Pods are produced by the tree which contain cacao beans (that look a little like a coffee bean). It’s raw and unprocessed chocolate. Cacao Vs. Cocoa: Benefits & Risks. At source, cocoa and cacao are the same as they both come from a South American tree called the Theobroma.

[3, 5] Unlike other plant food sources, the iron in cacao can be absorbed in your body, which is particularly helpful for those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. All chocolate making starts at the cacao tree, the Theobroma cacao. Cocoa vs. Cacao. You're probably more familiar with cocoa powder, as it's commonly used for baking chocolate cakes or brownies. The cacao vs. cocoa debate can also be traced back to linguistics. This heat actually affects the beans on a molecular level, changing their structure and degrading nutrient content. CACAO is a plant, native to South America, while COCOA is a powder made from roasted seeds of this plant.. Cacao can also refer to the beans of the cacao tree.When you call something a cacao product, e.g. Pin It; Share; Despite the similarities in their spelling, cacao and cocoa are two very different ingredients. The answer is in the heat. Why Cacao Vs Cocoa Matters. All of the chocolate products you eat are derived from cacao seeds in some form or another, which are derived from the cacao plant — an evergreen tree that grows in South America and West Africa. Cacao beans and products made from them are rich in flavanols, the vital plant compounds that have antioxidants, anti-cancer, and heart-protective properties. Each has a unique flavor, texture and set of health benefits. Cacao vs Cocoa Difference. Cacao vs. Cocoa: Here’s the Breakdown. What Is Cacao? After the cacao seeds (including the beans, which grow inside the seeds) are dried and fermented, they are known as cocoa. The original name of Theobroma cacao, long before it was dubbed “cacao” or “cocoa,” was related to the word cacahuatl, meaning “bitter or acidic water.”The word comes from the Aztec language of Nahuatl, and the plant was known by a … The heavier processing (heating at higher temperatures) that transforms cacao to cocoa doesn’t just affect how manufacturers label the end product. Once the pods have been harvested, the beans are taken out of the pods and dried in the sun. Cacao vs. Cocoa: What's the Difference? So what's the difference? Cacao vs. Cocoa: Etymology. But cacao is rising in popularity as people begin to shift towards more natural and vegan diets. Not only that, but cacao and cocoa also differ in the way they melt, so you won’t want to choose the wrong ingredient for your recipe. Cacao vs. cocoa The tree from which chocolate is derived is the cacao tree, otherwise known by its species name Theobroma cacao .