Ceremonial Cacao Debate + creamy cacao recipe

If you’re looking for the ideal coffee alternative, here it is! At the end of this blog is my very own version of how to create the most delicious, creamiest hot cacao (in my opinion), just typing this recipe out makes my mouth drool! As a morning coffee replacement, this has been a game changer for me! But I also want to get into some important aspects of this new ceremonial cacao craze, like what is it that actually constitutes cacao as ‘ceremonial grade’? Are the cacao ceremonies of today a traditional practice or a western invention? In this blog I’ll touch on both of these critical questions.

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Cacao has become a very popular alternative to coffee for it’s energy enhancing effects similar to that of coffee, but minus the anxious jitters. This is thanks to the theobromine content found in unprocessed cacao, unlike caffeine it’s onset is slow, smooth and gentle, still increasing the heart rate and blood flow whilst naturally lowering blood pressure (therefore lowering risk of cardiovascular disease). Although cacao does naturally still contain some caffeine, it’s at a much lower dose than coffee, theobromine is the main stimulant here.

As well as enhanced energy and overall mood, cacao has many other proven health benefits both physical and spiritual, just some of these include:

  • Heart Opening – Powerful opening of the heart chakra, helping to shift emotional blockages and deepen our connection to our own heart and the hearts of others

  • Improved sleep and overall wellbeing – Cacao has been found to increase serotonin and oxytocin levels in the brain as well as containing high levels of theobromine and phenylethylamine (enhancing energy levels and cognitive function)

  • Boost your immune system – Full of essential nutrients, antioxidants, magnesium and anti inflammatory properties, cacao is also thought to help regulate blood sugar levels and promote brain health.

  • Reduce stress and experience deeper relaxation – Grounding effects and balancing our energetic pathways, cacao is thought to harmonise our spiritual, physical and emotional systems, helping us to stay grounded and move through times of stress and anxiety with more ease and stability.

What actually is cacao? Theobroma cacao comes from the Theobroma Tree native only to the Americas. While some sources say that cacao’s history lies with the Mayans and Aztecs, other sources say it is originally native only to the Amazon basin, before it was transferred to Central America likely via Indigenous tribes, with the Mayans and Aztecs being the first ones to put a real value on cacao. Naturally, along with the Spanish colonisation of Central America in the 15th century, came the heavy demand on cacao production. Cacao was soon heavily exploited with beans to other countries with favourable climatic conditions for growing, with the continent of Africa being the biggest producer of cacao today (this was definitely news to me!).

So what is it that makes ‘ceremonial grade’ cacao ceremonial? Well what I’ve found in my own research is that there are many different constituents depending on who you talk to… so basically there is no matter of fact answer to this question. What we do know for sure is that cacao has three dominant varieties used today: Criollo, Trinitario and Forastero, while the modern colonised knowledge of cacao would have us believe that the Criollo bean is best, Forastero a much lower quality and Trinitario the happy medium, this isn’t necessarily true. So in today’s global cacao boom most ‘ceremonial grade’ cacao’s will claim to be of the Criollo bean variety. To make it classed as ‘ceremonial grade’, some sources say it needs to be ethically sourced by local farms in such a way that gives back to local communities, it needs to be organic and minimally processed, made from just whole cacao beans, nothing else. Some sources say that the cacao needs to be personally blessed by an Indigenous priestess depending on where that specific cacao has come from, some Indigenous tribes are said to be very particular about the variety of bean they use within their own communities, yet some Indigenous tribes don’t actually even differentiate between the Criollo bean and Forastero bean so long as it is grown on their own land. So basically, the ceremonial grade classification of cacao seems to be pretty inconsistent and unregulated.

Cacao ceremonies as we know them today, are a western invention. Today it is the use of cacao in ceremony often in the context of spiritual or personal development. It is evident that the Mayans and Aztecs used cacao extensively and as a ritualistic expression, served for example with meals as a frothy and bitter drink, mixed with spices like chilli and water. It is also believed to have been used in life affirming ceremonies like weddings or even funerals & war. But it is clear the cacao ceremonies of today, including the use of shamanic practices, don’t hold true to the historical use of cacao in ceremony. So where did the concept of these western cacao ceremonies come from? Most of the practices facilitated in today’s ceremonies can be traced back to Keith Wilson, an American geologist who was living in San Marcos la laguna, Guatemala in 2003. Wilson developed a ‘new age’ way of holding ceremonies, of which could be considered the catalyst of the current booming trend of cacao ceremonies globally.

There is still a lot to unpack here, and honestly I could make this blog go for much longer, but to go even deeper into the realm of ceremonial cacao will require a deeper depth of knowledge than what I currently hold and with so much information out there, I want to make sure that I am speaking only to what I know and if anything, maybe spark your own curiosity into learning more about the origins of cacao and uncovering the facts amongst the myths.

Food for thought!

In my morning cacao recipe I love to add Tahini (ground sesame seeds). This just adds a delicious nutty depth to the cacao which, especially when combined with coconut milk, adds to the creaminess which is what I LOVE about this recipe. However, be sure to get hulled tahini, as unhulled will add an unfavourable gritty texture, or you can omit the tahini altogether if you don’t like the flavour of course, you will still end up with a decadent, creamy cacao especially if using a blender (I use a nutribullet) and a creamy coconut milk or raw milk/cream.

So here it is my loves, enjoy playing with this recipe, tweaking it to your own taste or omitting certain ingredients to craft your own morning ritual or cheeky afternoon pick me up. Remember, the quality of your ingredients is so important in reaping the health benefits and also to ensure you’re supporting regenerative farming that gives back to the local communities of which they source (there are alot of false claims out there). I have attached a link below to a high quality organic cacao for you if you’re not sure where to start, a personal favourite after all the different cacao’s I’ve had the pleasure of tasting. Also ensuring that whatever milk you choose, you do so carefully and with intention, so often these alternative milks are filled with gums, emulsifiers and vegetable/seed oils that wreak havoc on our gut health (I found out the hard way) and cause inflammatory responses within the body. When it comes to ingredient labels, less is more!

Use this link below for a 10% discount on your Creation Cacao!

https://goo.ie/hle1jao

Love D’Arcy Simone x