What’s the Difference Between Ceremonial Cacao and Regular Cacao Powder? (2024)

Sourcing ethical cacao for ceremony and wellness.

Let me begin by saying that cacao has changed my life.

I was introduced to the use of chocolate as medicine in 2016 and since then, have been exploring and learning with the plant in her many forms, which has evolved into Couples Cacao, a deeply transforming partnership practice that I share with my husband every morning.

The idea that cacao — most commonly thought of as a regular chocolate bar or a hip, exotic superfood— is a medicine for spiritual purposes can be a new concept for some. Most people I speak to about Ceremonial Cacao are intrigued and drawn to the idea, but are unsure about the difference between the raw cacao powder found at your local health food store and “ceremonial-grade” paste…

I thought I’d share my understanding here, hopefully providing some new information and perhaps also the motivation to go out and discover it for yourself!

First, let’s break down the difference between Cocoa (pronounced “koko”) and Cacao (pronounced “kakaow”), because I see the two often mixed up. They might be spelled similarly, but they’re not the same in quality, so you almost always want to go with cacao.

Cocoa powder has been roasted for long periods of time at high temperatures, which changes the molecular structure of the bean, lowering its naturally abundant nutritional value.

Cacao powder, although it may be organic, “raw” and a “superfood” is also highly processed to commercial standards, removing the bean’s natural fat — cacao butter. This means that many living enzymes, healthy fat and most of the subtle energetic properties of cacao have been destroyed.

This isn’t so much an issue if you’re looking for the flavor, focus and energy-boost the cacao bean offers, but as the powder has been separated from its natural fiber and fat, it can often be overstimulating for your delicate nervous system and quite taxing on your liver and digestive tract, much like coffee. You’ve probably heard of bullet-proof coffee, right? Well, science has shown that consuming these plants (coffee and cacao, for example) with healthy, undamaged fat is much more beneficial for the body, assisting in the absorption of nutrients and gradual release the plants’ chemicals.

That being said, I do occasionally use the powder in my other recipes, such as smoothies, bliss balls or raw desserts. I believe that cacao is precious in all its forms and it’s a beautiful way to connect with the essence of love daily. Chocolate became a symbol of love and romance for a reason, because emotionally, physiologically and psychically, it creates feelings of openness and pleasure within us!

The most important thing to look for when purchasing powdered cacao is that it is ethically, sustainably and accountably grown, harvested and processed. The chocolate industry has a very dark side in particular parts of the world and it’s up to us to stop supporting brands that continue to conduct and condone harmful human exploitation. The Food Empowerment Project is a great resource and lists hundreds of companies that they Do and Do Not recommend. I most often buy this Navitas one.

Ceremonial-grade paste is traditionally made by fermenting and lightly toasting or sun-drying the beans, peeling away the husks, then stone-grinding the beans to create a paste which is set into a mold — nothing added, nothing removed. The bean’s natural fat (which accounts for 50%) remains intact, helping to balance its stimulating properties and facilitate absorption over a longer period of time, while the remaining 50% of dense nutrient and mineral constituents are similarly preserved and protected.

This is cacao in its pure, traditional form, utilized by ancient Mesoamerican civilizations for thousands of years in ceremony and celebration. By looking to Indigenous wisdom of how the medicine has been worked with, we are able to learn about a healing approach and relationship with cacao as plant medicine that has been passed down through generations.

When we crave chocolate, what our bodies actually desire is the multidimensional, healing power of cacao’s medicine and the sacred self-love that is inherent when we take time to give ourselves real nourishment.

Western culture can be so action-oriented — think: grind culture and the way caffeine can often be used and abused. Cacao is different. It asks us to listen and feel. We’re encouraged to reflect on how we’re moving through life. When are we in ceremony? When are we taking the time to connect to our bodies and drop into our hearts? Taking time to honor ourselves, our relationships, and all the ways we are nourished can help us to remember and experience a sense of interconnection and meaning. Cacao is just one of the many tools available on this planet to experience this kind of connection and tune in to who we really are.

If you’re still wondering what a cacao ceremony even is, watch this beautiful video created by Cacao Lab in Guatemala.

Some Ceremonial Cacao Sources

I recently taste-tested some of the best ceremonial cacao brands on the market and wrote about my findings. For more online sources of Cacao, take a look at that article!

The Cacao Club

Founded by medical herbalist, Jordan Cohayney, The Cacao Club launched in London in 2016 and now operates in Australia. Merging modern clinical knowledge with the traditional usage and ancient wisdom associated with cacao, The Cacao Club’s beautifully designed and formulated discs serve as holistic tools that encourage people to become their own healers.

My favorite blends are Intimacy for the rose and cinnamon, and the more traditional Ceremony, but honestly they’re all heavenly and potent!

The Cacao Club are offering 10% off when you use the code CACAOCOMMUNITY at checkout!

Cacao Lab

Created in 2017 by sister-brother dream team, Florencia and Fede Fridman, Cacao Laboratory was conceived as a way to bridge the ancient traditions of cacao in a modern context.

Sourced directly from family farm-shares in Ecuador, they hold ceremonies and trainings online and around the world to share the practice and traditions. They offer small cacao bar blends, inspired by the elements, or a 1kg block for serious cacao connoisseurs! I’ve always found their products to be super high quality and create the perfect daily cacao tonic.

Use the code CACAOANGEL for 10% off all online purchases.

Ora Cacao

A wonderful small producer in California sourcing sustainable, high-grade cacao beans from around the world! Belize! Guatemala! Colombia! Tanzania!

I love their “enhanced” cacao spiked with medicinal mushrooms and different mood-altering herbs. Plus, their chocolate button design melt easily on the stove or become frothy chocolate goodness with a simple milk frother.

Check them out and use code FORTHELOVEOFCHOCOLATE for 10% off your first purchase.

Nana Marina’s Cacao

Nana Marina Cruz is a Tz’utujil Mayan Guide. Her cacao is unique because it’s been grown, harvested, toasted, fermented, packaged and distributed 100% by GuateMayans. It’s also super smooth and delicious!
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You can find Nana Marina’s cacao online through Four Visions Market and other online sources. As part of a conservation project to protect the sacred traditions of the Mayan Cosmovision, the money you spend on cacao goes directly to the culture that has nurtured stewarded ceremonial cacao for generations.

Soul Lift Cacao

Soul Lift is a US-based distributor of ceremonial cacao.

A couple of years ago while we were visiting Lake Atitlan in Guatemala (arguably, the hub of ceremonial cacao) we were lucky to find handmade cacao by an incredible women’s cooperative called Ruk’u’x Ulew (pronounced “Roo-koosh-oo-lay-oo”), which means Heart of the Earth. My friend calls this the “Grandmother Cacao” — needless to say, it’s very special.

Right now, this cacao and other rare varieties are available through supportive distributors like Soul Lift! Check it all out on their website.

So which is better? Powder or Paste?

It all depends on what experience you’re looking for.

I believe that it has everything to do with the individual. The most important part of cultivating a relationship with cacao, and any plant for that matter, is a process of experimentation — respectfully and playfully exploring its different forms, as well as the various states of mind and place that you’re experiencing the medicine.

Maybe that’s sitting and drinking a ceremonial dose three mornings consecutively and working with it for deepening your meditation practice. Maybe other times, it’s making homemade chocolate with coconut oil and maple syrup. Or perhaps, it’s simply mixing the powder into your morning banana smoothie and really enjoying the richness of flavor and energy that way. If you’re looking for some ways to create a daily practice with your cacao, check out my article exploring cacao recipes and rituals.

Ultimately, cacao is a partner, a tool for us to come together with intention, to share in gratitude and be present with our hearts. I’ve come to realize that any experiences we may have when we drink it are always alive within us, and once you’ve connected with that place, you can journey there and receive her medicine and messages, whenever and wherever you are.

PS. Some of the cacao recommendations in this article contain affiliate links, and 25% of proceeds from those affiliates go towards giving back to the communities who have nurtured our healing relationship with cacao throughout generations (you can read more about that in Eduardo’s article How To Give Back If You Benefit From Ceremonial Cacao). I have tasted all the cacao that I recommend and continually update the products featured in this article.