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Chocolate vs Cocoa vs Cacao

How can one chocolaty delicious treat have so many names? Chocolaty, Chocolate, Cocoa, and Cacao. Once I figured out the difference, I have been able to enjoy more chocolaty delights than ever.  

Chocolaty (yes, it is a real word!)

adjective \ choc·o·laty \ ˈchä-k(ə-)lə-tē , ˈchȯ- \ made of or like chocolate; also having a rich chocolate flavor ~ Merriam Webster

Chocolate

noun \ choc·o·late \ ˈchä-k(ə-)lət ~ Merriam Webster  Basically, chocolate is referred to as the substance used in creating a treat; like chocolate milk, chocolate cake, chocolate coating, chocolate syrup, chocolate candies.

So, your “Box of Chocolates” refers to chocolate in general, not the specific ingredients in which the “chocolate” was made.

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Cocoa

One way of processing cacao beans is by roasting them at high temperatures and then pressing them to remove the cacao fat. Once this is done, cocoa powder can be produced. Cocoa powder is similar to cacao powder in taste but most of the nutritional benefits and antioxidants that cacao offer is lost because of the heating process. Once in cocoa powder form, sweeteners, cacao butter, and other ingredients can be added to make chocolate.

These high temperatures destroy living enzymes and nutrients, therefore my preference is always raw cacao powder.

Cacao

The cacao tree is the source of everything we know as chocolate, in all of its forms. This tree, native to South America, produces seed pods. Harvesters crack them open and take out the seeds, which are called cacao beans. They actually look like coffee beans.

 

Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing un-roasted cacao beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cacao and removes the fat (cacao butter). Cocoa looks the same but it’s not because it has been heated, removing enzymes and nutrients.

You can eat cacao beans raw. Their flavor is like a very bitter form of chocolate, and it varies depending on the growing conditions of the cacao tree. Cacao beans are usually fermented and dried before they’re processed any further.

It is at this point that the cacao bean is processed that determines if it stays cacao or becomes cocoa.

Forms of Chocolate

Cocoa and cacao are available in many forms: nibs, chips, butter, powder, and chocolate bars, just to name a few.

Studies on Health Benefits of Chocolate

The vast majority of studies exploring links between chocolate and health benefits are not dealing with chocolates you find at the store. They’re focused on cacao beans themselves, either in raw or minimally processed forms.

The closer you get to consume the raw cacao beans, the more health benefits you receive.

Conclusion

The goal is to get the sugar, dairy, and additives out of our diets. We do not want to remove the joy of eating chocolate and gaining the health benefits of such. Enjoy the healthiest form of chocolate you can find or make. Make your own amazing chocolate pudding or hot chocolate!!

Obviously, if you have an allergy or food sensitivity to chocolate or caffeine, it is wise to remove it from your diet until that changes. As you move towards health, your food sensitivities will lessen.

For your health and well being, you can dive in and switch all your chocolate consumption to raw cacao or you can make the switch in stages. I use my “stress meter” to determine how I make choices like this. If it creates too much stress to dive in, then I go slowly in stages. If my body is chronically ill and needs all the help it can get, I dive in to remove any stressors on my physical body. You know what works best for you.

Don’t take the joy of eating out of your life, take the stress out of your life!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE:  In order for me to support my blogging and social media activities, I may receive monetary compensation for links to products from this post. However, I only recommend products that I personally love and use myself. If it is not good enough for me, it certainly is not good enough for you!!

HEALTH COACH DISCLAIMER:  Health/Wellness coaching is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition. It is not intended to substitute for the advice, treatment and/or diagnosis of a qualified licensed professional. Trained and certified Health Coaches may not make any medical diagnoses, claims and/or substitute for your personal physician’s care. As your health/wellness coach I do not provide a second opinion or in any way attempt to alter the treatment plans or therapeutic goals/recommendations of your personal physician. It is my role to partner with you to provide ongoing support and accountability as you create an action plan to meet and maintain your health goals.

7 thoughts on “Chocolate vs Cocoa vs Cacao

  1. Great information! I used to be a milk chocolate girl, then I switched to dark and now I love using cacao powder in my smoothies. #progress

    1. Progress can be fun and tasty as we are finding out. Been a while since I put cacao in my smoothie. Thanks for the reminder!!

  2. […] This is where the magic happens. All the green disappears as you add chocolate. You can add organic cacao nibs, organic chocolate chips, organic carob powder, or any kind of chocolate that you desire. My “chocolate” choices never contain sugar to make this recipe. Learn more about Chocolate vs Cocoa vs Cacao. […]

  3. […] and additives in “chocolate” that harm your body and contribute to weight gain. Explore Chocolate vs Cocoa vs Cacao to understand what your options are. It is easy to replace unhealthy “chocolate” with […]

  4. […] “Chocolate” is only one of the many treats that the cacao bean has to offer. Explore more about Chocolate vs Cocoa vs Cacao. […]

  5. […] Chocolate vs Cocoa vs Cacao […]

  6. […] This is where the magic happens. All the green disappears as you add chocolate. You can add organic cacao nibs, organic chocolate chips, organic carob powder, or any kind of chocolate that you desire. My “chocolate” choices never contain sugar to make this recipe. Learn more about Chocolate vs Cocoa vs Cacao. […]

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