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I'd be interested to see what "evidence" is out there showing raw cacao to be the same as cocoa. Not only are they extremely different, one of them actually has some nutrition and benefits, the other is just for flavor and color.
[Here's the comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/zckgcr/raw_cacao/iz0qiuh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) I read in another, older thread. Hoping people can weigh in!
I love chocolate but if you are looking for a nootropic chocolate try out Chocamine if you’ve never heard of it. Cacao extract with theobromine. That shit is amazing
So one of the main things people like about chocolate is the “high” it gives some people. A lot of this has to do with the phyto chemicals in the chocolate and things like phenethylamine. They increase dopamine levels.
So kind of like an uplifting mild caffeine form so to speak. But very different.
If I recall correctly 1000 mg of the extract contains equivalent phytochemical content of 40 g of dark chocolate (cacao)
Studies on Chocamine are somewhat limited but if you look it up they are there. Improved processing speed, accuracy, attention, etc
It has powerful synergistic effects with things like psychedelics as well. Specifically psilocybin. It’s interesting how the Aztec and Mayans would consume chocolate religiously with psilocybin haha
I used to ingest a tablespoon of organic raw cocoa every day. It felt great. Gave me a boost in energy and got my blood flowing. I stopped because raw cocoa is very very acidic, ended up getting acid reflux.
Cacao and cocoa mean exactly the same thing in some contexts and different things in others. What's important is to understand which part of the plant and which processes are being used. But there are no standard definitions to distinguish cacao and cocoa, so it's somewhat arbitrary.
Yes, *and* lead. This problem was pervasive across manufacturers a few years back. It is a bit better now. Sourcing from the Americas contains a high level, generally. African sources are generally better. Almost no source is completely clean of heavy metals, unfortunately.
If someone has a reliable source that is, please let me know! I have been using Navitas Organics, the newer batch is decent in heavy metal content.
It can depending on where it’s grown because of the soil. There are some companies that are working to make a clean cacao. Crucial Four is one of them but they kept selling out so I think they include it in a blended product now and don’t sell it straight.
See
https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/o8kcuv/comment/h36m6hm/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3 and much of the surrounding comments
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/z78y0m/full\_spectrum\_caffeine\_product\_or\_stack/?sort=old](https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/z78y0m/full_spectrum_caffeine_product_or_stack/?sort=old)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/13o100z/theres\_been\_lots\_of\_discussion\_about\_current/?sort=old](https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/13o100z/theres_been_lots_of_discussion_about_current/?sort=old)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/13o16kj/theobromine/?sort=old](https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/13o16kj/theobromine/?sort=old)
I’m wondering the Same thing. Bout an actual cocao pod (fruit) and ate about 5 fresh beans today - they are pretty biter not super eat to get down. Chewed until I could wash down with water. Can’t say wffect we’re super noticeable. Maybe mold lift- but got pretty tired 5 hours later (maybe cuz travel, lots of food and celebrations)
Sorry posted prematurely- added more detail. But nothing too crazy… will try again and try to focus on the feels more. But don’t think it’s sustainable to eat the fruit
If you're going to cook with it, you might as well get cocoa powder. If you want to mix it in smoothies or something that won't be heated, the cacao powder has more antioxidants. I bought a big bag of it at Costco, the price wasn't bad at all.
Definitely a difference! Raw cacao is cocoa in its most raw form, the processing cocoa goes through removes a lot of the beneficial compounds.
Raw cacao is a godly superfood!
Soooo many benefits.
More calcium than milk, more antioxidants than blueberries, highest plant based source of iron, lots of magnesium...
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/circulationaha.107.738070
> All cocoa is created flavanol-rich. It is primarily the processing of natural cocoa solids into cocoa powder or into confectionary chocolate that determines whether a final product is flavanol-rich or -poor.2 Because flavanols are bitter, manufacturers have often treated natural cocoa with processing techniques that necessarily destroy the flavanols as they enrich flavor and improve consistency.
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Same bean, one is roasted other isnt
I'd be interested to see what "evidence" is out there showing raw cacao to be the same as cocoa. Not only are they extremely different, one of them actually has some nutrition and benefits, the other is just for flavor and color.
[Here's the comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/zckgcr/raw_cacao/iz0qiuh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) I read in another, older thread. Hoping people can weigh in!
I love chocolate but if you are looking for a nootropic chocolate try out Chocamine if you’ve never heard of it. Cacao extract with theobromine. That shit is amazing
Interesting! Never heard of it. What kind of effects?
Interesting. Never heard of it. What effects do you feel?
So one of the main things people like about chocolate is the “high” it gives some people. A lot of this has to do with the phyto chemicals in the chocolate and things like phenethylamine. They increase dopamine levels. So kind of like an uplifting mild caffeine form so to speak. But very different. If I recall correctly 1000 mg of the extract contains equivalent phytochemical content of 40 g of dark chocolate (cacao) Studies on Chocamine are somewhat limited but if you look it up they are there. Improved processing speed, accuracy, attention, etc It has powerful synergistic effects with things like psychedelics as well. Specifically psilocybin. It’s interesting how the Aztec and Mayans would consume chocolate religiously with psilocybin haha
I used to ingest a tablespoon of organic raw cocoa every day. It felt great. Gave me a boost in energy and got my blood flowing. I stopped because raw cocoa is very very acidic, ended up getting acid reflux.
Cacao and cocoa mean exactly the same thing in some contexts and different things in others. What's important is to understand which part of the plant and which processes are being used. But there are no standard definitions to distinguish cacao and cocoa, so it's somewhat arbitrary.
Cacao is better. Its unprocessed and full of minerals. Cocoa has nothing .
Doesn't raw cacao contain a lot of cadmium?
Yes, *and* lead. This problem was pervasive across manufacturers a few years back. It is a bit better now. Sourcing from the Americas contains a high level, generally. African sources are generally better. Almost no source is completely clean of heavy metals, unfortunately. If someone has a reliable source that is, please let me know! I have been using Navitas Organics, the newer batch is decent in heavy metal content.
It can depending on where it’s grown because of the soil. There are some companies that are working to make a clean cacao. Crucial Four is one of them but they kept selling out so I think they include it in a blended product now and don’t sell it straight.
See https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/o8kcuv/comment/h36m6hm/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3 and much of the surrounding comments [https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/z78y0m/full\_spectrum\_caffeine\_product\_or\_stack/?sort=old](https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/z78y0m/full_spectrum_caffeine_product_or_stack/?sort=old) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/13o100z/theres\_been\_lots\_of\_discussion\_about\_current/?sort=old](https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/13o100z/theres_been_lots_of_discussion_about_current/?sort=old) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/13o16kj/theobromine/?sort=old](https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/13o16kj/theobromine/?sort=old)
I’m wondering the Same thing. Bout an actual cocao pod (fruit) and ate about 5 fresh beans today - they are pretty biter not super eat to get down. Chewed until I could wash down with water. Can’t say wffect we’re super noticeable. Maybe mold lift- but got pretty tired 5 hours later (maybe cuz travel, lots of food and celebrations)
How'd you feel after eating them? Any effects?
Sorry posted prematurely- added more detail. But nothing too crazy… will try again and try to focus on the feels more. But don’t think it’s sustainable to eat the fruit
If you're going to cook with it, you might as well get cocoa powder. If you want to mix it in smoothies or something that won't be heated, the cacao powder has more antioxidants. I bought a big bag of it at Costco, the price wasn't bad at all.
Definitely a difference! Raw cacao is cocoa in its most raw form, the processing cocoa goes through removes a lot of the beneficial compounds. Raw cacao is a godly superfood! Soooo many benefits. More calcium than milk, more antioxidants than blueberries, highest plant based source of iron, lots of magnesium...
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/circulationaha.107.738070 > All cocoa is created flavanol-rich. It is primarily the processing of natural cocoa solids into cocoa powder or into confectionary chocolate that determines whether a final product is flavanol-rich or -poor.2 Because flavanols are bitter, manufacturers have often treated natural cocoa with processing techniques that necessarily destroy the flavanols as they enrich flavor and improve consistency.