Mexican Ceremonial Cacao
Buy It With
Buy It With
Expect a stronger, more unique flavour and greater potency due to this rare and powerful cacao strain: criolla beans (almendra blanca, to be specific) are considered the crème de la crème of cacao.
Our single origin, award-winning, ceremonial whole bean Mexican cacao grows in Chiapas, in a town called Cacahoatán, which means “place of cacao” in the ancient Toltec language. Need we say more? :)
It has been internationally recognised by the highly prestigious Cocoa of Excellence Awards in 2021 (GOLD Winner!) and in 2019. This award ranks cacao from all around the world based on quality, flavour and diversity.
It has been sourced ethically and directly from the producer, Josue, whose family has taken care of the cacao growing on their land for generations. No middle-man. No complex supply chain. We pay Josue stable, premium prices that are substantially higher than commodity market and Fair Trade prices, and which are protected from market fluctuations.
It is exclusively shade-grown using sustainable agroforestry systems.
Note: It is highly recommended you try the Mexican Cacao in a smaller quantity (85g) before ordering a larger bag. This is our most polarising cacao: you either love it (and no other cacao compares)… or not!
Like fine wine and coffee, the quality of cacao varies according to the soil, climate, genetics, and post-harvest processes. Our commitment to single origin cacao ensures the unique flavour profile of each region remains intact.
Cacao Contains Caffeine: Soma Cacao contains between 17 - 45mg caffeine per standard 25g serve (the equivalent of a cup of weak black tea). For more info, visit this page.
Allergen Declaration: This product may contain traces of nuts, soy, and dairy as it is processed in facilities that also handles these allergens.
Note: There's a small chance your cacao may melt during transit. Rest assured, it's still perfectly fine—just let it solidify at room temperature (or in the fridge if it's hot) and chop it up. Many brands sell cacao this way; we simply shave it for your convenience. :)
The Mayans called cacao “the food of the gods”. Along with its rich history of ritualistic and medicinal use, cacao’s crown jewel is theobromine: a gentle, long lasting stimulant that energises us like caffeine, without punishing us with brain-fog and jittery hands later in the day. It’s also rich in essential minerals and produces mood-boosting bioactive compounds - dopamine, serotonin, anandamide (the 'bliss molecule') and P.E.A, an antidepressant also known as the 'love drug'.
For more health benefits including scientific sources, visit our cacao benefits page.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2-3 Tbs Soma Cacao
- 110 mL hot water
- 50 mL milk (we like oat milk)
- 1-2 tsps sweetener (honey, coconut sugar, or maple syrup work great)
METHOD:
Blend all ingredients together using a blender, milk-frother, or whisk. Inhale, sip slowly, and savour!
Cacao powder (or cocoa powder) has undergone intensive processing to extract cacao butter from the paste. This leaves the cacao chalkier and more insipid, and also reduces the fat content, which is vital for the transmission of the neuro-active substances. Studies have proven the widely used method to produce cocoa powder (dutch-processing) significantly decreases the levels of compounds with positive physiological effects.
Our cacao contains the entire cacao bean (excluding the husk/shell). We add nothing, we take nothing away, maintaining the highest concentration of antioxidants, essential minerals, and bliss-inducing compounds.
As an energy source cacao feels more gentle, long-lasting and smooth, while coffee is intense, fast-acting and short-lived. This is because caffeine is a nervous system stimulant, and it produces cortisol, the stress hormone, which can lead to the jitters and anxiety. By contrast, cacao's active ingredient, theobromine, reduces cortisol. This helps us to relax. Cacao also stimulates the cardiovascular system, and opens our blood vessels. This helps blood flow more freely, sends more oxygen through the body, and lowers our blood pressure. We’ve elaborated on this in a recent blog post.
Ceremonial Cacao refers to a premium, pure cacao that is ethically sourced from small family-run sustainable farms.
Ceremonial cacao is made from a single ingredient, whole cacao beans, with nothing added or removed. This is what distinguishes is from cacao powder: a product that has the highly prized cacao butter removed.
Our cacao is minimally processed to retain the highest concentration of antioxidants, bliss-inducing compounds and essential minerals.
Our sourcing methods disrupt the commodity cacao supply chain, which notoriously cuts corners and is notoriously corrupt.