For over 5000 years, humans have been consuming the fruit of the cacao tree, theobroma cacao. It has become widely known that cacao is an excellent health food, you’ll discover how delighting the senses and treating your body well can taste great. Cacao is truly a health food extraordinaire as a whole food source, the way nature intended, and contains:

• High levels of antioxidants, such as flavanols & polyphenols.
• Theobromine, a bitter alkaloid that is a gentle & grounded stimulant.
• Mood enhancers (neurotransmitters) such as serotonin, PEA & anandamide.
• High levels of magnesium, a muscle relaxant and important mineral in our diet.
• About 50% cacao butter, a source of healthy fats.
• Safe levels of heavy metals.

Cacao Vs. Cocoa: What’s the difference?

Within the fruit of the cacao tree are 30-50 seeds. After being fermented, sun-dried and roasted, these seeds are transformed and ready to be consumed. Pure cacao contains around 50% cacao butter and is an excellent source of nutrients and psychoactive compounds, such as theobromine, magnesium, antioxidants, and mood enhancers.

Cocoa powder is denatured, made by taking pure cacao beans and removing the cacao butter, which is half of the natural, whole, bean. This is done by huge industrial hydraulic presses that squeeze all that good fat out of the beans. Usually, the resulting product is then ‘dutched’ which means the pH level is chemically altered.

It is no longer a whole food with that fat gone and additional industrial processing, not only do you lose an excellent source of nutritional quality (cacao butter is a healthy fat in our diet), but you also lose the balanced nature of cacao as a whole food. The fat helps the body absorb all other nutrients and balances out the stimulating effects of cacao, so they are more even and grounded. While it can often be confusing, the cacao vs. cocoa. Cacao refers to the whole cacao bean whereas cocoa is defatted cacao that has undergone additional industrial-scale processing.

The cacao butter that is removed in cocoa powder is its own nutritional powerhouse. Healthy fats are an essential carrier to help the body absorb the nutrients in cacao. It also helps balance out the stimulating effects of cacao, making it less jittery than coffee. Cacao butter is keto & paleo friendly, and contains:

• Healthy fats, primarily saturated fats
• Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids
• Phytosterols, known to decrease harmful LDL cholesterol
• Antioxidant polyphenols

With muscletruffle® you get pure cacao, so you get the full nutritional benefits of cacao.