Cacao Tea: why we love it
Forget hot chocolate. Organic Cacao Tea is the new cool kid on the block.
Heard of Cacao Tea yet? Tea and chocolate lovers alike everywhere are falling in love with this antioxidant-rich drink that’s conveniently caffeine and calorie free. Sound too good to be true? Read on, chocoholics! Cacao Tea is made from the husks of the cacao bean. That’s all! It’s completely natural and basically a by-product of chocolate making. When the beans are harvested, the chocolate makers roast them and then crack the shell from the nib inside. The nibs go on to make our beloved chocolate, and the shells are left behind. Brew those in hot water and voilà! Cacao Tea. Brewing Cacao Tea has a long history in South America where it grows, but its availability to us North Americans is a recent (exciting!) change due to the challenge of sourcing high-quality, organic and fair trade cacao husks for the tea. Non-organic cacao has been treated heavily with toxic pesticides and fumigation chemicals and Oxfam estimates that over 70% of the world’s cocoa is grown by indigenous communities who are paid such a low wage that poverty is widespread. Luckily, Tea Sparrow sources only 100% organic fair trade Tisano cacao tea. You may have heard that Cacao Tea also has some hidden health benefits on top of being a delicious, sugar-free alternative to chocolate. It’s true! Cacao is one of the highest plant-based sources of magnesium and cacao husks boast many of the same health benefits as the cacao bean itself, making the tea rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It contains copper, vitamin D, phosphorus, zinc, iron and tons of magnesium. The caffeine is swapped out for theobromine for a natural, slow release stimulant kick. Cacao is also a great source of four scientifically proven bliss chemicals – serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine. These neurotransmitters are associated with cosy feelings of wellbeing, happiness, and can even alleviate depression. By now, if you have not yet tried this tea, you may be wondering how the taste compares to a good old cup of hot cocoa. The answer is yes: it is rich and satisfyingly chocolatey. You can customize it to your chocolate preferences. Some of us who prefer our chocolate dark love it as is, while others prefer it with a bit of honey and milk. You choose! So go on, chocolate lovers! Indulge your sweet tooth without the sugar. You can find our organic, Fair Trade Cacao Tea in tea bags or loose leaf.
https://begoodorganics.com/cacao-5-little-known-benefits-of-this-amazonian-superfood/
https://kitchen.nine.com.au/2016/09/07/07/20/cacao-tea-made-from-chocolate
