What it is?
Mycotoxin-Free Cacao Powder Made With The Purest Cacao In The World! Delve into the pristine allure of our Raw Wild Jungle-Grown Cacao Powder. Birthed from mineral-rich volcanic soils, our cacao captures the raw essence and depth intrinsic to its wild jungle habitat. Every spoonful unveils an exceptionally smooth texture, paired with a flavor that is both rich and tantalizingly deep. Beyond its luscious taste, our cacao powder stands as a beacon of purity, having been meticulously tested to ensure it's mycotoxin-free. Perfect for stirring into beverages, sprinkling on desserts, or elevating your culinary delights, it not only imparts a chocolatey indulgence but also infuses a touch of wild, volcanic character into every dish. Embrace the true, untamed heart of cacao in its most exquisite form.
Key Benefits
Heirloom Arriba Nacional Cacao:
- These trees have more robust, non-domesticated genetics
- Only 1% of the entire world's cacao production is Arriba Nacional
- The other 99% of cacao production comes from plantation grown heavily hybridized varieties that can't compare to the flavor and overall experience of Arriba Nacional.
Wild Jungle Grown:
- Ethically sourced: the caretakers of these trees are paid 3-4x fair trade prices, which incentives them to be good stewards of the jungle.
- The cacao comes from 40-80 year old wild trees in a jungle environment, grown in mineral-rich soil - never from a mono-cropped plantation farm.
Mycotoxin-Free Raw Cacao:
- The cacao beans are fermented using traditional techniques and dried very carefully and in small batches to ensure temperature control and to prevent the growth of mold and formation of mycotoxins.
- The cacao is raw, never roasted, so all heat sensitive beneficial compounds remain intact.
Stone Ground:
- The cacao beans are broken into cacao nibs and slowly stone-ground into cacao paste over 10-12 hours.
- It is then pressed to separate the cacao butter and cacao powder. The slow speed and specialized equipment allow us to keep the temperatures low.
Highlighted Ingredients
- Theobromine: The primary stimulant in chocolate is not caffeine, but theobromine. Theobromine does not stimulate the central nervous system in the same way that caffeine does, making it milder and non-addictive. Theobromine can help lower blood sugar, support cognitive function, kill bacteria that cause cavities, relax and smooth muscle tissue, and reduce inflammation.
- Anandamide: Anandamide comes from the Sanskrit word "ananda," which means bliss. It is a natural bliss/pleasure molecule produced by your body and responsible for the "high" felt after a good workout. Anandamide binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain and throughout the body. It can have effects on mood, sleep, memory, appetite, and pain relief.
- Prebiotics: If you want your gut bacteria to work hard for you, you have to feed them well! But what do gut bacteria like to eat? Prebiotics! These are special kinds of fiber that good bacteria can ferment and consume as fuel. Cacao is a great source of this prebiotic fiber. Bacteria digest this fiber and produce a wide variety of other compounds to help heal the gut lining. Feed your gut bacteria the right food and they'll bend over backward to support your health!
- Serotonin: Serotonin is one of the most famous "feel good hormones." Serotonin from the gut is not transported to the brain, but the neural pathways connecting the gut and the brain allow them to affect one another. Serotonin also fulfills many important roles in the gut environment. Serotonin regulates peristalsis—the rhythmic movement of gut muscles that "moves things along," supports digestion, and regulates sensitivity to pain. People with IBS who experience being "backed up" often have lower serotonin levels.
- Epicatechins: The epicatechin flavonoids in chocolate make it the ultimate pre-workout! It has been shown that the epicatechins found in just 30 grams of chocolate will enhance the quality and final results of training. They increase capacity for muscle aerobic metabolism, which means muscle fatigue is delayed. Epicatechins have also been shown to improve cerebral blood flow, synaptic plasticity, mitochondrial function, and better performance in cognitive testing.
- Antioxidants: Cacao is the highest natural source of antioxidants. Higher percentages of cacao mean higher levels of antioxidants. So with Pure Chocolate being 91% cacao, you can be sure you're getting a solid dose of these powerful antioxidants. The antioxidants found in cacao are primarily from a class of polyphenols called flavonoids. These include epicatechin, catechin, and procyanidins. These are associated with many benefits, including lower rates of heart disease and protection of long-term cognitive health.
- Iron: Cacao is the richest plant source of iron. (Spirulina has it beat, but spirulina is an algae rather than a plant.) Dietary iron is crucially important for vitality, especially for women. It helps to form hemoglobin, build healthy blood, and fight off iron-deficiency anemia.
- Magnesium: Over 80% of people in the Western world are chronically deficient in magnesium. We've got some good news—chocolate is the highest food source of this powerful mineral! Magnesium is important for stress management and over 300 other important functions in the body.
- Chromium: Chromium deficiency is the number one trace mineral deficiency in the Western world, and cacao is a very rich source of chromium! Millions of people face problems with diabetes, and chromium plays a huge role in supporting healthy blood sugar management.
