If you know a ceremonial cacao fan, they’ve probably told you all about its key benefits, but they may not have explained what cacao really is and why it's different from cocoa.
So, if you're new to cacao, let's go back to basics and get clear on what ceremonial cacao is, how it differs from cocoa (the normal type you may get from the store) and which delivers the benefits you’re after.
What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?
A better question to begin with is probably, what is cacao?
When we talk about cacao at 8 Within, we really mean cacao paste or solids (also called cacao liquor). That’s the whole cacao bean, ground down into a paste.
We call it cacao instead of cocoa simply because that’s the term chocolate makers generally use to refer to beans that haven’t been massively processed.
But in reality, there's no official difference between cacao and cocoa. Cacao is how it's pronounced in its native South and Central America, but when Europeans discovered cacao during colonisation, they began to mispronounce it as 'cocoa' and that stuck.
Regardless of what you call it, minimally processed cacao solids are superior to ultra processed versions because the substances responsible for cacao’s benefits are usually damaged or removed by excessive processing - that's the type of processing that’s done (at very high temperatures) to produce the cheap cocoa powder you’ll find in many supermarkets.
And cacao butter - the naturally occurring fat in cacao beans - is also removed to make cocoa powder.
So, with cacao solids, you’re getting a wholefood: the whole bean with nothing removed. With cocoa powder, you’re getting a highly processed, nutrient depleted powder that’s been stripped from the bean.
So, that’s cacao explained, but what makes some types of cacao ceremonial-grade?
What makes cacao 'ceremonial'?
The first point to understand is that there’s no agreed definition of ceremonial cacao. It’s an unprotected term that has no universally agreed meaning and anyone can call their cacao solids, powder or chocolate 'ceremonial-grade'.
However, in the cacao industry, the words 'ceremonial-grade' are a nod to the quality of the cacao and the intention with which it has been produced.
If you dig into the history of the cacao/cocoa/chocolate trade, you’ll discover it has a very dark past that’s centred around child labour, human exploitation and destruction of the environment.
Ceremonial-grade cacao is cacao that is of the highest quality and has been made with respect to the plant, environment and those producing the cacao. This means that it includes features, such as being:
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In its pure, traditional form (nothing added or removed)
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Made from heirloom strains from Central and South America
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Intentionally produced using traditional farming practices (agroforestry)
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Sustainably made
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Minimally processed with its bioactive compounds still in tact
Finally, ceremonial cacao is generally used to elevate body, mind and soul, rather than purely to taste good (like modern-day chocolate).
Oh, and one last point to make, simply because it's one that's commonly misunderstood. Ceremonial-grade cacao is suitable for ceremonial use, but is not exclusively for ceremonial use. So, don't feel like you're doing something 'wrong' or culturally disrespectful if you consume ceremonial-grade cacao as part of your daily life.
So that’s a crash course in ceremonial cacao. Read all about cacao's key benefits here.
