Are Cacao and Cocoa the Same Thing?

Cacao has existed since prehistoric times and was first discovered in Ecuador. Cacao is the raw, unroasted, unprocessed seeds used to make cocoa, which then becomes chocolate.

As someone who enjoys chocolate, especially dark chocolate, you may notice they’re often listed as being made up of either a percentage of cacao or cocoa. While these two seem like they might be the same, they have differences that depend on how they’re processed and manufactured. 

Their health benefits are also different. 

This article will dive into the differences and similarities between cacao and cocoa. Including what roles they play in becoming the chocolate we know and love.

Cacao has existed since prehistoric times and was first discovered in Ecuador. Today, 65% of the world’s cacao production comes from Ecuador. 

Cacao has only grown in popularity, and while it's where chocolate is derived from, it’s also becoming more common to eat raw cacao nibs or sprinkle cacao powder over your food for the nutritional benefits. 

Cacao is the raw, unroasted, unprocessed seeds used to make cocoa, which then becomes chocolate. Cacao, cocoa, and chocolate are different, and each treat has its own properties and characteristics. 

The flavor of cacao seeds is nothing like chocolate. Even though chocolate is made from cacao, in its raw form, it can taste very bitter. Cacao is the fermented, dried, ground-up powder made from the raw cacao seed. Plain cacao is not roasted, which keeps it from having a chocolate flavor. 

Typically, an entire cacao seed harvest is used to make cocoa. However, some processors hold back a portion of the cacao. After being roasted, cocoa has a chocolate flavor, but it is not sweet because milk and sugar haven't been added, so even cocoa won't necessarily have the sweet chocolate taste you might expect.  

Cocoa allegedly originated in the Amazon in South America. Later, cocoa became an important commodity of Mesoamerica and was even used as currency there before the Spanish conquests. 

Cocoa is the fermented seed of the cacao tree. The processing of this seed is where chocolate comes from. Cocoa is considered the solid product of the cacao seed. Then there’s cocoa butter, which is the fatty component. When the solids and fat are mixed, chocolate is made.

Many studies have linked eating dark chocolate to improved heart health. However, it’s not the chocolate itself that’s good for you: It’s the polyphenols that come from the cacao beans. Cacao beans have been shown to even out blood pressure and lipid profiles. 

The health benefits that come from eating chocolate with a higher cacao percentage include a reduced risk of: 

• Heart disease
• Myocardial infarction
• Stroke
• Diabetes

Chocolate also has cognitive benefits. By eating chocolate, you may see benefits like: 

• Improved taste performance 
• Better cognitive function
• Greater memory recall

Most of the nutritional benefits of chocolate come from cacao beans. The higher the cacao percentage, the better benefits you'll get from eating it. This means that dark chocolate is better for you than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is a great source of magnesium and iron. Chocolate with 90% cocoa is also a great source of zinc, which can benefit your immune system.

Dark chocolate is good for your health because of its flavonols. Flavonols are plant compounds that fight inflammation and protect your cells against damage from free radicals. You'll see better benefits from dark chocolate with at least a 70% cacao content because that means there will be higher levels of flavonols. 

Improved heart health

Antioxidants in dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure when eaten in moderation. Other benefits of eating dark chocolate include a reduced risk of clotting and improved blood circulation.

Better immune system

The flavonols in dark chocolate reduce oxidative stress, which benefits your immune system. Oxidative stress is a common cause of many diseases, meaning dark chocolate can benefit your overall health. 

Prevents diabetes

Epicatechin found in dark chocolate is used to protect cells and supports your body’s ability to utilize insulin. 

Better brain function

Another benefit of flavonols is the positive impact it has on your brain. Flavonols increase blood flow to your brain. Benefits include:

• Better visual-spacial awareness
• Improved memory
• Faster reaction time 

Reduces stress

Studies have shown that eating dark chocolate can reduce stress by lowering the stress hormone cortisol in your body. This reduced stress could also play a factor in the ability to reduce heart disease.

There's no standard recommendation for how much dark chocolate you should eat to get the benefits, but some researchers say an ounce of dark chocolate as an occasional treat can be good for you. 

Also, you don't need to cut chocolate entirely out of your diet, even if you're trying to lose weight. It's okay to curb your sweet tooth with some dark chocolate because the benefits typically outweigh the risks of keeping healthier chocolate in your diet.

While there are many benefits to eating cacao and cocoa, there are some risks to be aware of. Cocoa is mostly eaten as a bar of energy-dense chocolate. Eating too much cocoa and chocolate puts you at risk for increased weight gain. 

While most dark chocolate contains between 50% and 90% of cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar are also mixed in. Milk chocolate has about 10% and 50% cocoa solids with cocoa butter, some type of milk, and sugar mixed in. White chocolate contains no cocoa solids and only cocoa butter, milk, and sugar. 

If you're going to consume chocolate, choose dark chocolate. Still, keep in mind that it is high in calories and contains saturated fat. This fat can impact your lipid levels, which can be counterproductive to flavonols' heart-healthy benefits.

Most of the risks associated with dark chocolate are all the extra ingredients that are added in. Just make sure you're consuming your favorite chocolate bar in moderation.

The cacao harvest starts with cacao trees. They're evergreen trees that grow in tropical climates. That's why they originated in Central and South America but can now be cultivated across multiple tropical locations worldwide. 

The flowers of the cacao tree grow into fruits called cacao pods. These pods can grow up to a foot long and be three inches in diameter. They're typically green, red, yellow, or yellow-brown when they're ripe. 

A ripe cacao pod has a sweet and sour white pulp containing about 20 to 60 cacao beans. The white pulp can be eaten, but the cacao beans are used for something more delicious. 

To make the beans edible, they must be fermented, dried, roasted, and removed from their shell. This is when they turn into cocoa. These beans are now high in cocoa butter, which gets extracted for cooking and even cosmetics. The cocoa flavor is developed during fermentation. This is what makes cocoa and dark chocolate taste bitter. 

If harvesters want cacao powder, they'll remove the cocoa butter from the roasted seeds. The cocoa butter has a chocolate flavor and is used to make chocolate. 

After the transformation process, the beans are shelled into nibs, and the nibs are ground and refined into a cacao liquor. This allows them to combine different ingredients to make different kinds of chocolate like dark, milk, and white.

Try thinking of cacao as an herb. Though it’s often used to make chocolate, cacao comes from a plant and can be a great herbal supplement to your meals. Along with the powerful health benefits, cacao can play an essential role in reducing inflammation in your body. Eating the whole cacao bean produces the most health benefits. 

However, you can also take cacao powder and sprinkle it on top of your favorite dishes. This includes yogurt, smoothie bowls, or even savory dishes like molé. 

Other ways you can use cacao are in: 

• Beverages
• Food 
• Syrup
• Candy 
• Cosmetics

Cacao and cocoa are not the same things, but they all come from the cacao tree, and through a process of harvesting, fermenting, and more, the cacao bean eventually becomes chocolate. Cacao and cocoa have similar benefits, but they also have very different benefits and risks. 

Cacao has many health benefits due to the flavonols found in it. Better circulation and lower blood pressure all lead to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and reduce your risk for other health conditions. Eating cacao and cocoa that's rich in flavonols has the same effect as moderately consuming black and green tea and red wine. 

Cacao powder is key to chocolate. However, it's a few steps away from being the chocolate you recognize. It has a bitter taste but bountiful health benefits. If you're considering eating raw cacao powder, you can find options in stores that work for you. You can add it to your diet in many ways without consuming more chocolate. 

Adding cacao or cocoa beans to your diet will positively affect your cardiovascular, immune, and digestive systems.

When choosing chocolate that you can indulge in but has health benefits, look for bars with at least 70% cacao. If you like dark chocolate, you can start working up to a higher percentage of cacao in your bars over time.