Frequently Asked Questions About Ceremonial Cacao

Ceremonial cacao is made from whole cacao mass. The solid parts of the cacao bean and the naturally present cacao butter stay together.

You cut or break off a piece of cacao and let it melt in warm liquid. This gives you a rich cacao drink that is different from hot chocolate made with cacao powder.

For us, the word ceremonial does not mean you need to create a full ritual every time. You can drink cacao during yoga or meditation, but just as easily as a warm start to your morning.

Read more in What is ceremonial cacao?

With ceremonial cacao, the whole cacao mass stays together, including the naturally present cacao butter. With cacao powder, part of that cacao butter has been pressed out.

This gives ceremonial cacao a fuller and richer texture, and it is usually sold as a solid block or portion.

In our article about ceremonial cacao versus cacao powder we explain the difference in more detail.

No. For us, cacao can feel special without becoming complicated.

You can drink it during meditation, breathwork, yoga or journaling, but also behind your laptop, during a conversation or simply as your morning cacao.

Absolutely. Make it with water, regular milk, plant-based milk or a combination, and add cinnamon, cardamom or something sweet if you like.

Ceremonial cacao does not always need to be part of a ritual.

Cut the amount of cacao you want from the block and heat around 200 to 300 ml of water, regular milk, plant-based milk or tea to a maximum of around 70 °C.

Do not let the liquid boil. Add the cacao and let it melt slowly.

Stir well or use a milk frother, blender or whisk if you want it smoother and lighter.

We keep the temperature at a maximum of around 70 °C because very high temperatures can make the taste of cacao flatter or more bitter.

Find the full step-by-step guide in how to prepare ceremonial cacao .

For our cacao blocks, we use two simple amounts:

• 20 grams for an everyday cacao moment
• 40 grams as a ceremonial dose for moments when you want a deeper cacao experience

You can adjust anything between 20 and 40 grams to your own taste, experience and moment.

We usually use around 200 to 300 ml of liquid per cup.

Less liquid makes the cacao fuller and stronger. More liquid makes it softer.

Yes. Regular milk, plant-based milk and water are all possible.

Choose what you enjoy and what feels good for your body. We see no reason to automatically advise against regular milk.

Heat the milk gently and keep it at a maximum of around 70 °C for cacao.

Yes, and we actually really like this way of making different cacao drinks.

First make your favourite tea or herbal infusion. Let it cool to a maximum of around 70 °C and then melt the cacao into it.

Ginger, chai, cinnamon or other herbs and spices you enjoy can all work well.

We recommend heating water, milk or tea for cacao to a maximum of around 70 °C.

Do not let the liquid boil and do not boil the cacao itself. High temperatures can make the taste of cacao more bitter or flat.

So we keep it simple: warm your cacao, do not boil it.

No thermometer? Heat the liquid until it is nice and hot, but take it off the heat before it starts to boil.

Using honey as a sweetener? Add it when your cacao has cooled down a little.

Strong heating can reduce the smell, taste and some of the heat-sensitive components of honey. That is why we do not heat honey together with the cacao.

Make your cacao first, let it cool for a moment and then stir in the honey.

No. A whisk or spoon works too.

A milk frother or blender does make the drink smoother and lighter more easily. Our functional Cacao Bars become especially creamy this way.

A Cacao Bar is a pre-measured 36 gram portion of cacao.

One full Bar is made for one cup, so there is no need to weigh anything.

Our collection includes LOVE, FOCUS, RELAX, HEAL, EMPOWER and CARDAMOM.

Yes. One Cacao Bar is one cup.

You can break or cut the Bar into smaller pieces so it melts faster. If you do not have anything to cut it with, you can also place the whole Bar directly into the warm liquid.

Keep the temperature at a maximum of around 70 °C and do not let it boil.

Yes. The Bars can be prepared as a warm cacao drink or eaten as they are.

Each Bar has its own combination and character:

• LOVE: cordyceps, saffron and chilli
• FOCUS: Brahmi and Lion's Mane
• RELAX: Lion's Mane and reishi
• HEAL: turmeric and piperine
• EMPOWER: ashwagandha and cordyceps
• CARDAMOM: 100% ceremonial cacao from Kerala, fermented with cardamom

In the Cacao Guide we explain when we like to use each Bar.

LOVE, FOCUS, RELAX, HEAL and EMPOWER contain coconut milk powder alongside 60% cacao. This naturally makes them creamier when mixed or frothed.

CARDAMOM is different and is made from 100% ceremonial cacao from Kerala, with cardamom added through fermentation.

We mainly choose based on the moment.

For work or writing, for example, we often choose FOCUS. When we want to slow down, RELAX usually fits better. On days when our energy feels lower, we are more likely to choose LOVE or EMPOWER.

See the full guide at which cacao fits your moment?

We sell ceremonial cacao from India and Peru.

We also have ceremonial cacao from India that is fermented with cardamom.

The main difference we notice ourselves is in the flavour.

• India: softer, rounder, warmer and easy to drink
• Peru: earthier, deeper and fuller in character

Neither is better. It mainly comes down to what you enjoy.

With our CARDAMOM cacao from Kerala, open cardamom pods are used during fermentation.

This means the aromatic notes of cardamom become part of the character of the cacao, instead of simply adding cardamom powder afterwards.

Want to choose your own amount and get to know pure cacao? A cacao block is a good place to start.

India is the softest and most approachable in flavour. If you prefer deeper, earthier cacao, Peru will probably suit you better.

If you mainly want something easy, a Cacao Bar is useful because one Bar is exactly one cup.

You can also explore our full Cacao Guide .

For many people, cacao can be part of a daily routine.

With our cacao blocks, we use 20 grams as an everyday amount. How often cacao feels right for you is personal.

Read more in Drinking cacao every day .

Many people use ceremonial cacao as an alternative to coffee.

Not because cacao is the same as coffee, but because it can also be a warm morning drink and naturally contains caffeine and theobromine.

Many people describe cacao as feeling warmer and more gradual than coffee. This is personal.

Read more in Ceremonial cacao vs coffee .

Yes. Cacao naturally contains both caffeine and theobromine.

Its composition is different from coffee. This is why many people experience cacao differently, but cacao can still be stimulating.

Theobromine is a substance naturally found in cacao and is chemically related to caffeine.

It is one of the reasons cacao does not simply feel like a caffeine-free chocolate drink.

This is different for everyone.

Because cacao contains caffeine and theobromine, people who are sensitive to these substances may notice that drinking cacao late in the day affects their sleep.

If you notice this, drink your cacao earlier in the day.

Some people enjoy this, others do not.

If cacao on an empty stomach gives you nausea, heartburn or stomach discomfort, drink it after eating something or try a smaller amount.

Cacao naturally contains stimulating substances such as caffeine and theobromine. Some of our Cacao Bars also contain herbs and functional mushrooms.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, always check the ingredients of the specific product and, if you are unsure, discuss its use with your midwife, doctor or pharmacist.

This depends on your medication and on the product you are using.

Especially with Cacao Bars, it is important to also look at the added herbs and mushrooms. If you use medication or have a medical condition, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.

No. Cacao is a food and is not a treatment or medicine.

The information we share about herbs, cacao and our own experiences is there to help explain our products and is not a replacement for medical care.

Adaptogen is a general term used for certain plants and mushrooms that are used in herbal traditions and traditional systems in relation to adapting to physical or mental stress.

These ingredients can be very different from each other. That is why we prefer to look at the traditional background and character of each herb or mushroom instead of giving them all one general effect.

No. Cacao is not an adaptogen.

Some of our Cacao Bars do combine cacao with ingredients that are often placed under this general term, such as ashwagandha and certain functional mushrooms.

Our pure cacao blocks are made as pure ceremonial cacao.

The exception in the collection is the version where the Indian cacao is fermented with cardamom.

Cacao originally comes from the Americas and is not a traditional Ayurvedic ingredient.

Some of our Bars do combine cacao with herbs from the Ayurvedic tradition, such as Brahmi, ashwagandha and turmeric.

In the Cacao Guide we explain how each ingredient is known within traditional herbal knowledge and how we personally use and experience the different combinations.

Store cacao in a cool, dry place and keep it away from direct sunlight.

Keep the packaging well closed and avoid large changes in temperature.

Yes. Cacao naturally contains cacao butter and can become soft or melt when it gets warm.

Let the cacao slowly become firm again in a cooler place.

Changes in temperature can cause a light or white layer to appear on cacao when cacao butter moves to the surface. This is often called fat bloom.

This does not automatically mean the cacao has gone bad.

Usually not. A cool, dry and dark cupboard is generally better because a fridge can also introduce moisture and smells.

During extreme heat, storing cacao somewhere cooler can be practical. Make sure it is well sealed.

Blue Lotus is a water lily with a long history of traditional and ceremonial use.

In our Ritual Sets, it is used as an herbal infusion that you can drink on its own or use as the base for your cacao.

We do not make medical promises about what Blue Lotus will do for you. The experience is different for everyone.

First prepare the herbal infusion as you would make tea and then strain the herbs from the water.

Let the infusion cool to a maximum of around 70 °C before adding the cacao.

Use around 200 to 300 ml of the warm infusion as the liquid for your cacao and let the cacao melt into it slowly.

No. Absolutely not.

Blue Lotus was only included in specific Ritual Sets and is not a standard part of preparing ceremonial cacao.

For regular cacao, all you need is cacao and your favourite liquid.