Cacao (Spanish for cocoa) is an ancient medicine that has been used in South America for more than 5,000 years. It was a ritual drink reserved for the elites since at the time it was difficult to process the cacao beans. Cacao enhances sensitivity, stimulates the body and opens up the mind, thanks to theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) contained in raw cacao. Despite the name, it contains NO bromine, but the name comes from Theobroma (Theo: god, Broma: food, hence food of the gods). The suffix -ine indicate the alkaloid properties.
Theobromine promotes wakefulness, improves blood flow, mood and respiratory. It is also an antioxidant, anti-tumoral, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular protector molecule without the undesirable side effects of caffeine. Theobromine benefits include: supports cognition, improves sleep quality, may lower blood pressure, enhances lung function, raises HDL, reduces LDL. Compared to caffeine, theobromine has less effect on central nervous system (CNS) but longer-acting, hence less tolerance buildup, fewer adverse side effects. The effect on the cardiovascular system is more positive – it is vasodilatory, increases blood flow but not so much the heart rate
Due to the versatile benefits of cacao, many types of activities can be parts of a cacao ceremony, whether it be singing, chanting, dancing, card reading and simply sharing stories and ideas.
In spiritual language, it’s said that cacao is the medicine of the heart, or heart-opening medicine for these reasons. Cacao helps us to journey within, connect to our heart, reveal patterns, cultivate self-love, increase consciousness and supports us in our path and personal growth. It does not create things that are not there, but rather is a catalyst for these processes.
Cacao drink in the ceremony should be made from ceremonial grade cacao block that is rich in theobromine and cacao better. It is usually much stronger than regular hot cocoa or chocolate drink with lesser additives, such as sugar and milk. While a cup of regular hot chocolate uses about 10 g of raw cacao from a block or cacao mass, a cup of ceremonial cacao should have at least 30 g of raw cacao. Some ceremonies serve cacao with no additive making it very bitter but the onset will be shorter and the effects are more felt. Adding a bit of brown sugar and almond or coconut milk makes the cacao taste much more pleasant and enjoyable for most people with the tradeoff of slightly lesser effects.
To prepare for the cacao ceremony, it’s best to leave the stomach empty 4-5 hours before drinking the cacao so that the medicine can be absorbed quicker. The onset is typically around half an hour and lasts for about 3-4 hours depending on the amount drunk and the strength of the drink. Drinking too much cacao can make it difficult to sleep afterwards.
