Cacao Butter has a low melting point, somewhere between 32 and 35°C (89.6 and 95°F), which accounts for its characteristically soft and creamy texture—an attribute that makes cacao butter appealing for use in food and cosmetic products alike.

Typically, 100g of beans produces 40g of fat. Due to the extremely stable nature of cacao butter, it is easy to store with little danger of rancidity. Picking of the fruit occurs year-round and is still done by hand today.

The pods are sliced down from the trees with machetes and are cracked open to allow the removal of the cacao seeds. These are then placed in fermentation boxes for three to four days—a process that is essential for the chemical composition of the beans and the development of their renowned chocolate flavor. The seeds are then sun-dried on large trays or on the ground, losing much of their moisture and deepening to a reddish-brown color. At this stage the beans are called raw cacao.

Ecuadorian cacao butter is a delicious and healthier way to enjoy chocolate’s great taste without any unwanted sugars or additives. Largely made up of cholesterol-neutral fatty acids, it’s perfect eaten on its own; for your skin, it can be mixed with our cacao essential oil.

Try applying some onto your skin as a luxurious and nourishing moisturizer. Cacao butter has been widely used to reduce or prevent stretch marks. There is no substantial clinical evidence that it really works but the butter provides deep hydration to keep our skin supple and moist, which in turn can prevent or reduce the appearance of stretch marks. It has been noted to help with sensitive skin problems such as irritation, eczema and dermatitis.

A single cacao bean contains 54 percent fat (that’s the cacao butter), 31 percent carbohydrates (mainly fiber with a tiny amount of sugar), 11 percent protein (including arginine, glutamine and leucine), 3 percent polyphenols (flavonols and proanthocyanidins) and less than 1 percent trace minerals including magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus.

Historically, cocoa performed a number of medical roles, treating conditions from smallpox and yellow fever to cholera and snakebites. Today we know flavonols found in our cacao can increase nitric oxide bioavailability, activate nitric oxide synthase, and exert anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet activity—all of which can improve vascular function and reduce blood pressure. Cacao has been studied for its ability to reduce blood pressure and has been shown to produce “a small but statistically significant effect in lowering blood pressure by 2–3mm Hg in the short term.” (Schardt, 2013)

Uplifting, Joyful Energy!

Eating cacao makes you happy! It contains phenylethylamine which controls pleasure and the feelings you get when you are in love. It also acts as a stimulant and can improve mental alertness. Cacao also contains serotonin and dopamine—which also stimulate good moods and “pleasure” feelings.

Anandamide (the “Bliss Molecule”) is also found in cacao. It is present in the brain as an endogenous substance and interacts with cannabinoid receptors. Cacao also contains great levels of magnesium, which is an essential mineral during times of stress, and helps you to feel more relaxed. It also contains manganese, zinc, calcium, and potassium.

Morning Ritual

By now, it’s pretty much standard practice to put a big ol’ scoop of coconut butter in our morning potions. Call it a plant-based version of the equally-loved Bulletproof-style coffee, which typically features some combination of grass-fed ghee, coconut oil, butter and/or MCT oil. Adding a dose of healthy fat to your morning coffee, matcha or smoothie is a great way to give your brain a boost first thing in the morning—and keep it going until lunch. But what about raw cacao butter? More recently marketed as a superfood, raw cacao butter is a healthy fat we should be keeping on our radar. Typically used in baking or in beauty DIYs, raw cacao butter is finally getting some recognition as the powerful food it really is.

What are the benefits?

Is there a difference between raw cacao butter and cocoa butter? Surprisingly, yes—a rather large one. Raw cacao butter is superior to cocoa butter because it hasn’t been treated with high heat, which destroys vital nutrients, so it remains a plant. Raw cacao butter is rich in antioxidants, polyphenols and essential fatty acids, which could have a positive effect on immune function, have anti-inflammatory effects, and support heart health.

How do I use raw cacao butter?

While you may first think of putting cacao butter on your skin, like cocoa butter, in fact it’s a super nourishing addition to recipes—it’s what gives high-quality chocolate its luxurious texture. Cacao butter can be used in a variety of recipes, including raw desserts and baked goods, and can be mixed with cacao powder in homemade chocolate recipes. Additionally, cacao butter can be added to hot drinks in place of coconut oil or coconut butter to add a creamy texture and a good dose of healthy fats. Of course, it’s also a gorgeous addition to DIY beauty recipes as well. Try using it in place of cocoa butter in at-home recipes for body butter and moisturizing bars.

Synopsis: The Raw Cacao bean is one of nature's most fantastic superfoods due to its mineral content and wide array of unique properties. Since many of the special properties of cacao are destroyed by cooking, refining and processing, planet Earth' s favorite food is still unknown to most of us. Now we get to reconnect with the power of real chocolate.

Chemical Constituents in RAW CACAO include (in alphabetic order):

3-ALPHA-L-ARABINOSIDYL-CYANIDIN

3-BETA-D-GALACTOSIDYL-CYANIDIN

4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXY-BENZOIC-ACID

3-METHYLOXYTYRAMINE

ACETIC-ACID 1,520 - 7,100 ppm

ALANINE 10,400 ppm

ALKALOIDS 33,900 ppm

ALPHA-THEOSTEROL

AMYL-ACETATE

AMYL-ALCOHOL

AMYL-BUTYRATE

AMYLASE

ANANDAMIDE

ARABINOSE

ARGININE 800+ ppm

ASCORBIC-ACID 31 ppm

ASCORBIC-ACID-OXIDASE

ASPARIGINASE

BETA-THEOSTEROL

CAFFEIC-ACID

CAFFEINE Petiole 51 - 525 ppm or 500 - 12,900 ppm, Skin 130-723 ppm

CALCIUM 800 - 1,100 ppm

CAMPOSTEROL

CARBOHYDRATES 347,000 - 445,000 ppm

CATALASE

CATECHINS 30,000 - 35,000 ppm

CHLORIDE 120 ppm

CHROMIUM (10 times more than whole wheat, highest of any major food)

CITRIC-ACID 4,500-7,500 ppm

COPPER 24 ppm

COUMARIN

CYANIDIN-3-BETA-L-ARABINOSIDE

CYANIDIN-3-GALACTOSIDE

CYANIDIN-GLYCOSIDE 4,000 - 5,000 ppm

DOPAMINE

EPIGALLOCATECHIN

ERGOSTEROL

ESCULETIN

FAT 371,000 - 582,300 ppm

FERULIC-ACID

FIBER 59,000 - 89,000 ppm

FORMIC-ACID

FURFUROL

GLUCOSE 3,000 ppm

GLUTAMIC-ACID 10,200 ppm

GLYCINE 900 ppm

HISTAMINE

HISTIDINE 800 ppm

INVERTASE

IRON 36 - 37 ppm

IRON-OXIDE 40 ppm

ISOBUTYL-ACETATE

ISOLEUCINE 5,600 ppm

L-EPICATECHIN 27,000 ppm

LACTIC-ACID

LEUCINE

LEUCOCYANIDINS 14,000 - 35,000 ppm

LINALOL 5 ppm

LINOLEIC-ACID

LINOLENIC-ACID

LIPASE

LYSINE 800 ppm

LYSOPHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE

MAGNESIUM

MANNAN

MANNINOTRIOSE

MANNOSE

MELIBIOSE

MESO-INOSITOL

METHYLTETRAHYDROISOQUINOLINE

METHYL-HEPTENONE

N-BUTYLACETATE

N-LINOLEOYLETHANOLAMINE -- Anandamide reuptake inhibitor

N-NONACOSANE

N-OLEOLETHANOLAMINE -- Anandamide reuptake inhibitor

NIACIN 17 - 18 ppm

NICOTINAMIDE 21 ppm

NITROGEN 22,800 ppm

NONANOIC-ACID

O-HYDROXYPHENYLACETIC-ACID

OCTOIC-ACID

OLEIC-ACID 190,000 - 217,000 ppm

OLEO-DIPALMATIN 76,500 - 92,800 ppm

OLEOPALMITOSTEARIN

OXALIC-ACID 1,520 - 5,000 ppm

P-ANISIC-ACID

P-COUMARIC-ACID

P-HYDROXY-BENZOIC-ACID

P-HYDROXYPHENYLACETIC-ACID

P-TYRAMINE

PALMITIC-ACID

PALMITODIOLEN

PANTOTHENIC-ACID (Vitamin B-5) 13ppm

PECTIN

PENTOSE

PEROXIDASE

PHENYLACETIC-ACID

PHENYLALANINE 5,600 ppm

PHENYLETHYLAMINE

PHOSPHATIDYL-CHOLINE 92 - 1,328 ppm

PHOSPHOLIPIDS

PHOSPHORUS 3,600 - 5,571 ppm

POLYPHENOLS 78,000 - 100,000 ppm

PROLINE 7,200 ppm

PROPIONIC-ACID

PROTEIN 120,000 - 180,000 ppm

PROTEINASE

PROTOCATECHUIC-ACID

PURINE 30,000 - 40,000 ppm

PYRIDOXINE (Vitamin B6) 1 ppm

RIBOFLAVIN (Vitamin B2) 1 - 4 ppm

SALSOLINOL

SERINE 8,800 ppm

SEROTONIN

SITOSTEROL

SPERMIDINE

SPERMINE

STACHYOSE

STARCH 60,000 ppm

STEARIC-ACID

TANNINS 75,400 ppm

TARTARIC-ACID

TELEMETHYLHISTAMINE

THEOBROMINE 10,000 - 33,500 ppm

THEOPHYLLINE 3,254 - 4,739 ppm -- Theophylline is a methylxanthine with
diuretic and bronchial smooth muscle relaxant properties.

THIAMINE (Vitamin B1) 1 - 3 ppm

THREONINE 1,400 ppm

TOCOPHEROL (BETA, GAMMA) (Vitamin E forms)

TRIGONELLINE

TRYPTOPHAN

TYRAMINE

TYROSINE 5,700 ppm

VALERIANIC-ACID

VALERIC-ACID

VALINE 5,700 ppm

VANILLIC-ACID

VERBASCOSE

VERBASCOTETROSE

WATER 36,000 ppm

XYLOSE

We think of our Cacao as a plant medicine. As with any potent medicine, it is important to be mindful in its use.

In most cases, there are no concerns to be aware of. The points listed below are mainly a concern when you take higher doses, as is done when the Cacao is used ceremonially. In these cases, the combination of potent cacao and a higher dose warrants some additional mindfulness.

First, if you are working with it ceremonially, we recommend that you start off with about half the full dose. A full dose, the maximum we use, is two ounces, so that means starting off with one ounce. See how it feels and wait at least thirty minutes before consuming more.

Cacao is a strong bitter and stimulant, so there are some potential side effects to be aware of, as well as certain contra-indications. Since cacao is consumed in higher doses in ceremony, people might experience symptoms such as light-headedness, sweaty palms, headache, or nausea. Simply slow down, drink water, and practice self-care as needed until symptoms subside. Cacao can also stimulate detox symptoms in some cases. If this happens, take it as a blessing and drink plenty of water as your body lets go of whatever it didn’t like. This will likely be accentuated for people on a raw diet or who are fasting. Go with lower doses in this case.

Certain antidepressants are worth extra consideration. MAOI-based antidepressants are contraindicated with the tyramine in chocolate, so a larger dose of cacao is not recommended. MAOI-based antidepressants are first-generation antidepressants and are less common these days. People taking them are on a restricted diet that includes limiting or avoiding chocolate, so they should know if they can consume or not. Side effects could include more serious headache and nausea, so make sure to check medications first.

Additionally, there has been some concern with larger doses of cacao and SSRI type antidepressants because of the MAOIs in cacao. Specifically, tryptophan, a type of MAOI that is a precursor to serotonin, has been cited by some as a possible contraindication. The research about this interaction is minimal, but studies on both the amounts of tryptophan in chocolate and how that might cause “serotonin syndrome” don't indicate any problem. However, to be on the safe side, for those on SSRIs, we suggest consulting with your doctor and/or pharmacist regarding higher doses of cacao and to consider starting with low doses.

If you have a serious heart condition: The theobromine in cacao increases heart rate significantly and is a vasodilator, lowering blood pressure. If you have such a condition, consider consulting a physician and certainly go lighter on amounts.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding: The theobromine in cacao, which is very similar to caffeine, has a stimulating effect. Thus, we recommend using lower dosages (e.g., a maximum of one ounce in a ceremonial drink).

Pure cacao can be fatal to dogs (and possibly horses and parrots), so be sure to keep it away from pets.

If any symptoms do present, drink lots of water, get some rest, and the symptoms will pass.