Herbal Spotlight - Cacao (Theobroma cacao)
Many of us are familiar with cacao in the form of a sweet chocolate bar, but did you know its unprocessed form provides us with a long list of health benefits? This includes cardiovascular support, anti-inflammatory benefits, mood-boosting effects, and even neuroprotective actions.
Cacao - Food of The Gods
Common names: Theobroma cacao
Taste: Bitter
Energetics: Drying and warming then cooling
Native: Central and South America
Preparations: Hot cacao drink, bar
Actions: Diuretic, stimulant, aphrodisiac, anti-depressant/uplifting nervine, nutritive
Parts used: Seed
Vitamins and minerals: Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorous
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Cacao (Theobroma cacao), an herb rich in antioxidants, magnesium, and fiber, has been renowned as the “Food of the Gods.” Before we dive deep into cacao’s medicinal benefits, let’s take a look at the history behind this popular herb.
The Origins of Cacao
The use of cacao dates back to 2,000 BCE and was widely used by the native peoples of central and South America. This includes the cultures of the Incas, Aztecs, and Mayans, who used it as a sacred drink for ceremonies, rituals, and offerings.
Cacao has divine origins according to the Mayan tradition; one origin story states that the God Quetzalcóatl brought Cacao to Mexico:
“Quetzalcóatl stole the small bush with dark red flowers and planted the bush and asked Tláloc to feed it with water and Xochiquetzal to tend to it and make it beautiful with flowers. The little tree flowered incessantly and Quetzalcóatl picked up the pods, roasted the kernels and taught the Toltec women to grind them into a fine powder. The women then mixed the powder with water from their jars and whipped it into a frothy drink which they called chocolatl. In the beginning it was only drunk by priests and royalty.
The Toltecs became so wise, so learned in the arts and sciences and so prosperous that the gods became jealous at first, and then, angry when they discovered that their chocolatl had been stolen from them. They vowed to make war on Quetzalcóatl and the Toltecs.
One day one of the gods disguised himself as a merchant, and offered Quetzalcoatl a drink called Tlachihuitli which he promised will help him forget his troubles and sorrows. The god became quickly drunk, that he felt so much dishonour and shame, that he decided to leave forever.
But at his departure, just before he left, he noticed that all the cocoa plants had dried up. Before he left the land never to return, he placed unto the ground in Neonalco (Tabasco), the last seeds of cacao he had left in this hand. The seeds, with time, flourished and became the last gift of the god and reached until our days.” (Excerpt from: https://earthstoriez.com/treelore-historical-and-mythical-origins-of-cacao-in-mesoamerica/)
The flavor of cacao
Although most of us are used to the sweet taste of chocolate, Cacao is a bitter drink and can take some time to get used to, but bitter is good!
Why is bitter good?
Bitter is one of the five flavors: bitter, sweet, spicy/pungent, salty, and sour. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), these flavors also correspond to five elements, organs, and so on.
Bitter = Fire = Heart and small intestine
Sweet = Earth = Spleen, stomach
Spicy/Pungent = Metal = Lungs and large intestine
Salty = Water = Kidneys and bladder
Sour = Earth = Liver and gallbladder
Cacao falls under the flavor bitter, which has an affinity for the heart. We often hear that Cacao is a “heart-opening” herb and can attribute this to its flavor!
How to use cacao:
Add a teaspoon of cacao powder to your morning coffee
Sprinkle cacao nibs into your oatmeal
Create your own hot cacao drink by adding a teaspoon of cacao powder to hot water or milk of choice and enhance the flavor by incorporating herbs like cinnamon and nutmeg.