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Fun Facts

This South American native was revered by the Mayans and Aztecs, who not only used cacao beans to express love, but also used the beans to pay for things. The cacao beans are hidden in a hard-shelled pod that's red, yellow, purple or orange. Each pod holds around 40 beans in a whitish pulp. After harvest, the beans are extracted from the pod, then fermented and dried. Processed cacao is made into chocolate, as well as a butter used to treat bruises and moisturize the skin. The very first chocolate bar was made in 1819 in a country still famous for its chocolate: Switzerland.

Star Power

Raw cacao beans contain a smorgasbord of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. They're also a good source of oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, plus immune-system booster zinc, and magnesium to give you energy. Cacao beans bring even more inflammation-busting flavonoids to your body than a cup of green tea! With lots of B vitamins, these little beans are stress busters, too. They also help with healthy skin, and with converting food into fuel. Did you know that raw cacao is more nutrient-rich than processed cacao?

Quick Preps

PREPARE: Buy cacao powder or cacao nibs.

• Blend a cacao smoothie from a frozen banana, nut or dairy milk, an ice cube, a scoop of cacao and a drizzle of honey.
• Mix up a trail mix with cacao nibs, different nuts and dried mango.
• Sprinkle cacao nibs or powder over fruit and yogurt.
• Add cacao nibs or powder to oatmeal.