Ever since I launched our first Mushroom Cacao, I’ve been asked about cocoa vs cacao. No matter what time of year, this chocolatey taste is very craveable. I see recipes posted that look so delicious and healthy that I want to immediately run to the kitchen to try them out myself!
But throughout my browsing, I also noticed a common misconception repeating itself over and over: Hot Cocoa and Hot Cacao being used interchangeably.
So, I want to set something straight: Cocoa and cacao are not the same thing!
Now, you may be wondering, “Chocolate is chocolate. What’s the big deal?”
It’s actually a huge deal. See, cacao and cocoa are two very different beasts (and not all chocolate bars are created equal, either).
We’ve all heard about the purported health benefits of chocolate – about the antioxidant properties and ability to support mood[*].
Unfortunately, to reap these rewards, you can’t simply walk into the grocery store and pick up any bar of commercially made milk chocolate (sorry).
While cacao and cocoa may start in the same place, the difference lies in their processing, resulting in two different products.
The main difference in processing between cocoa and cacao
So, what is it that separates the cacao process from the cocoa process? The answer lies in the heat applied to the two final products:
Health benefits of cacao
Cacao has iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and flavanols[*]. Flavanols have been shown to support heart health, especially blood pressure. Cacao even has more antioxidant properties per 100 grams than apples[*]!
Cocoa powder has some of these, but in much lower amounts, especially in products like a milk chocolate bar.
On a chilly winter’s day, choosing between a hot cocoa and a hot cacao is like choosing between a sugary chocolate candy bar and an all-natural raw dessert. Both are tasty, but one will yield significantly more nutritional value over the other.
TERO ISOKAUPPILA
Tero Isokauppila is the founder of Four Sigmatic. Tero’s roots (or mycelium, if you will) are in Finland, where he grew up growing and foraging natural foods on his 13th generation family's farm. He later earned a degree in Chemistry, Business, and a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition at Cornell University. An expert in all things related to nutrition, health, and wellness. Tero is the author of two best-selling books: Healing Mushrooms and Healing Adaptogens.
