This easy-to-use Cacao Powder inspires chocolate lovers to find new ways to add chocolate - a definitive superfood - into their lives.
Vivapura offers organic Cacao Powder of the Arriba Nacional (Aroma
Defina) variety from Ecuador – the rarest and
most prized. It
boasts a rich buttery flavor. Our Cacao is grown on
native soils where no chemicals,fertilizers, or herbicides have ever
been used.
To turn cacao beans into Cacao Powder, raw cacao nibs are cold-pressed, separating the oil, while leaving the active nutrients. The remainder is a dry cacao that is then cold-ground( temperatures range from 120-140 degrees), fine-milled, and sifted, leaving the finished product - the most vibrant, organic Cacao Powder! No chemicals, hexane or solvents are ever used. All the delicate minerals, enzymes and nutrients are in tact!
Enjoy the best organic, raw chocolate on Earth!
About Cacao:Cacao
(commonly referred to as Cacoa) is raw chocolate (without all the
additives and processing). It is truly an essential delight for
chocoholics and health aficionados. Historically Cacao was used by the
Aztecs to create a beverage called xocoatl and later, after it was
discovered by Europeans, to make chocolate. Today, as more is learned
about its amazing revitalizing properties, people are using raw Cacao
in new ways that preserves it vital nutrients and health effects.
Cacao
in its many forms (beans, nibs, powder, paste and chocolates) comes
from the fruit (or pod) of the cacao tree. The cacao tree (Theobroma
Cacao) is grown in the tropics in a band between 10 to 20 degrees north
and south of the equator, sometimes called the "Cocoa Belt". The tree
is often grown in the shades of other trees. It can be as tall as 40
feet (12 meters), and has fruits (pods) which are more than on foot (30
cm) long. The fruits may be brownish-yellow to purple, and contain
20-40 seeds or cacao beans in a pink, sweet-sour pulp. After the pod is
harvested, it is opened and the pulp and the seeds are removed. The
seeds are then fermented in baskets with banana leaves in between each
layer of beans to bring out the aroma. Without fermentation there would
be no “chocolate” flavor. Important to note, most cacao (even some
sold as “raw”) is also roasted to bring out the flavor. This
devitalizes the nutrients and compromises the healthy fats. A true raw
cacao connoisseur has a well-developed palette and can discern the
roasted beans. We at Vivapura assure that you get only the highest
quality, low-temperature produced cacao products.
If you are a
chocoholic, it is with good reason. And if you are not yet
particularly drawn to chocolate, you may come to adore it once you
learn off all its amazing heath benefits.
The Power of Cacao*:- Super High in Antioxidants:
Cocoa contains a large amount of antioxidants (flavinoids) and include
catechins, epicatechins, and procyandins. The flavonoids in chocolate
are called flavonols. Flavonoids are plant compounds with potent
antioxidant properties; so far, scientists have found more than 4,000
kinds. Cocoa beans contain large quantities of flavonoids, as do red
wine and tea, but at far higher levels. Cacao has higher Oxygen Radical
Absorption Capacity (ORAC) values than many common foods. (ORAC values
measure how powerful an antioxidant a substance is.) An antioxidant is
a substance that inhibits oxidation or reactions promoted by oxygen and
peroxides, and that include many held to protect the living body from
the deleterious effects of free radicals. Examples include
beta-carotene, vitamin C, and alpha-tocopherol.
- Benefits for Blood Pressure and Blood Flow:
Cacao helps the body process nitric oxide (NO), a compound critical for
healthy blood flow and blood pressure. It reduces the blood's ability
to clot and thus reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks and may
keep high blood pressure down. Also rich in magnesium, the number one
mineral that assists and supports healthy heart functioning.
- A Cholesterol-Friendly Food:
Cocoa beans contain approximately 50% fat. It is primarily comprised of
two saturated fatty acids, palmitic and stearic acids, and the mono
unsaturated oleic acid. Cocao does not raise blood cholesterol.
- Stimulating, Energizing & Clarifying:
The stimulants theobromine, caffeine, tyramine and phenylethylamine
(PEA) provide a much-needed lift if you are experiencing brain fog.
Theobromine is a very mild stimulant that is primarily responsible for
the balanced energizing effect of cacao. Cacao also contains a very
low amount of caffeine, much less than found in coffee and tea. Cacao
can also have the opposite effect for those who need it. It contains
the amino acid Tryptophan which enhances relaxation and promotes better
sleep.
- A Natural Mood Enhancer:
Cocao can increase the level of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin
levels are often decreased in people with depression and in those
experiencing PMS symptoms. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, lessens
anxiety by producing the neurotransmitter serotonin. Phenylethylamine,
also in Cacao, is a slight antidepressant and stimulant similar to the
body's own dopamine and adrenaline. Cacao also contains Arginine, the
aphrodisiac-like amino acid. Researchers have discovered that
phenylethylamine (PEA) contained in Cacao has a positive effect in
enhancing feelings of falling in LOVE!
- Pain Suppressant: Cacao is a natural analgesic. It also releases endorphins, the body's natural opiates which reduce sensitivity to pain.
- Rich in Essential Minerals: magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.
- Rich in Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, E and pantothenic acid.
Suggested Uses:• Blend into your favorite smoothie.
• Raw Chocolate Sauce: Blend Cacao Powder with Cocopura Coconut Oil and Yacon Syrup. Pour on top of raw ice cream or fresh fruit.
• Chocolate Fondue: Mix equal parts Cacao Powder & melted Cocopura Coconut Oil. Add sweetener such as Jerusalem Artichoke Syrup. Keep liquid using a warming plate or fondue pot.
• Chaco Nut Butter: Blend Cacao Powder in a food processor with raw nut butters and Yacon Syrup.
• Vegan Hot Chocolate: Add to nut mylk or water. Mix with Cocopura Coconut Creme and sweetener such as Yacon Syrup.
• Chaco Coco Treats: Combine 1 part Cacao Powder to 3 parts melted Cocopura Coconut Créme. Add a sweetener and any other desired ingredients. Pour into molds & keep refrigerated.
Best kept unrefrigerated.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.