The raw Cacao Bean is one of nature's most fantastic superfoods due to its mineral content and wide array of unique and varied properties. Since many of the special properties of cacao are destroyed or lost by cooking, refining, and processing, we feel that planet Earth’s favorite food is still unknown to most of us. Now we get to reconnect with the power of real chocolate: raw Cacao Beans.
With Cacao Beans there is fantastic hope for chocoholics everywhere! You can turn cravings for cooked, processed, chocolate into super-nutrition with raw chocolate (Cacao Beans).
Cacao Beans are extraordinarily nutritious!
Cacao is the Best Natural Food Source of the Following Nutrients:
Magnesium: Cacao seems to be the #1 source of magnesium of any food. Magnesium is one of the great alkaline minerals. It helps to support the heart, brain, and digestive system (it fights constipation). Magnesium is also important for building strong bones. This is likely the primary reason women crave chocolate during the monthly cycle. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and is associated with more happiness. Magnesium is the most deficient major mineral on the Standard American Diet (SAD); over 80% of Americans are chronically deficient in Magnesium! Cacao has enough magnesium to help reverse deficiencies of this mineral.
Iron: Cacao contains 314% of the U.S. RDA of iron per 1 ounce (28 gram) serving. Iron is a critical mineral in nutrition. Iron is part of the oxygen carrying protein called hemoglobin that keeps our blood healthy.
Chromium: Chromium is an important trace mineral that helps balance blood sugar. Nearly 80% of Americans are deficient in this trace mineral. Cacao has enough chromium to help reverse deficiencies in this mineral.
Anandamide: Anandamide (The Bliss Chemical) is an endorphin that the human body naturally produces after exercise. Anandamide has only been found in one plant — Cacao. Anandamide is known as "The Bliss Chemical" because it is released while we are feeling great. Cacao contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease our bodies' ability to breakdown anandamide. This means that, when we eat cacao, natural anandamide and/or cacao anandamide may stick around longer, making us feel good longer.
Theobromine: Cacao usually contains about 1% theobromine. Theobromine is an effective anti-bacterial substance and kills streptococci mutans (the primary organism that causes cavities). Theobromine is a chemical relative of caffeine but is not a nervous system stimulant. Theobromine dilates the cardiovascular system making the heart’s job easier. This is one of the major reasons why cacao is an important part of a heart healthy diet.
Antioxidants: Cacao contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world. These antioxidants include polyphenols, catechins, and epicatechins. By weight, Cacao has more antioxidants than red wine, blueberries, acai, pomegranates, and goji berries COMBINED.
Cacao Also Contains the Following Important Unique Nutrients:
Manganese: Manganese is an essential trace mineral. Manganese helps assist iron in the oxygenation of the blood and formation of hemoglobin. Interestingly, manganese is also concentrated in tears.
Zinc: Zinc is an essential trace mineral. Zinc plays a critical role in the immune system, liver, pancreas, and skin. Additionally, zinc is involved in thousands of enzymatic reactions throughout the human body.
Copper: Copper is an essential trace mineral. Copper is found naturally in plants with vitamin C. In the human body, copper helps to build healthy blood.
Vitamin C: Cacao must be raw to contain vitamin C. All cooked and processed chocolate has no vitamin C. A one ounce (28 gram) serving of Cacao Beans supplies 21% of the U.S. RDA of Vitamin C.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids: Cacao contains essential omega 6 fatty acids. All cooked and processed chocolate contains rancid omega 6 fatty acids (trans-fat) that can cause an inflammatory reaction when one eats cooked chocolate.
Phenethylamine (PEA): Phenylethylamine (PEA) is found in abundance in cacao. Because PEA is heat sensitive, much of the PEA in conventional cooked and processed chocolate is missing. PEA is the chemical that we produce in our bodies when we fall in love. This is likely one of the main reasons why love and chocolate have such a deep connection. PEA also plays a role in increasing focus and alertness.
Tryptophan: Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is transformed into important stress-protective neurotransmitters including serotonin and melatonin. Tryptophan is heat sensitive and therefore it is “cooked out” in many high protein foods and in conventional processed chocolate.
Serotonin: Serotonin is the primary neurotransmitter in the human body. Serotonin is similar in its chemistry to tryptophan and melatonin. Serotonin helps us build up our “stress defense shield.”
Does Cacao Contain Caffeine?
Contrary to popular opinion, cacao is a poor source of caffeine. A typical sample of Cacao Beans or cacao beans will yield anywhere from zero caffeine to 1,000 parts per million of caffeine (less than 1/20th of the caffeine present in coffee).
In February 2008, Dr. Gabriel Cousens discovered in clinical tests on healthy people that Cacao does not elevate blood sugar in the same way as a caffeine containing food or beverage. In fact, Dr. Cousens’ found that cacao has less of an effect on blood sugar than nearly any other food.
What is Cacao?
Cacao is the seed (nut) of a fruit of an Amazonian tree that was brought to Central America during or before the time of the Olmecs. Cacao Beans were so revered by the Mayans and Aztecs that they used them as money!
In 1753 Carl von Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish scientist, thought that cacao was so important that he named the genus and species of this tree himself. He named this tree: Theobroma cacao, which literally means "Cacao, the food of the gods."
Cacao beans contain no sugar and between 12% and 50% fat depending on variety and growth conditions. Sunfood Nutrition™ Cacao Beans are around 40% fat content (low compared to other nuts). There is no evidence to implicate Cacao Bean consumption with obesity. Cacao is actually one of the great weight loss foods because within its extraordinary nutrition profile it contains the minerals and molecules that shut off the appetite.
Why Sunfood Nutrition’s Cacao Beans and Cacao Nibs lead the world in Flavor, Quality, Quality Control, and Organic Standards:
Congratulations! You have reached www.sunfood.com the birthplace of raw chocolate products on the Internet. Since we have been delivering raw cacao nibs, beans, butter, and powder longer than any other organization, we have been able to source the best-tasting, highest quality raw organic chocolate products ever. Our chocolate is grown by happy farmers in Ecuador who are compensated with “better than Fair Trade” wages and living conditions.
Here is a list of the some of the outstanding characteristics of our Cacao Nibs and Cacao Beans:

• Raw, Organic: Our Cacao products are 100% raw and certified organic by Skal International.

• Aromica Variety: Our beans come from the most prized strain of Cacao in Ecuador known as Aromica (due to its outstanding aroma). Aromica is a distinct fourth variety of Cacao (the other three include: forestero, trinitario, and criollo).

• Low Microbe Count: Because of the exceptional quality and standards under which Sunfood Nutrition’s Cacao Beans are processed, any foreign microbe/bacteria activity is virtually nonexistent on the skin and inner nib. This is an extraordinary feat considering that cacao beans come from a moist and juicy fruit grown in the hot jungle. No other cacao bean sources can claim our level of safety.
• Pleasant, Tasty: The unique process we use to dry our Cacao Nibs and Beans retains the purity, fine aroma, fairly uniform large size, purplish-brown color, easy peeling (of the beans), and the nutritional impact that nature intended.

• High Flavor, No Roasting: Because of the quality of the bean and of our processing, you get to enjoy a rich, raw chocolate flavor and aroma without roasting.

• Low Acidity: Our Cacao Beans have extremely low acid levels. Many other varieties have much higher levels of acidity.
• No to Low Fermentation: Cacao is the seed of a fruit. Once the fruit is opened the fruit pulp surrounding each Cacao Bean eventually begins to ferment. This allows microbes to grow on the skin of the Cacao Bean and adversely alters the flavor of the raw Cacao Beans. We avoid this as much as possible and remove the fruit before drying the Cacao Beans.

Special Notice: We take care to deliver you the finest, clean, microbe-free organic Cacao Beans and Nibs available on the world market. Be aware that poor quality Cacao is also available that has been heated, fumigated, fermented, conventionally-grown, and/or may even be dirty (contaminated with dirt as well as bacteria and fungi).
Allergies?
A recent study showed that only one out of 500 people who thought they were allergic to chocolate actually tested positive. Allergies to chocolate are quite rare. It is typically the case that the person is in fact allergic to milk and dairy products. Some people can be allergic to cooked and processed chocolate but are not allergic to Cacao.
What to do with Cacao Beans?
Part I: To Peel or not to Peel?
Each Cacao Bean is surrounded by an outer skin. The removal of this skin had always been a ritual for people eating cacao and it was also one of the primary problems in the chocolate industry because the skin was dirty. Traditionally, and still today, cacao is poorly dried and not cleaned and therefore much of the fermented fruit pulp remains on the outer skin of each Cacao Bean. Bacteria and fungi usually grow on the outer skin as a result.
Because the outer skins of Sunfood Nutrition’s Cacao Beans are completely clean and microbe-free, you can eat the skin. Emerging evidence suggests that the Cacao skin may play a role in helping our bone marrow produce more rejuvenating stem cells naturally.
Part II: Once you have decided how you are going to eat the Cacao Beans then…
Try eating them straight, a tablespoon at a time. Chew thoroughly and experience the taste extravaganza of raw chocolate.
Add to coconut-based or fruit-based smoothies to enhance the flavor.
Add agave nectar or honey or another sweetening agent to the raw Cacao Beans and chew!
Freeze Cacao Beans with sweeteners (agave nectar or honey are fantastic). Eat cold.
Blend Cacao Beans into herbal teas with the Peruvian superfoods maca and Yacon Root Syrup.
Add Cacao Beans to raw ice creams for the best chocolate chips in the world.
Create a raw chocolate bar! Blend the following raw ingredients together: Cacao Beans, agave nectar, carob powder, maca, coconut oil, angstrom calcium, and cashews. Pour into a mold and freeze. Eat cold and experience the truth about the food of the gods!
Cacao and Goji Berries go particularly well when eaten together. Because of their combined antioxidant content, Cacao and Goji Berries make for excellent airtravel snacks.
Read the book Naked Chocolate by David Wolfe and Shazzie and discover all the extraordinary chocolate recipes you can create in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Warning: Eating Cacao Beans may cause you to have THE BEST DAY EVER!
Cacao is great fun for everyone — especially kids!
Refrigeration of these Cacao Beans is not required, although recommended. Cacao nibs keep well in cool, dry conditions.
8 oz. bag (equivalent of approx. 200 cacao beans)

All sales of Sunfood Nutrition Cacao products support indigenous farmers in Ecuador. To supply our quality, raw, unfermented, organic Cacao and products made from this Cacao, we pay each farmer 25% more than the price for regular, organic cacao in Ecuador. We have also been helping to fund the growth of infrastructure and irrigation on each farm to ensure quality Cacao to our customers and to allow each farm to increase production (and therefore increase income). Also, at the processing location, where Cacao Butter is pressed and cacao powder is separated (amongst other things), we help provide education (regular courses on health, sanitation, etc.) and higher than standard salaries to all the workers. Your support of Sunfood Nutrition Cacao products has already inspired the recent planting of 100,000 Cacao trees in Ecuador. These Cacao Beans are packaged in a facility that also processes dairy, eggs, wheat, and soy.
Thank you for choosing Sunfood Nutrition as your source for raw and organic: Cacao Nibs, Beans, Butter, Powder, and chocolate bars. We know you will be delighted by the quality and flavor of our chocolate products.