Organic Cacao Nibs

We've spent years looking for the perfect raw chocolate to bring to you. We've now found it! This cacao is from Peru, is fermented for a short time, and is dried at a very low temperature. The people involved love the process, and we know that adds to the vibe. These nibs have the lowest microbe count we've seen, and are so chocolatey-tasting that you'll love eating them just on their own. We only ever use criollo beans. Criollo beans are recognised as the best beans in the world for flavour, consistency and nutrients.

What is Cacao?

Cacao is the seed of a fruit of an Amazonian tree that was brought to Central America during or before the time of the Olmecs. Cacao beans were so revered by the Mayans and Aztecs that they used them as money.

In 1753 Carl von Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish scientist, thought that cacao was so important that he named the genus and species of this tree himself. He named this tree: Theobroma cacao, which literally means “cacao, the food of the gods.” As we approach 2012, and the patriarchal systems are crumbling, we decided to rename it "Cacao, food of the goddess".

Cacao beans contain no sugar and between 12% and 50% fat depending on variety and growth conditions. Our cacao beans contain around 40% fat content (low compared to other nuts). There is no evidence to implicate cacao bean consumption with obesity.

Raw cacao is contains hundreds of chemicals, is high in magnesium, iron, chromium, tryptophan,  and antioxidants. It also contains PEA and anandamide.

Contrary to popular opinion, cacao is a poor source of caffeine. A typical sample of cacao nibs or cacao beans will yield anywhere from zero caffeine to 1,000 parts per million of caffeine (less than 1/20th of the caffeine present in coffee). In February 2008, Dr Gabriel Cousens discovered in clinical tests on healthy people that cacao does not elevate blood sugar in the same way as a caffeine containing food or beverage. In fact, Dr Cousens found that cacao has less of an effect on blood sugar than nearly any other food.

Sulphur and Magnesium

Cacao is remarkably rich in sulfur and magnesium. Cacao seems to be the number one source of magnesium of any food. This is probably the primary reason women crave chocolate during their period. Magnesium is associated with balanced brain chemistry, strong bones, and happiness. Magnesium is the most deficient major mineral on the Standard UK Diet (SUKD); over 80% of us are chronically deficient in Magnesium!

“Every study on chocolate is pointing to the same conclusion: there is something in chocolate that is really good for us. That something is the raw cacao bean, the nut that all chocolate is made from. The cacao bean has always been and will always be Nature’s #1 weight loss and high-energy food. Cacao beans are probably the best kept secret in the entire history of food.”
— David Wolfe, co-author of Naked Chocolate: The Astonishing Truth About The World’s Greatest Food.

Cacao is high in the beauty mineral sulphur. Sulfur is associated with strong nails, hair, beautiful, shiny skin, and a clean liver and pancreas.

Nutritional information

Allergies?

A recent study showed that only one out of 500 people who thought they were allergic to chocolate actually tested positive. Allergies to chocolate are quite rare. It is typically the case that the person is in fact allergic to milk and dairy products.

Why raw chocolate

What do you have for breakfast?" people often ask Shazzie, our founder and creator of these chocolate bars. "Chocolate!" she replies. And she gives the same answer for many of her meals and snacks. To those who haven't yet joined The Raw Chocolate Revolution, this reply may seem unhealthy. They may think Shazzie is obese or addicted to sugar. Yet, she’s healthy in the extreme. She’s a normal weight, and she hasn’t eaten refined sugar in over seven years. This is because the chocolate she eats is raw, vegan, free from refined sugar, loaded with ecstatic foods (chocolate being the main one!), and fully life-giving.

Quality assurance

We’ve worked really hard to find good raw cacao beans of a consistent nature to bring to the UK wholefood market. These beans do not have a microbe count, and we’ve performed experiments to prove this to ourselves. We were selling the same variety as Nature’s First Law in the USA for a long time, but we couldn’t bring them to the UK in sufficient quantities or at the right price. It took us several months to find a variety that we consider is as good and as clean as their nibs. Now we’ve found them, we’re very happy to share them with you. Our nibs are raw, organically certified, and handled with love all the way from the growers through us and to your customers.

Stimulant or superfood?

Cacao contains subtle amounts of caffeine and theobromine. However, experiments have shown that these stimulants are far different when consumed raw than cooked.

Consider the following: Experimental provings of chocolate by homeopaths indicate its stimulating effect when cooked. One experiment conducted with a decoction of roasted ground cacao beans in boiling water produced an excitement of the nervous system similar to that caused by black coffee, an excited state of circulation, and an accelerated pulse. interestingly, when the same decoction was made with raw, unroasted beans neither effect was noticeable, leading the provers to conclude that the physiological changes were caused by aromatic substances released during roasting.

MAO Inhibitors

Cacao seems to diminish appetite, probably due to its monoamine oxidase enzyme inhibitors (MAO inhibitors) - these are different from digestive enzyme inhibitors found in most nuts and seeds. These rare MAO inhibitors actually produce favorable results when consumed by allowing more serotonin and other neurotransmitters to circulate in the brain. According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MAO inhibitors facilitate youthening and rejuvenation.

Phenylethylamine (PEA)

Phenylethylamine (PEA) is found in chocolate. PEA is an adrenal-related chemical that is also created within the brain and released when we are in love. This is one of the reasons why love and chocolate have a deep correlation. PEA also plays a role in increasing focus and alertness.

Anandamide (The Bliss Chemical)

A neurotransmitter called anandamide, has been isolated in cacao. Anandamide is also produced naturally in the brain. Anandamide is known as "The Bliss Chemical" because it is released while we are feeling great. Cacao contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease our bodies' ability to breakdown anandamide. This means that natural anandamide and/or cacao anandamide may stick around longer, making us feel good longer, when we eat cacao.

What to do with cacao nibs?

1. Try eating them straight, one at a time. Chew it thoroughly and experience the taste extravaganza of raw chocolate.
2. Add to coconut-based or fruit-based smoothies to enhance the flavor.
3. Add a drip of agave nectar or honey or another sweetening agent to the raw cacao bean and chew!
4. Freeze cacao beans with sweeteners (agave nectar or honey are fantastic). Eat cold.
5. Blend cacao beans into herbal teas with the Peruvian superfood maca.
6. Crush cacao beans with a mortar and pestle and add to raw ice creams for the best chocolate chips in the world.
7. Create a raw chocolate bar! Blend the following raw ingredients together: cacao beans, agave nectar, carob powder, maca, coconut oil, angstrom calcium, and cashews. Pour into a mold and freeze. Eat cold and experience the truth about the food of the gods!

Cacao is great fun for everyone -- especially kids!

Refrigeration of these cacao beans is not required. Cacao beans keep well in cool, dry conditions.

RECIPES - 

Toby Roamed

• 1/2 cup of cacao nibs
• 1/4 cup of raw carob powder
• 2 cups of raw cacao butter
• 1 dessertspoon of Pure Synergy
• 1/4 cup of raw agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon of Blue Manna powder
• 1 teaspoon of maca
• 2 dessertspoons of coconut oil
• 1/2 cup of cashew nuts

Oooh, this is so much like that triangular chocolate that we all love. Er, except this one's got masses of brain food in it.

Grind the cacao nibs into a fine powder. Grind the cashew nuts into a fine powder. Grate the white cacao butter and add to a bowl. Pour some warm water into another bowl and sit the bowl with the butter in into this bowl. Don't get water into your cacao butter. Wait until the butter has melted, and then add the other ingredients. Stir very well and then pour it into any pretty moulds.

Certificate of analysis

We receive a certificate of analysis with every batch from our organic cacao growers. This covers all our cacao products: liquor, nibs, powder, beans and butter. It says many things, yet the most interesting part is the microbiological analysis. This is the bit that shows to us our chocolate products are safe for human consumption without being cooked. Staphylococus aureus, pseudomonas, aeruginoses, escherichila coli and salmonella are all tested as 100% absent from all our raw chocolate products.