{"id":1557,"date":"2016-11-29T11:02:26","date_gmt":"2016-11-29T11:02:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/?p=1557"},"modified":"2021-11-29T19:04:46","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T19:04:46","slug":"12-astonishing-cacao-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/12-astonishing-cacao-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Interesting Facts of Cacao You Should Definitely Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many people know of cocoa just because of their chocolate addictions but no one really knows much about the amazing cacao bean. Was there something special about the Mayas in their discovery of the bean or is it just another plant we consume on a daily basis? Here are 12 interesting facts<\/a> about the cacao bean which may tickle your tastebuds.<\/p>\n

1. Happier the Better, Cacao Does It All!<\/h2>\n
\"Happier

courtesy of: writerscafe.org<\/p><\/div>\n

Cacao is known to be one of the healthier foods to consume… That is without the whole chocolate part added onto it. Many people eat it for its health<\/a> benefits but not many know what it does to your mood. Cacao contains a mood stimulant which not only improves your mood but puts you into a better space. Anandamide is a fatty acid neurotransmitter which invokes the feeling of joy and bliss! Best keep this fact in mind next time you are feeling a little bit down and need an excuse to eat chocolate or even better some cacao butter.<\/p>\n

The so called \u201clove drug\u201d releases\u00a0endorphins\u00a0which allow us feelings of being alert, content and an overall better sense of well-being.<\/p>\n

2. Lovers Delight, Cacao has Your Back!<\/h2>\n
\"Lovers

courtesy of:\u00a0dolcitalia.com<\/p><\/div>\n

We all know that chocolate is the go to food when having a Valentines day celebration. This is because of the faithful cacao bean. The compound is called phenethylamine and is known to release neurochemicals similar to ones released by opium. These chemicals can trigger endorphins and pleasurable desires from your brain. Naturally these are released during sexual activities and can be associated with the feeling on love. So if you need some extra help with your tasty desires then chocolate is the way to go, keep it in mind the next time you want to give a token of your love. Just make sure your chocolate has a high concentrate of cocoa. Who knows… you might just get lucky.<\/p>\n

3. Needing a Friend?<\/h2>\n
\"Needing

courtesy of:\u00a0aduna.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Cacao beans come from cacao trees and while these trees are grown in plantations, they are almost never grown alone. The trees are often planted with big and taller trees in order to protect them from direct sunlight. These trees will often be mango or papaya trees which can grow to be quite tall. The farms also have to pay close attention to the soil in which the tree is planted as this often determines the taste of the bean just like in the production of wine.<\/p>\n

It usually takes about 3 \u2013 5 years for the cacao trees to bear fruit. Each tree only produces about a 1000 beans per year which amounts to just 1 kg of chocolate. Not only does this make growing the cacao bean expensive but also costly in time!<\/p>\n

4. Cacao vs Cocoa<\/h2>\n
\"Cacao

courtesy of:\u00a0thrivemarket.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Cacao powder contains a lot more fiber and calories than its cocoa powder counter part. This is because the bean is less processed in cacao powder and therefore more nutrients remain intact. This leads to cacao being a great source for vitamins, fiber, minerals and natural carbohydrates. Men may prefer to due to its higher protein content and its monounsaturated fats.<\/p>\n

5. Baking with Cacao Makes for a Healthier Snack<\/h2>\n
\"Baking

courtesy of:\u00a0sugarstreetsweet.wordpress.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Many recipes call for cocoa powder if you are trying to make anything resembling chocolate. However it may be wise to switch out cocoa with cacao. The two go interchangeably in things such as smoothies, cookies, raw treats and baking recipes. If you do decide to use cacao then you will get the same great chocolaty taste but also benefit from the increased amount of nutrients provided by the powder. Just remember though that cacao can contain more calories and may not exactly do great things to your body. So go ahead and try it next time you are wanting to make Grand ma\u2019s famous choc-chip cookies. Just don\u2019t let Willy Wonka know… he may not approve of such healthy eating habits.<\/p>\n

6. Cacao as a butter?<\/h2>\n
\"Cacao

courtesy of:\u00a0medisite.fr<\/p><\/div>\n

Cacao butter is taken from the fruit and can be considered the fattiest part which forms the outer lining of a single cacao bean. This butter is white and has a rich, creamy texture just like you would find in white chocolate, oddly enough the taste resembles white chocolate too. The butter is removed during the process of striping the fruit in order to prepare it for the production of cacao powder.<\/p>\n

7. Chocolate Chips for Health Fanatics<\/h2>\n
\"Chocolate

courtesy of:\u00a0odaat.org<\/p><\/div>\n

If you do not like butter all that much then consider trying out cacao nibs which essentially are just chocolate chips for people who like to live on the healthier side of life. These nibs has no added sugar or fats and still maintain their original nutrients from the cacao fruit.The nibs are essentially the bean itself which has been stripped form its husk and put into a roaster to make them a bit more edible. The beans are then cut up into smaller manageable pieces for consumers to eat and enjoy.<\/p>\n

The cacao nibs are considered the least processed and most natural form of chocolate available. The taste may be bitter and somewhat nutty to some but the benefits make it worthy enough for a chocolate replacement. The nibs can be used in smoothies, toppings for deserts or just as a snack right the bag is you cannot wait to get your cacao fix.<\/p>\n

8. Get Ready to Rumble, the Energetic Side of Life.<\/h2>\n
\"cacao

courtesy of:\u00a0flipboard.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Cacao is know to have one of the highest concentrations of magnesium ever to be found in a single natural food source. Not only does magnesium help protect osteoporosis but can also reduce the effects of type II diabetes and even lower your blood pressure. Just 150 grams of cacao nibs will put you in the clear for your daily recommended RDA\u2019s for magnesium. This can differ between males and females by being 420mg and 320mg respectively.<\/p>\n

9. Antioxidants to the Rescue…<\/h2>\n
\"Antioxidants

courtesy of: dreamstime.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The cacao beans is known to have many health benefits as listed above because of its high antioxidant content. Often people can have a a dangerous diet by not consuming enough antioxidants which can lead to a poorer metabolism and decreased gut microbial activity. A Swiss study done in 2009 found that in just two weeks of using cacao, individuals showed signs of reduced stress in the form of cortisol, an improved metabolism and lastly an improved gut microbial activity. This is all because of the antioxidants provided by this healthy bean.<\/p>\n

10. Cacao Can Actually Shed Fat<\/h2>\n
\"Cacao

courtesy of: cafe2u.com<\/p><\/div>\n

If you would like to lose weight for the holiday seasons then just drink a hot cup of cacao before meals. Mixing about one teaspoon of cacao powder into a hot cup of water before meals can lead to a shrunken appetite. This is due to the MAO inhibitors naturally found in Cacao powder. The MAO found in cacao allows for the release of more serotonin which circulates in the brain. The cacao powder can be mixed with coconut milk<\/a>, rice or nut milk to suppress the strong bitter taste which it is known for. However it is advised to avoid dairy as it will inhibit the absorption of antioxidants into your body. Who needs dieting pills when you can do it yourself with this home remedy?<\/p>\n

11. Who Was First?<\/h2>\n
\"Who

courtesy of:\u00a0swisselement365.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Many believe that it was the Mayans who first discovered the cacao bean and created the process of making cocoa powder. However this belief is actually wrong. The original discoverers of cacao and makers of chocolate were the Olmecs who then passed on the information to the Mayans. Back then it wasn\u2019t called cacao but rather \u201dkawkaw\u201d. I guess the Olmecs should be known for chocolate rather than just for carving colossal stone heads for people to see.<\/p>\n

12. Cacao is a Heart Protector<\/h2>\n
\"Cacao

courtesy of:\u00a0organicfacts.net<\/p><\/div>\n

The Aztecs knew about the benefits of the cacao bean on their hearts and how it provided a boost to their cardiovascular system. This was why they named the fruit \u201dyollotl eztli\u201d which translates directly to heart blood.<\/p>\n

The benefits come from the rich flavonoids namely, procyanidin, catechin and epicatechin which help in protecting cells from damage and also help strengthen the heart. The anti-inflammatory properties of Flavanols may protect the consumer against cardiovascular disease, improve blood circulation and reduce the risk of a stroke.<\/p>\n

If you’ve enjoyed reading this content follow 12facts.com\u00a0on facebook<\/a> for more…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many people know of cocoa just because of their chocolate addictions but no one really knows much about the amazing cacao bean. Was there something special about the Mayas in their discovery of the bean or is it just another plant we consume on a daily basis? Here are 12 interesting facts about the cacao […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1563,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[151],"tags":[256,260,261,263,257,259,262,258],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1557"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40336,"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1557\/revisions\/40336"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/12facts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}