Does your cacao contain caffeine?

Most cacao contains high amounts of caffeine, but our ceremonial grade cacao comes from the chuncho criollo bean which is known to be low in caffeine. It contains roughly a maximum of 5mg of caffeine per gram of cacao paste. A ceremonial dose of our cacao has the equivalent levels of caffeine that you’d find in one cup of green tea. This is less than regular tea and far less than coffee.

Updated on April 14, 2024

The main stimulant in our cacao is Theobromine, a “sister” molecule to caffeine. Theobromine is a cardiovascular stimulant whereas caffeine is a nervous system stimulant. When you drink coffee, or highly caffeinated products, it can be difficult to concentrate because the nervous system is over-active. In comparison, when you’ve had a dose of our ceremonial cacao, your focus is enhanced.

Theobromine stimulates your cardiovascular system, producing up to 40% more blood flow around the body, to the brain and digestive system. It also activates the production of chemicals in the brain that boost concentration, including dopamine, serotonin, phenylethylamine (the love chemical) and anandamide (the bliss chemical). This makes ceremonial grade cacao a great support for focused activities like yoga, meditation and creative pursuits.