Ceremonial Cacao

ceremonial grade cacao beans are chosen specifically for their quality and high concentration of bio-active compounds. they are then minimally processed with Loving Intention to preserve as many of these bio-active compounds as possible.  the result is a product that is as nutrient dense as possible and truly worthy of being called a superfood. this process also emphasizes cacao’s psychoactive properties and its potential as a powerful Heart Medicine rather than merely a culinary ingredient. 

Keith's Cacao does an incredible job preparing their cacao this way. their beans are picked from naturally growing cacao trees in the rainforest, fermented, dried in the sun, toasted over a wood fire, and peeled by hand so that each bean may be individually inspected for quality.  they are then sold this way or ground into paste and molded into one-pound blocks. either way, you can rest assured that you are receiving a holistic product with nothing removed or added. just pure, whole cacao of the highest quality! 

whole cacao prepared in this way is one of the best sources of antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, iron, & copper. this mineral rich superfood is a healthy addition to any diet.

culinary cacao beans are typically chosen for the highest yield, which means they are already less dense in bio-active compounds & nutrients to begin with. they are also commonly processed by industrial machines, which do not allow for individual inspection of the beans and expose them to higher heat, resulting in nutrient degradation. they then undergo further industrial processing techniques which cause more degradation. the first, and perhaps most detrimental, of these techniques is called “pressing.” this process exposes the cacao to immense pressure, superheating it to separate out the fat (which makes up 54–58% of cacao). this removed fat is then sold as “cocoa butter” for cosmetic or health purposes. the “cake” that is left behind is sold as “cacao powder” or treated with an alkalizing agent and sold as “cocoa powder”. the issue with removing the fat like this is that our bodies need it in order to properly metabolize cacao. without it, many of the beneficial compounds aren’t bioavailable. so, while these products are derived from cacao, they do not contain the whole cacao bean in its natural proportions and therefore are simply an essence of cacao.

during the production of chocolate bars, some of the cocoa butter is mixed back in with the powder, but not in the original proportions. the resulting “chocolate liquor” is then subjected to more industrial processes, including “conching” (kneading the chocolate for up to seven days) and “tempering” (rapidly repeated heating and cooling of the chocolate). this extra processing results in a smooth chocolate bar which is a type of culinary art in and of itself. however, the result is a culinary grade product that tastes good but has few remaining psychoactive or physiological properties.