Cacao or Cocoa?

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Do you know the difference between the two? Which one do you use?

I have to confess that I switched from cocoa to cacao by accident a few months ago. Until then I used to use cocoa powder to make my hot chocolate in the morning, but recently have changed to cacao powder to make it and actually prefer it. It seems more chocolaty and less bitter than cocoa.

Which do you use? And honestly, do you know the difference without looking it up?

I'll post the answer to the difference in a few weeks time.

And, no I didn't know - I had to look it up.

 

[Morning Glory]

Easy! And cacao is yet another of those alleged wonder foods.

 

[Cinisajoy]

I think so but not positive.
I know for a couple of years when I was a kid, we were allowed carob but not chocolate. We also got real fruit rolls not that sugar laden stuff passing for fruit rolls these days.
Oh and fresh peanut butter until a mouse got in the machine.

Mom worked at a health food store for a couple of years.

 

[Caribbean girl]

I have heard of both cocoa and cacao, but I don't think I have ever tasted cacao. If cacao is the one with the most health benefits, then I may need to switch to that. Somehow I always thought they were both the same thing but were only called by different names.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Cacao

• Cacao is the purest form of chocolate you can consume, meaning it is raw and much less processed than cocoa powder or chocolate bars.
• Cacao contains the highest source of magnesium of all foods.
• Cacao powder contains more fiber and calories than cocoa powder since more of the nutrients from the whole bean are still intact.
• Cacao is an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, cholesterol-free saturated fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, natural carbohydrates, and protein.
• Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans (a similar idea to cold pressed extra virgin olive oil).

Cocoa

• Cocoa is cheaper but not necessarily inferior.
• Cocoa is actually good for you, and cheaper, but only if you choose a variety without added sugars and milk fats or oils.
• Dutch-processed cocoa powder (dark cocoa) is cocoa powder that has been processed with an alkalized solution, making it less acidic and much richer in taste.
• Regular cocoa powder is more acidic nature, has a more bitter taste, and is used in baking recipes with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) where Dutch-processed cocoa powder is not since it has already been alkalized.

Summary
So cacao is raw, has slightly higher antioxidant levels, more magnesium and fibre but also more calories than cocoa. Cocoa is cheaper and better for cooking with. Cocoa also comes in 2 forms, regular and Dutch processed. Again the regular for its best used in recipes using bicarbonate of soda (in guessing this applies to baking powder as well) but Dutch processed is less acidic.

Mostly taken from here http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/cacao-vs-cocoa-what-you-need-to-know/