Cacao vs. Coffee

Coffee not only tastes great but also offers a variety of benefits, from boosting our mood and metabolism to increasing mental and physical performance. However, along with these benefits, come some downsides. Too much coffee can easily transform us from alert to anxious. Weaning yourself off of coffee can be a challenge, especially because of the energy boost that it provides. If you’re ready to be rid of mid-day slumps and anxiety, cacao is for you!

If you love the way that coffee makes you feel, you’ll get similar effects from cacao, and then some! Cacao has a relatively modest calorie count and provides a nice, sustainable amount of energy without setting you off on a rollercoaster ride. Cacao does contain a small amount of caffeine, however only around a sixth of the caffeine content of a cup of coffee, so the up-and-down effects of too much coffee can be drastically minimised. Cacao is also high in amino acids that trigger the release of dopamine, a feel-good hormone, which can help you feel consistently good throughout the day.

Cacao also contains potent antioxidants to keep your cells healthy and support your immune system. Cacao’s antioxidants can also aid your skin in looking refreshed and dewy by fighting wrinkles and the signs of premature aging. Cacao has an antioxidant concentration that is double that of a similar serving of red wine, three times greater than a mug of green tea and five times greater than a mug of black tea.

If you’ve typecast cacao as a sugar-laden drink, don’t be so quick to judge – it’s actually reasonably modest in its sugar content. The cacao drinks you’ll find in the supermarket may be calorie-laden. However, Kakow connects people with the highest quality, organic, ethically sourced cacao in the world. We work with farmers in Guatemala and Brazil and are proud to share their stories and practices. Great quality cacao can be enjoyed simply with hot water or plant-based milk and its natural taste means that heaped spoonfuls of added sweetener aren’t necessary.