Let’s start by clearing up some ambiguity around terminology. Chocolate is made from the seeds (actually beans) in pod-like fruits of the Cacao tree. Often the manufacturer using less processed beans and products may use the word “cacao” rather than “cocoa” to imply that the product is more natural. In reality, the use of these terms is inconsistent and varies by brand. The raw beans of the cacao pod don’t taste much like chocolate! So, most cacao products aren’t made with beans straight from the pod, but rather they go through a process which involves fermentation, drying, roasting, crushing and grinding. Other ingredients, including vanilla, sugar, more cocoa butter and milk are often added to chocolate, which is where the calories come in. The percentage of cacao, cocoa or dark chocolate as an ingredient will tell you how much of each is present.
Idealistically the term “cacao” should be restricted to raw cacao when referring to unprocessed versions of the cacao bean. Raw Organic Cacao has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries! Cacao is the highest plant-based, known source of iron, with a significant 7.3mg per 100g (over double that of lamb for example but note that cacao is non-heme). It’s also full of magnesium for a healthy heart and muscle function and high in calcium.
Worth noting that raw cacao is a great source of serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine all of which contribute to be natural mood elevators and anti-depressants.
And tryptophan is also known to enhance sleep so adding a warm cocoa and almond drink to your bedtime routine should help sleep, as both contain this key α-amino acid.
For healthy vegan options, you can use organic Cocoa powder (such as Green & Blacks) or raw Cacao powder (such as Green Origins Organic Raw Cacao Nibs). These can be used in baking, smoothies, cold “milkshakes” and evening hot drinks – for veganism be sure to replace cow’s milk with a dairy-free option such as Oat, Cashew or Almond “milk”.
See my recipe post on Salted Chocolate Brownies for a great way to use cocoa powder to make easy brownies.