NEW: Ceremonial Raw Cacao Powder & Paste

What is Raw Cacao and how is it different from regular cocoa?

Both Cacao or cocoa powders may look the same, but they’re not. Even though the cocoa powder is made from Raw Cacao, it has been processed in a way that has made it lose nearly all its nutritional value and enzymes. By roasting it in such high temperatures, the structure of the Cacao bean changes, therefore, the version that you can easily access in regular grocery stores, holds not much of a value for the benefits that Raw Cacao bean can offer. Let’s read more about that here!

Benefits of Raw Cacao

• Elevate your mood: Consuming Raw Cacao can make you feel happy! Thanks to the naturally occurring compound phenylethylamin found in the Raw Cacao, you can feel an increase in your mood, feel more pleasure, and reach a similar state in which you are when you fall in love.

• Load up on nutrients: One of the best products to implement in your life if you have a magnesium deficiency is definitely Raw Cacao as 100g of it provides more than enough of your daily dose. It also contains other important minerals like iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese.

• Protect your cells: Raw Cacao is a powerhouse of antioxidants that help to protect your cells from free radicals and toxins that are all around us creating damage to our deepest tissues. Cacao beans have been found to contain more antioxidants per 100g than acai, goji berries, or blueberries, all of which are well known in the “world of antioxidants”.

• Increase your energy levels: Raw Cacao also works as a gentle stimulant, providing an increase in energy levels and mental awareness, and can work as a healthy substitute for coffee.

• Reduce insulin resistance, lower your risk of stroke and reduce blood pressure: thanks to the high antioxidant and nutritional content, multiple studies have shown these and more benefits Raw Cacao can bring to your life.

History of Raw Cacao

First domesticated 5,300 years ago in equatorial South America by the Olmecs, the Raw Cacao bean became widely used by the Mayan cultures. Many ancient Mayan artifacts are decorated with paintings of people gathering, preparing, or drinking cacao. It appears to have been a truly integral part of their religious and social lives. The cacao bean and beverage were used in a variety of religious rituals honoring the Mayan Gods and were considered the “food of Gods”. A lot of Cacao pots were even buried with people as part of the funeral ceremony. Cacao has ever since become a widely used beverage in many cultures over the world.

Raw Cacao as a Ceremonial tool

Raw Cacao has been used for thousands of years in rituals and ceremonies to honor the sacredness of life, connect with the divine and open the hearts of people participating. Since a few years ago, there’s been a surge of remembrance of these ceremonies. People are gathering far and wide to reconnect, heal and drink Cacao together in this ceremonial, sacred setting. It is said to open the heart of people and create a warm, fuzzy feeling of love, safety, and compassion, which could be explained by increased blood flow to the heart area as well as the phenylethylamine compound found in Cacao. As you can imagine, ceremonies like these require raw, high-quality Cacao.

Where to buy Raw Cacao

Next Level offers two forms of Cacao – Cacao paste and Cacao Powder coming from Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. We make sure our Cacao is sourced responsibly and is of the highest quality, containing all the valuable nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants you need.