The new trend of selling “raw” food products has led to all sorts of advertisements using the label ‘raw’. And yet, it should be made clear that there are no legal standards for raw goods. Even among the raw food community, the only rule that’s typically followed is that low heating can be used. And that definitely makes me question certain types of food – especially raw cacao.
Even the ancient cultures that have cacao running deep in their culinary ancestry didn’t eat it raw. They understood & undertook the process of fermentation – even roasting the cacao beans.
Well… same same – but also different. Apart from the vowel placement, another difference between the two is whether heating is used or not. As mentioned, raw refers to the unheated method of cooking – whereby the temperature doesn’t exceed higher than 43°C or 118°F; in this case, the beans would not be roasted. Thus would “raw” cacao usually be a cold-pressed, un-roasted form of the cacao bean, – keeping the live enzymes intact and staying abundant in minerals like zinc, magnesium & calcium.
That makes “cocoa” the roasted form of raw cacao – and once it’s roasted, the nutritional value decreases. This processing stage changes the molecular structure of the cacao bean, reducing the enzyme count while lowering the nutritional & beneficial factors.
So, then it’s understandable why raw cacao has become so hyped up, right?
Whilst it may seem that raw cacao is the definite ‘go-to’ choice, there is a grey area that shouldn’t be ignored. According to the National Confectioners Association (based in the U.S.), raw/un-roasted cacao beans are susceptible to bacteria & other forms of contamination; the heating/roasting process is actually what destroys that bacteria.
Over half of the microbes that contribute to fermentation also create mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are tiny fungi that contaminate food, unseen to the naked eye. Removing the roasting process (as with raw cacao) means the mycotoxins – aflatoxin & ochratoxin being prime examples – will remain present2. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)3, consuming them can have the following effects on your body:
The process of roasting cacao – though it doesn’t completely inactivate mycotoxins – at least kills the mould producing them.
Just like mycotoxins, salmonella is another contaminate which can possibly be found in raw cacao4; it’s a bacteria most commonly associated with raw chicken or raw eggs. Salmonella may become present while drying, handling or storing cacao beans. Unclean water, farming practices and cross-contamination with animals also contributes to such contamination. When consumed, salmonella can make humans ill.
By telling you this, I’m not trying to hinder you from the satiating delight of cacao (and raw cacao) alike. It’s simply important to know that the best way to kill bacteria & pathogens in cacao is by dry roasting. This process also limits the bitterness and allows the rich chocolate flavours to become even more noticeable. And on top of that, cacao also has many important health benefits…
To get the real benefits of chocolate, opt for dark chocolate – and steer clear of the sugar-loaded stuff, like milk or white chocolate. And due to its rich source of antioxidants (found in 70% cacao or more), it even yields some important health aspects for the heart – while not having been processed with alkalizing agents (known as Dutching).
The high amount of antioxidants in dark chocolate work to neutralise cell-damaging free radicals in the body. They also help balance healthy & unhealthy cholesterol levels5. Preventing oxidation of LDL-cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) and leaving HDL-cholesterol (“good” cholesterol) untouched. By doing this, collateral damage to other tissues is also reduced, lowering the risk of heart attack and/or stroke.
Flavonols are hyperactive antioxidants and are one of many beneficial phytochemicals cacao contains. Flavonols allow the arteries to relax, increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure6. Theobromine – the bitter alkaloid of the cacao plant – also has the same dilating effect. Although there’s both positive & negative hype surrounding the effects of theobromine. It acts as a stimulant (like caffeine), but as with green tea, the benefits can be amazing. If you have any sensitivity to it or simply take too much, you may experience the hyperactivity you would usually get from caffeine. Moderation is the key.
The high antioxidant value and increase in blood flow also benefits your skin: the boost in circulation and flavonols help protect your skin from sun damage7 – a nice little treat on top of your sun cream.
As all chocolate is derived from the raw cacao bean, the bean does have its own advantages. I myself respect the processing method of the Mayans and those who have been eating it since antiquity. I would prefer not to eat my cacao raw. And with the considerable amount of research out there on the subject, it’s no question that some good quality, dark chocolate has some really great benefits – especially when it comes to maintaining a healthy heart. According to my own nutritional studies, I would suggest that 2 squares of 70% (or higher) dark chocolate is the daily recommended dose. Suffice to say that I am totally in favour of a couple of squares of roasted dark chocolate as a part of my daily, healthy consumption.
We’ve received a few customer questions regarding raw cacao as an ingredient in our cosmetics. So I want add a small section to acknowledge these queries.
Dr. Alkaitis, for instance, is a 100% raw holistic organic skincare range, and its founder lives by the motto: “If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin.” I like this way of thinking, and it makes the questions we’ve had totally valid. If we are dubious about consuming raw cacao, should we also be concerned about putting it in our skin?
Cocoa beans themselves have functional non-food purposes in both the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. This is due to their rich source of flavonoids & antioxidants. In action, however, the fermentation and roasting process (which turns raw cacao into cocoa), decreases these beneficial properties. It would seem logical to think that having raw ingredients in cosmetics would be advantageous. Though, as mentioned above, the biggest issue with the raw form of cocoa is the problematic microbes (fungus & bacteria). As much as I have researched, there is little evidence to support the negative effect of raw cacao in cosmetics. The question still persists, however.
I’d like to take May Lindstrom’s Problem Solver as an example here. Its third ingredient is Theobroma Cacao (raw cacao). But if we look down the list, we see other botanical ingredients such as: Cinnamomum Zeylanicum (cinnamon), Myristica Fragans (nutmeg), Syzygium Aromaticum (clove), Curcuma Longa (turmeric) – all of which have proven potent antimicrobial properties 11,12,13,14 (with clove being particularly effective on food borne pathogens 15.) I’m no pharmacologist, but I would speculate that the beneficial antimicrobial actions of the additional ingredients counteract the detrimental effects of raw cacao.
Resources 1. Dark chocolate (70% cacao) effects human gene expression: Cacao regulates cellular immune response, neural signaling, and sensory perception 2. Fungi and mycotoxins in cocoa: from farm to chocolate. 3. Toxic effects of mycotoxins in humans 4. Is the rise of raw chocolate a safety concern? 5. Plasma LDL and HDL cholesterol and oxidized LDL concentrations are altered in normo- and hypercholesterolemic humans after intake of different levels of cocoa powder. 6. Effects of low habitual cocoa intake on blood pressure and bioactive nitric oxide: a randomized controlled trial 7. Long-term ingestion of high flavanol cocoa provides photoprotection against UV-induced erythema and improves skin condition in women. 8. Georgia Dind 9. Nation Confectionery Association 10. Cacao biotechnology: current status and future prospects 11. Chemistry, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) 12. Antibacterial Effects of Cinnamon: From Farm to Food, Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Industries 13. A Review on Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Antifungal Activity of Curcumin 14. Antifungal compounds from turmeric and nutmeg with activity against plant pathogens. 15. Antibacterial activity of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) with metal ion effect against food borne pathogens
Tags: Conscious Consumer, Diet, Eye on Ingredients, Food, Health
Alana is a qualified naturopath & nutritionist from Australia. After years of studying and first clinical experiences, she moved to Europe where she spent many years as a health editor and writer for Amazingy Magazine. In 2020 Alana started her online Health Practice based out of Berlin. She believes the body has the innate ability to heal itself. The core of her work is teaching individuals the foundations of nutrition for an abundance of energy, smooth digestion and vital health. The stuff she teaches we just weren't taught at school, but it is fundamental for excellent health for everyone. Get in touch with Alana via her website: https://alanabonnemann.com/
If you’ve been exploring the world of anti-aging skincare, you’ve…
Listening to the Heart When I went through premature menopause…
Check out this amazing(y) product we’ve just launched on our…
The article is still unclear about the word RAW. From all my readings, none of the cacao is RAW as the true meaning of it implies. All must be roasted before entering the US therefore it is not RAW. So why is it used in the industry? For marketing, but it is still not RAW so why do you keep saying RAW also. If the ancients roasted them too, then the word RAW should never be used in the product, unless like you say, you eat it directly from the bean right off the tree, but then you went on… Read more »
Thank you for explaining the cacao vs cocoa difference! That’s been a curiosity for some time. I think these guys have raw cacao – thekokosamoa.com
Maybe the proofreader is to blame, but it is aflatoxin NOT alfa…. I must discount supposedly scientific articles that do not get the info right
As editor & proofreader of our English texts, I take full responsibility for that spelling error, Bonnie ?? Thank you firstly for reading this article on our Mag; secondly for being so thorough in your reading; and lastly, for taking the time to let us know of any mistakes in the knowledge we are aiming to share with our readers ♥
Improvement is a slow & steady game ~ and we are in it for the (sustainable) long haul 🙂 xoxo
By chance I saw this article speaking about something I’ve been consuming for the past 2 yrs. Never once has anyone ever mentioned this fungus thing. I’m very concerned about it now. I have raw cocao in my fridge at this moment. What steps do I need to take to make sure the fungus is destroyed? Do we have the same problem with raw carob also?
Hi Greg, good questions. Firstly, I would contact the brand of your raw cacao and ask them how they make and process their product. You want to make sure your cacao has been roasted so the bacteria is killed. I would even go so far to ask if ‘raw’ is just a marketing term they use. I’m not sure if raw carob has is a similar problem. From my further research I couldn’t find anything that disputes it, and only saw talk of in ancient times Egyptians, Greeks and Romans ate carob raw from the pod. Through trial and error… Read more »
Thank you. Thank you for writing this. I come from a family of farmers, growers and processors of cacao in Samoa and have been very confused by everyone eating “raw” cacao. Back home we would never eat raw cacao as we knew it would make you very sick. The closest we got to eating raw cacao was the white stringing core of the cacao pod that was so sweet and delicious. I have noticed that many products here in Australia claim to be raw but are obviously roasted (obvious to me maybe) and when I have asked health food shops/suppliers… Read more »
Hi Phoebe, It’s great there are people like yourself out there questioning shops and suppliers. I find it unfair when food marketers follow ‘health trends’ for the sake of popularity (and sales). It makes products totally ambiguous and it’s incredibly confusing for the consumer. Unfortunately it’s not only the raw trend, but you see the same in gluten free, vegan, sugar free etc. I really appreciate your input, especially with your personal experience to cacao. Thanks a lot for your input.
