Cacao nibs, cacao powder, and cocoa butter

[rischott]

I searched a found different conversations that mentioned these but want to make one exclusive.

I have acquired Raw, organic nibs, powder, and butter. Are these all ok to consume? Has anyone had experience with them.
They only thing that concerns me is the powder. What sort of processing does it go through to go from nibs to powder?
The butter is made by 'cold pressing the raw cacao nibs'.
The nibs are 'raw and organic' and contain 'no sugar, dairy, or additives'.

-Rich-

[rischott]

p.s.
didn't know if this was in the correct category. would cacao nibs be a fruit? or seed?
if wrong, just change and then delete this message.

[gianni]

Have you tried any of the cacao products yet? I have tasted the nibs and found them to be very bitter. The nibs were so hard that I couldn't chew them. But they were so bitter that I didn't care. I imagine but am not sure they the powder is simply made by grinding the nibs, much the way flour is made. Recently I have been eating LaraBars made with cacao powder, and they are delicious. They mix the cacao powder with dates and nuts, and it looks and tastes like a brownie, but it doesn't bother me the way chocolate candy (even 87%chocolate) does. Lately I have been breaking up the LaraBar and putting it on top of a mashed banana. Although the wrapper says that it is raw, I still consider it a munch food. It's one of the few munch foods that I can eat without having problems. I would be interested to hear what you think of the cacao butter. What do you do with it? You could make your own chocolate candy.

gianni

[RRM]

I have acquired Raw, organic nibs, powder, and butter. Are these all ok to consume?

All munch foods.
The cacao bean is a bean (like all beans) that cannot be consumed raw. Any of its products needs to be processed to make edible.

The butter is made by 'cold pressing the raw cacao nibs'.
The nibs are 'raw and organic' and contain 'no sugar, dairy, or additives'.

Essentially, cacao nibs are the centers of the cacao beans after they have been washed, roasted, and de-hulled.

[johndela1]

I used to eat them raw with no ill effects, I didn't know that they where toxic or not good to consume raw. Some 'raw fooders' promote raw cacao beans as a miracle food. I'm not saying I believe this. I used to put several beans in my fruit shakes.

[RRM]

I used to eat them raw with no ill effects

The beans?
Not all ill effects can be noticed. Most people that get seriously ill dont really notice the onset of that process...

Some 'raw fooders' promote raw cacao beans as a miracle food. I'm not saying I believe this. I used to put several beans in my fruit shakes.

They contain a variety of toxins, mild toxins and antinutrients. For all such compounds benifical effects can be obtained in given conditions, but only upon careful diagnosis and targeting, as they may have severe 'side effects'. (as is the case with drugs in general)

[rischott]

cacao is a tree that has a fruit right? what part can one eat? The seeds inside have been consumed for centuries. what's the difference between a cacao seed and a nut?

[rischott]

is the butter the only consumable part?

[RRM]

cacao is a tree that has a fruit right? what part can one eat? The seeds inside have been consumed for centuries. what's the difference between a cacao seed and a nut?

We need to understand nature to understand what is our natural food.
We dont eat the seeds of fruits (tomatoes, apples etc) because they contain a variety of (more or less hazardous) toxins.
Fruits are to be consumed to spread the seeds. The seeds themselves are not to be consumed, but to originate new trees.
With nuts its a whole different ball game; they contain a very rigid hull that may last for years so that the animals that eat such nuts will gather lots of these nuts and store them on different places, which increases the spreading of those seeds.
For me, also cacao butter is a munch food.