reduce the risk of stroke, and help improve blood circulation! Cacao contains over 700 compounds and the complex antioxidants found in it known as polyphenols help reduce ‘bad cholesterol’ and prevent hardening of the arteries.

In addition to all this, cacao also...

• Helps prevent ageing

• Boosts energy levels

• Inspires creative thinking!

• Improves metabolism

• Makes the skin glow

• Improves brain function

"This drink is the healthiest thing, and the greatest sustenance of anything you could drink in the world, because he who drinks a cup of this liquid, no matter how far he walks, can go a whole day without eating anything else”.

Cacao is used as part of healing ceremonies in many cultures throughout the world. The Mayan Goddess associated with the cacao tree was Ixcacao, an Earth Goddess who was associated with fertility, as well as providing safety and security for her people. The cacao bean is essentially a gift from the Earth Goddess, and when we consume cacao we should give gratitude to the goddess, and welcome the connection she extends to us through this wonderous nourishment.

For more information on preparing and working with cacao please see my How To Use Cacao blog.

Love & light to you x