Cacao Nibs
Cacao trees thrive in hot and humid climates and grow in almost every tropical region along the equator. More cacao beans are exported from from West Africa than anywhere else. Other major producers are South America, Central America and South East Asia. Just like grapes, the taste of cacao beans can vary depending on what other plants grow nearby. For instance, vanilla and pineapple growing next to a cacao tree will influence the flavor of the cacao bean to become more sweet and fruity.
The cacao tree (Theobroma Cacao) bears oval shaped fruits or ”pods” with a tough green skin that later develops into different shades of yellow, orange, red or purple. There is no cacao season, the cacao tree produces fruit all around the year. When cut open the fruit reveals a white pulp with dark brown or purple seeds, called cacao beans. There are about 40 seeds in each fruit bound together by an “umbilical cord” in the center. If you remove the umbilical cord and dehydrate it, it will become chewy and taste like candy. The fruit itself is juicy, sweet, tangy, delicious and rich in vitamin C, vitamin E and antioxidants.
But it is the seeds, or “cacao beans” that are the world’s most beloved food or the food of the Gods, namely the one ingredient that all chocolate is made of. Raw cacao beans are one of nature’s most fantastic superfoods full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. They can be eaten as they are, but since they taste bitter and intense they are most often processed in various ways into a selection of cacao products. Cacao nibs are small pieces of crushed cacao beans. They derive from cacao beans that have been dried, fermented and cracked into small dark bits. Most cacao nibs have been roasted or otherwise heated, which means they will have lost most of the medicinal properties. However, just as the interest for raw chocolate grows, so does the market for raw cacao products. If the cacao products are kept below 45 °C (113°F) they retain most of their nutrients and are considered raw.
VOLUME
Loud
HOW TO USE
Cacao nibs can be eaten as they are, although the taste is quite bitter. If the taste is too intense, try mixing it with a sweetener. Raw cacao nibs add a lovely crunchy texture to cookies, granolas, energy bars, bliss balls or sprinkled on top of your ice cream or breakfast bowl. Try blending cacao nibs into a smoothie, m!lk shake or other beverage. You can also make a raw bean-to-bar chocolate by grinding the nibs really fine and adding sweetener and cacao butter. Using a stone grinder (melanger) will result in a really smooth chocolate while a good quality food processor will make a chunky chocolate bar.
FLAVOR PAIRINGS
Allspice, anise, almonds, apricots, bananas, basil, bee pollen, berries, black pepper, blackberry, blueberry, brandy, brazil nuts, buckwheat, caramel, cardamom, carob, cashews, cayenne, chai spice, chia seeds, cherries, chili, cinnamon, cloves, coconut, coconut sugar, coffee, coriander seeds, cream, dates, durian, elderflower, figs, ginger, goji berries, granola, hazelnuts, hemp seeds, honey, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lucuma, maca, macadamia nuts, maple syrup, matcha, mesquite, m!lk, mint, nutmeg, nut butter, oats, olive oil, orange, passion fruit, peanuts, pecans, pepper, pistachios, plums, popcorn, pumpkin seeds, raisins, raspberries, rose, rose pepper, rose, rosemary, rum, saffron, salt, sesame seeds, spirulina, star anise, strawberries, sunflower seeds, tahini, thyme, vanilla, vegan cream, violet, walnuts
SELECTING
According to chocolate connoisseurs, fine chocolate has as many distinctive flavors as fine wine. Of all types of cacao beans, the “Criollo” variety found in Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru is said to have the finest flavor and best quality. However, less than 1% of the cacao beans in the world are truly Criollo, and many companies will claim that their beans are Criollo when in reality they are another variety.
Most of the cacao nibs on the market are roasted, however, there are plenty of companies specializing in producing raw cacao nibs. Look for certified 100% raw and organic nibs in health food stores or online. Nowadays they are even available at some well stocked supermarkets. When it comes to cacao, Fair Trade or high quality is best, considering that many cacao plantations otherwise use child- and slave-labor. A Fair Trade certificate is not necessarily required to indicate quality or slavery-free cacao, there are companies who practice fair working conditions and produce good quality beans. However, when it comes to conventionally grown cacao beans from the African continent it is extra important to be vigilant and select Fair Trade.
STORING
Store cacao nibs in an airtight plastic bag in a cool, dry and dark pantry with air flow. It is important that the bag is thoroughly sealed and away from ingredients with strong flavors and odors as otherwise they can contaminate the cacao. When it comes to storing cacao nibs, emphasis is on dry, as humidity can cause them to mold. To extend shelf life you can vacuum seal the nibs. Due to humidity it is not recommended to store cacao nibs in the refrigerator or freezer unless vacuum sealed. Just like other nuts, cacao beans and nibs don´t actually freeze, so they can be used directly out of the freezer. Vacuum sealing will also protect against flavor contamination. When properly stored cacao nibs will last 6 months to a year.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Whole cacao beans can easily be crushed into nibs in a food processor. In some recipes cacao paste can be a substitution. Dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate can replace cacao nibs in cookies, !ce creams and smoothies.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Raw cacao is rich in vitamin A, C, E and B complex and also has an extraordinary amount of minerals, including magnesium, iron, chromium, phsophoros and zinc. Interestingly, these same minerals are the ones that are depleted when we are under stress.
With more than 300 organic chemical compounds, raw cacao is considered one of the most complex superfoods on the planet.
One example of such a compound is Phenylethylamine (PEA), also called the ”love” chemical. PEA is a stimulant that is found naturally in the body to help us focus and increase our sense of well-being. It also enhances the effect of other brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, sleep, cognitive function and libido. Dopamine plays an important role in our ability to feel pleasure, satisfaction, and motivational salience.
Tryptophan is another chemical found in raw cacao, and contrary to PEA it can not be synthesized by the body, and therefore can only come from diet. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that acts as a natural antidepressant, and also triggers the production of serotonin and melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep, and helps both the mind and muscles relax.
Anandamide – also called the “bliss chemical” is a natural chemical compound found in cacao that can increase motivation, pleasure and appetite, and produce a similar high to when you work out. Studies also show that it can inhibit growth of cancer cells.
Furthermore, cacao also contains theobromine, a naturally occurring form of caffeine.
Theobromine is a psychoactive stimulant of the nervous system that affects our mind, mood and muscles, causing both alertness and relaxation. Although theobromine is a chemical relative of caffeine, studies show that it does not elevate blood sugar in the same way as a caffeine containing beverage. Interestingly, theobromine also contains antibacterial substances that eliminate streptococci mutans, microorganisms that otherwise cause cavities in teeth.
When it comes to antioxidants, cacao ranks far higher than most other foods, including green tea, acai and red wine. Anti-oxidants help neutralize free radicals, which slows down aging. The helpful antioxidants also benefit cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attacks, lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol. However, more is not necessarily merrier when it comes to cacao. One study that showed that consuming a small square of chocolate per day was good for the heart, also concluded that eating more than that did not increase the benefit.
It is important to mention that unhealthy products are often added to cacao, making the final product far from healthy. Raw cacao nibs are a whole food, and if we add other high quality ingredients we get a vastly different chocolate product compared to a processed chocolate bar full of dairy and refined sugar. The darker and less processed, the more antioxidants and the more beneficial it is.
CONCERNS
Although raw cacao is widely known as a nutrient dense superfood with such an impressive list of benefits, others theorize that consuming cacao is not as beneficial as we might think, and actually comes with negative effects.
Even though the caffeine content is much lower in cacao than in coffee or tea, nevertheless it is there. Foods that contain caffeine are said to potentially weaken the liver and cause the adrenals to burn out. When we consume caffeine frequently, the adrenals are on constant high alert, which over time can result in weight gain and accelerated aging.
Another potential negative aspect of chocolate is the high fat content. Cacao nibs contain 40-50% fat, primarily palmitic, stearic and oleic acid. The remaining 50-60% is composed of cacao solids. Therefore Dr. Michael Greger (author of How Not to Die) suggests that consuming cacao solids (cacao powder) is a way to gain the benefits of the cacao without the potentially non beneficial effects of the fat. Dr Greger suggests that the consequence of consuming too much fat, especially combined with sugar, is that it can inhibit the body´s ability to detox, cause inflammation and burden the liver. Furthermore, all the antioxidants are found in the nonfat portions of the cacao nib.
Something else to be aware of is that theobromine can be toxic to animals, including cats, dogs, horses and parrots.
HISTORY
The ancient Olmecs, one of the earliest civilizations in Mesoamerica, are believed to be the first population to use the cacao plant. Recent discoveries of Olmec pots and vessels with traces of cacao beans led historians to believe they used cacao to create a ceremonial beverage as far back as 5,500 years ago.
Around 600 AD, the Mayans and Aztecs of Southern Mexico cultivated the cacao tree and it became a central part of their life and culture, used in anything from ceremonies, feasts and medicine. The beans were prepared into “xocoatl,” an unsweetened, frothy and bitter beverage said to be a potent aphrodisiac that offered strength and endurance before battle. “Xocol” meaning bitter and “atl” meaning water in Mayan language. Wealthy people and those of high rank would drink xocoatl in great quantities. Cacao was so valuable and treasured that the Emperors started collecting it as tax payments and eventually it even became their legal currency.
In 1519 the Spanish conquistador Cortez and his henchmen invaded the Aztec empire. By then the civilization had well over a million inhabitants. The Spaniards were surprised to see that the currency the inhabitants used was cacao beans and the treasure troves of Montezuma, the Emperor, were not filled with gold, but rather with beans from the cacao fruit.
The legend says that following the fall of the Aztec empire in 1528, cacao was brought back to Europe by Cortez. Xocoatl was introduced as ”cacahuatl,” which eventually became known as chocolate. A chocolate drink was said to build endurance and Cortez has been quoted saying ”A cup of this precious drink permits man to walk for a whole day without food”. Due to the bitter taste it was first used as a medicinal remedy to help with ailments such as an upset stomach.
One element was introduced that would change the course of the caca bean forever. Sugar. Once sweetener was added to the beverage, Europeans took up chocolate drinking with great enthusiasm. Drinking sugar sweetened chocolate became a delicacy and fashionable status symbol among those who could afford it.
In 1753 the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus named the cacao tree Theobroma Cacao, meaning ”food of the Gods”.
The production of chocolate was laborious and time consuming. To accommodate the demand, slave labor was imported from the Caribbean and Africa to cacao plantations in South America.
In 1828 the course of chocolate changed radically again. The chocolate press was invented by Dutch chemist Coenraad van Houten. This made it possible to separate the oil from the cacao solids, producing cacao powder. He later also invented the process of adding chemical salts to the chocolate powder, known as ”dutching”.
The first chocolate bar ever was produced in 1874 by the Brittish company J.S. Fry & sons using cacao powder, cacao butter and sugar.
Just a year later, a Swiss chocolatier, by the name Daniel Peter experimented with adding milk powder, producing the first ever milk chocolate bar.
By the 20th century, chocolate was no longer reserved for the wealthy. The demand for chocolate went up radically. Since the cacao trees thrive near the equator, cacao production grew exponentially all around the equator, and especially in Africa. Unfortunately many of the cacao plantations today still use slave and child labor. Over 2 million children are estimated to be affected. Fair trade is supposedly slavery free.
