Cacao nibs are small pieces of crushed cacao beans or as I like to call them natures chocolate chip!
Cacao beans grow on the trunk on the Theobroma tree which is native to the Amazon rain forest and it is the plant that brings us the raw ingredients for much loved chocolate!
Cacao has been a sacred food for thousands of years and has formed part of rituals such as cacao ceremonies. Cacao ceremonies are a type of shamanic healing, one of the oldest holistic healing practices that works with rebalancing energies in the body for ultimate wellness.
Raw and organic cacao nibs are hugely nutritious and contain an abundance of vital antioxidants which are anti-aging and protect you from cell damage. Raw cacao actually has 40 times the amount of antioxidants than blueberries!
Here are some of the other benefits of raw cacao:
- Highest Plant-Based Source of Iron
- Full of Magnesium for a Healthy Heart & Brain (needed for over 300 bio chemical reactions in the body)
- Increases Bliss and is an Anti-Depressant
- Reduced Heart Disease Risk
- Reduces Inflammation
- Lower Blood Pressure
There are some quick and easy ways to get raw cacao nibs into your diet and here are my favourites including a recipe for my “party mix” which is a nutrient dense and fun way to incorporate a huge amount of goodness into your day.
- Put your cacao nibs on top of a smoothie for a delicious crunch
- Sprinkle on your porridge
- Add into your cookies and cakes
- Pop some on your pancakes
- Throw some in your yoghurt
Party Mix Recipe
1/4 cup Hulled hemp seeds
1/2 cup Cacao nibs
3 tbs Chia seeds
1/4 cup Coconut flakes
1/2 cup Goji Berries
1/2 cup Mulberries
3 tbs flaxseeds
Equipment
You will need a kilner jar.
Method
In a kilner jar add all of the above and shake until mixed!
Sprinkle on top of smoothies, porridge, pancakes, yoghurt, chia pudding, bircher muesli and anything else that needs a bit of fun added to it!