Ingredient Blog: Cacao

Greetings, Nakee enthusiasts! Today, let's chat ingredients and dive into the deliciousness together, because knowing what's in you're eating is just as important to us as it is to you!

The first thing you may be wondering about is the difference between cocoa and cacao. It's both more and less than one might think: cocoa is made from beans that have been both fermented and roasted, while cacao is from fermented beans that have notbeen roasted. The result of the difference is that cacao is slightly more bitter, but retains the health benefits that are lost when the beans are roasted, making it ideal for a healthy snack like Nakee Butter!

The most important of those benefits is that cacao is rich in flavanols, antioxidants that bolster heart health. Just as importantly, they also aid the body in fighting free radicals, cells that are linked to the development of cancer. Flavanols (as well as other antibiotics) can also help with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and conditions related to eye health, such as cataracts.

Thanks to its lack of processing, cacao is also vegan and fully organic, and is also an excellent source of several key vitamins and minerals:

• Iron, which is necessary to produce myoglobin, which carries oxygen to the muscles; as a result, increased iron can help to boost one's exercise performance. It also helps with memory and cognitive function, as well as the strength of nails and hair;3

• Magnesium, which is involved with functions all around the body, from energy to the creation of proteins and the healthy movement of muscles. Additionally, it can help with mood and sleep, and helps with blood sugar management;4

• Fiber, which helps with blood sugar control and weight loss, as well as lowering cholesterol levels and maintaining healthy and regular bowel function;5

• Potassium, which aids in bone health and strength, enhances brain function and can help stabilize blood pressure;6

• Copper, which supports immune system health and helps the body to absorb iron. Its most important function is in the production of red blood cells.7

All of these ingredients, and thus their benefits, are lost or diminished during the roasting process that turns cacao into cocoa. It should also be mentioned that both cacao and cocoa contain caffeine, though not nearly as much as even a small cup of coffee. The flavor profile of cacao is somewhat more bitter than its processed cousin; it is sometimes compared to the difference between milk and dark chocolate. Overall the taste of Focus butter is more mellow even than that difference, and in truth it tastes very much like a certain brand of peanut butter cup that our legal department has forbidden us from naming here.

Nakee is also certain to source its cacao only from ethical farms, primarily located in South America. This commitment is part of our promise to provide food that is good not only for you, but also for the environment and those who live in it.

That's all from me today. Thanks for reading; this is Brendan the Intern signing off for now.