Cocoa is much more than just the ingredient used to make chocolate.
The beans from Theobroma cacao naturally contain a unique combination of cocoa butter, fibre, minerals, theobromine and plant compounds such as flavanols. It is precisely this rich composition that has made cocoa the subject of scientific research for many years, focusing on, amongst other things, blood vessels, cognitive function, metabolism and the gut microbiome.
At the same time, cocoa has a history stretching back thousands of years. Long before researchers began studying epicatechin, endothelial function and polyphenols, cocoa was already prized in Central and South America as a foodstuff and a special drink.
That history also touches on other remarkable natural products from Mesoamerica. In our feature on cocoa and psilocybin-containing mushrooms we look at their individual historical roots as well as the modern fusion we call the Aztec Combo.
At Wise Rootz, these two worlds come together: An ancient plant, viewed through the lens of modern knowledge.
In this guide, you’ll discover exactly what ceremonial cocoa is, which compounds make cocoa so interesting, what research tells us, and why origin and processing can make such a difference.
Ceremonial cocoa is made from the beans of the cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao.
Unlike many conventional chocolate products, with ceremonial cocoa the cocoa itself The key point is that you drink cocoa in a relatively pure form, without needing large quantities of sugar, milk or other ingredients to turn it into a finished product.
That makes it a completely different experience to a chocolate bar or a glass of hot chocolate.
The term ceremonial cocoa Incidentally, there is no legally defined definition of quality. That is why we prefer to look beyond the word itself ceremonial on a packet.
The quality of cocoa is ultimately determined by many more factors: the cocoa bean itself, its origin, fermentation, drying, processing, the recipe and the care taken in producing the end product.
And that is precisely where the fascinating story of cocoa begins.
Every cocoa pod starts out on a cocoa tree.
In the colourful fruits of Theobroma cacao There are dozens of cocoa beans, surrounded by white pulp. After harvesting, these beans undergo various stages that determine both their flavour and their final composition.
Once the pods have been opened, the beans are fermented together with the surrounding pulp.
During this fermentation process, all manner of microbiological and chemical processes take place. Substances within the bean undergo changes, and precursors to the aromas we later recognise as cocoa are formed.
Polyphenols also undergo changes during this process.
Fermentation is therefore much more than just a stage in the production process. It forms an important part of the final the flavour, aroma and chemical composition of cocoa.
After fermentation, the beans are dried and processed further.
Time and temperature also play an important role here. Processing can affect flavour and aroma, but also the amount of bioactive compounds that ultimately remain.
That is why one type of cocoa can differ considerably from another.
Origin and processing are not mere details. They are an integral part of the cocoa itself.
A cocoa bean is a complex food matrix containing dozens of different compounds.
A significant part consists of cocoa butter, the natural fat found in the cocoa bean. Cocoa also contains, amongst other things, proteins, carbohydrates and dietary fibre.
Cocoa also naturally contains various minerals, including magnesium, iron, copper and manganese. The exact quantities vary depending on factors such as origin, soil, variety and processing.
From a scientific point of view, two other groups of substances are also of particular interest:
methylxanthines, the most important of which is theobromine, and polyphenols, including the well-known cocoa flavanols.
A cocoa bean naturally consists to a considerable extent of cocoa butter. These fats are not unnecessary calories that you need to remove from cocoa — they are a natural part of the bean’s nutritional composition.
In the production of cocoa powder, the cocoa mass is pressed, separating out a large proportion of the natural cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa cake is then ground into powder.
This results in a different product.
At Wise Rootz, we make a conscious choice to the whole cocoa bean, whilst retaining the natural cocoa butter. This means you get not only the solid components of cocoa, but also the fat fraction that is a natural part of the cocoa bean.
Fat performs various essential functions in the body. Fatty acids are, amongst other things, a component of cell membranes, provide energy, and dietary fat plays an important role in the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients and compounds.
Cocoa butter consists mainly of stearic acid, oleic acid and palmitic acid. Together with the fibre, minerals, polyphenols, theobromine and other constituents, these fats form the natural nutritional matrix of cocoa.
That is a key principle for us.
We do not first extract a natural key component from the cocoa bean and then present cocoa as a more complete wellness product by adding other ingredients. We choose to focus as much as possible on the original cocoa in its entirety.
Cocoa powder can certainly be a valuable foodstuff and ingredient. But it is not the same product as ground whole cocoa, in which the natural cocoa butter has been retained.
We believe that difference is important when cocoa is used as ceremonial cocoa is presented.
For Wise Rootz, ceremonial cocoa means we start with the quality of the cocoa itself: the bean, its origin, its processing and its natural composition.
It’s not just about what we can add to the cocoa, but rather what we retain from the original bean.
One of the compounds that gives cocoa its distinctive character is theobromine.
Like caffeine, theobromine belongs to the methylxanthine group. The two substances are chemically related, but do not have exactly the same pharmacological profile.
Cocoa generally contains considerably more theobromine than caffeine.
That is a key difference from coffee, where caffeine is the main ingredient.
The amount of theobromine and caffeine you ultimately consume depends on the type of cocoa used and the amount you drink. Individual sensitivity to these substances also varies.
Theobromine is therefore one of the compounds that contributes to the characteristic experience of pure cocoa.
Another fascinating aspect of cocoa is the polyphenols.
Within this group, flavanols in particular are the focus of much scientific attention. Cocoa contains, amongst other things, epicatechin, catechin and procyanidins.
These plant compounds are being investigated in relation to various physiological processes, with particular focus on research into the blood vessels and vascular function is highly developed.
However, the amount of flavanols contained in cocoa is not fixed.
Variety, fermentation, heating and other stages in the production process can all influence the final flavanol content.
This once again highlights why the quality and processing of cocoa are so interesting.
Would you like to find out more about why cocoa is such a remarkable nutritional matrix? Then read on 10 Remarkable Properties of Cacao
One of the most significant areas of scientific research into cocoa is the relationship between cocoa flavanols and the blood vessels.
The inside of our blood vessels is lined with a thin layer of cells: the endothelium. This endothelium plays an important role in regulating vascular function.
Cocoa flavanols are being studied, amongst other things, for their effect on nitric oxide (nitric oxide), a signalling molecule involved in the relaxation and dilation of blood vessels.
A large meta-analysis from 2025, which pooled 145 randomised studies on flavan-3-ol-rich interventions, found, on average, improvements in endothelial function and modest changes in blood pressure.
Previous meta-analyses focusing specifically on cocoa flavanols also found positive effects on flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a commonly used measure of blood vessel function.
This is therefore one of the areas in which scientific research into cocoa is particularly interesting.
What is particularly noteworthy is that there is an officially authorised health claim for cocoa flavanols within the European Union:
“Flavanols from cocoa help to maintain the elasticity of the blood vessels, which contributes to normal blood circulation.”
However, there are specific conditions attached to this.
The beneficial effect is achieved with a daily intake of 200 mg cocoa flavanols, and a product must meet the specified conditions before the claim may be used in relation to it.
That distinction is important.
European recognition demonstrates the extent to which cocoa flavanols have been scientifically investigated, but does not automatically mean that every type of cocoa contains sufficient flavanols to be allowed to bear this specific claim.
Interest in cocoa now extends beyond its role as a dietary supplement.
In the large COSMOS study More than 21,000 older adults were monitored. Among other things, the study investigated the effect of daily supplementation with a standardised cocoa extract containing 500 mg of flavanols on cardiovascular outcomes.
No statistically significant reduction was observed for the primary composite cardiovascular outcome. However, a favourable secondary signal was observed for cardiovascular mortality.
This is what makes COSMOS interesting, as the research shows how science is evolving from relatively short-term studies of biomarkers to much larger studies of long-term health.
For cocoa, this amounts to cardiovascular health making it an important and active field of research.
Our brains are constantly active and need a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients.
That makes the relationship between cocoa flavanols, blood flow and cognitive function particularly interesting.
Researchers have studied cocoa and cocoa flavanols in relation to, amongst other things, attention, memory, information processing and cognitive performance.
A well-known randomised study involving older adults with mild cognitive impairment found differences in various cognitive tests following eight weeks of flavanol consumption.
Research into the effect of flavanols on cerebral blood flow is also fuelling interest in cocoa within the neurosciences.
Larger studies, including a cognitive sub-study within COSMOS, show that not every cognitive outcome changes. For example, after two years, no significant difference was found for the primary measure of global cognition.
It is precisely the bigger picture that makes cocoa so interesting: Cognition and brain function are active areas of research in which the roles played by flavanols, dosage, age and baseline conditions are being investigated in ever greater detail.
Also in research into metabolic health Cocoa is in the spotlight.
Studies on cocoa and cocoa flavanols have examined, amongst other things, markers relating to glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and lipids.
Meta-analyses of randomised trials have identified interesting changes in various cardiometabolic markers.
By contrast, a large COSMOS study into the development of type 2 diabetes found no preventive effect from daily supplementation with 500 mg of cocoa flavanols over a median follow-up period of 3.5 years.
This gives rise to an interesting distinction between changes in metabolic biomarkers and the actual prevention of a disease over a longer period of time.
Another fascinating area of research lies much further down in the body: our intestines.
Not all polyphenols from cocoa are fully absorbed in the small intestine.
Some of it reaches the large intestine, where our gut bacteria are involved in its further conversion. At the same time, research is being carried out into how cocoa polyphenols may influence the composition and activity of the gut microbiome.
This creates an interesting interplay:
We process cocoa, but so do our gut bacteria.
Human research into this interaction is still very much in its early stages, but it illustrates well just how complex the biological journey of the compounds from a cocoa bean actually is.
Even our skin is the subject of cocoa research.
In a randomised, double-blind study, women showing signs of photoageing were given a daily cocoa drink containing 320 mg of flavanols for 24 weeks.
Changes were measured in, amongst other things, skin elasticity and certain wrinkle parameters.
This type of research is interesting because it shows the breadth of research now being carried out into flavanols.
The flavanol-rich drink studied was, of course, a specific intervention. The results cannot therefore be automatically applied to every type of cocoa.
When you look at the science behind cocoa, one topic keeps cropping up time and again:
Not all cocoa is the same.
The final composition may be influenced by:
A product with 100% cocoa So it tells you that no other ingredients are required, but it doesn’t automatically tell you how much flavanols or other specific compounds are present.
That is precisely what makes good cocoa so interesting: quality begins long before the end product.
Just as with coffee and wine, the environment in which cocoa grows influences the final product.
Climate, soil, genetics and local processing all contribute to the character of the bean.
Wise Rootz’s cocoa comes from Huila in Colombia, a region with a rich cocoa culture.
We make a conscious choice to use cocoa whose origin we know, and we pay close attention to what happens to that raw material afterwards.
Because when you drink cocoa in a relatively pure form, you can’t hide behind large amounts of sugar, milk or flavourings.
The cocoa itself must be of good quality.
For Wise Rootz, cocoa is not just a generic raw material that we simply buy and put into packaging.
We produce our own cocoa from carefully selected cocoa beans and, wherever possible, carry out key stages of the process ourselves.
That gives us control over something that is essential to us: what happens between the original bean and your cup of cocoa.
It also ties in with our approach to wellness.
Don’t look for a single spectacular ingredient or a quick fix, but focus on quality, origin, processing and the daily ritual in which a product is ultimately used.
Cocoa and chocolate both come from the same plant, but the end products can differ considerably.
Depending on the product, chocolate contains, in addition to cocoa, ingredients such as sugar, milk solids, extra cocoa butter and other ingredients.
With ceremonial cocoa, it is the cocoa itself that takes centre stage.
That’s also important when you’re reading scientific research.
Researchers can work with:
Die producten zijn niet onderling identiek.
Daarom kijken we bij onderzoek altijd naar wat daadwerkelijk is onderzocht.
Omdat ceremonial cocoa geen beschermde of wettelijk vastgelegde kwaliteitscategorie is, kun je het beste verder kijken dan alleen die woorden op een verpakking.
Een aantal dingen vertelt veel meer:
Herkomst
Kun je achterhalen uit welk land of welke regio de cacao komt?
Ingrediënten
Is duidelijk wat er daadwerkelijk in het product zit?
Kwaliteit van de bonen
Geeft de producent informatie over de gebruikte cacao?
Verwerking
Wordt uitgelegd hoe de cacao wordt geproduceerd?
Traceerbaarheid
Kan het merk vertellen waar zijn grondstoffen vandaan komen?
Transparantie
Krijg je concrete informatie of vooral mooie marketingtermen?
Voor ons begint premium cacao bij de grondstof en het productieproces — niet bij het woord premium op de verpakking.
Een dagelijks cacaomoment hoeft niet ingewikkeld te zijn.
Maak de cacao fijn en meng haar met warm water of een andere vloeistof. Vervolgens kun je de cacao opkloppen tot een zachte, volle drank.
Je kunt haar puur drinken of combineren met bijvoorbeeld specerijen.
De hoeveelheid cacao die je gebruikt, kan afhangen van je persoonlijke voorkeur en het moment waarop je haar drinkt.
Juist die eenvoud maakt cacao zo geschikt voor een dagelijks ritueel.
Misschien is dit wel een van de mooiste eigenschappen van cacao.
Je kunt diep de wetenschap induiken en lezen over epicatechine, flavanolen, methylxanthines, endotheliale functie en het microbioom.
Maar uiteindelijk kan cacao iets heel eenvoudigs zijn:
een warme drank, een paar minuten voor jezelf en een moment dat je bewust onderdeel maakt van je dag.
Voor Wise Rootz passen die twee werelden perfect bij elkaar.
Natuur en wetenschap. Voeding en ritueel. Kennis en ervaring.
Gezond ouder worden wordt uiteindelijk bepaald door het grotere geheel: voeding, beweging, slaap, stress, sociale verbinding en onze dagelijkse gewoontes.
Cacao kan binnen dat geheel een bijzonder dagelijks ritueel zijn.
Ceremoniële cacao is cacao waarbij de cacao zelf centraal staat en die doorgaans als warme drank wordt bereid. De term ceremonial heeft geen wettelijk vastgelegde kwaliteitsdefinitie. Herkomst, ingrediënten, bonen en verwerking vertellen daarom meer over de kwaliteit.
Ja. Cacao bevat van nature cafeïne, maar theobromine is de belangrijkste methylxanthine in cacao. De precieze hoeveelheden verschillen per cacao en gebruikte portie.
Cacaoflavanolen zijn plantaardige bioactieve verbindingen die van nature voorkomen in cacao. Voorbeelden zijn epicatechine en catechine.
Ze behoren tot de meest onderzochte verbindingen in cacao, met bijzondere aandacht voor hun relatie met de bloedvaten en endotheliale functie.
Cacao bevat van nature voedingsstoffen en verschillende bioactieve verbindingen die uitgebreid wetenschappelijk worden onderzocht.
Voor cacaoflavanolen bestaat zelfs een toegestane Europese gezondheidsclaim rond het behoud van de elasticiteit van bloedvaten en een normale bloedcirculatie, mits aan de vastgestelde voorwaarden wordt voldaan.
Hoe cacao binnen een gezond voedingspatroon past, hangt daarnaast af van de hoeveelheid, samenstelling en het totale voedings- en leefpatroon.
Nee. Het flavanolgehalte wordt beïnvloed door onder andere de cacaovariëteit, herkomst, fermentatie en verwerking.
Daarom betekent een hoger cacaopercentage niet automatisch dat een product ook meer flavanolen bevat.
Niet noodzakelijk.
Ceremonieel and rauw beschrijven verschillende eigenschappen en geen van beide termen vertelt op zichzelf precies hoe cacao gedurende het volledige productieproces is behandeld.
Cacao kan onderdeel zijn van een normaal voedingspatroon en leent zich goed voor een dagelijks ritueel.
Houd daarbij rekening met de gebruikte hoeveelheid en je persoonlijke gevoeligheid. Cacao bevat van nature theobromine en cafeïne en levert, zoals andere voedingsmiddelen, energie.
Gebruik je medicatie, ben je zwanger of geef je borstvoeding, of heb je een medische aandoening waardoor je twijfelt over cacao? Bespreek je individuele situatie dan met een gekwalificeerde zorgverlener.
Cacao heeft iets bijzonders.
Dezelfde plant die duizenden jaren geleden al werd gewaardeerd, staat tegenwoordig centraal in modern onderzoek naar flavanolen, bloedvaten, cognitieve functie, metabolisme en het darmmicrobioom.
En ondertussen blijft de essentie verrassend eenvoudig: een cacaoboon die door zorgvuldige fermentatie en verwerking verandert in een rijke, karakteristieke drank.
Dat is precies waarom cacao zo goed bij Wise Rootz past.
Een eeuwenoude plant. Moderne wetenschap. Een dagelijks ritueel.
Onze biologische ceremoniële cacao komt uit Huila, Colombia en wordt door Wise Rootz zelf geproduceerd vanuit zorgvuldig geselecteerde cacaobonen.
Zo houden we aandacht voor het volledige proces: van herkomst en grondstof tot de cacao die uiteindelijk in jouw kop terechtkomt.
Ontdek de ceremoniële cacao van Wise Rootz
This information is intended solely for general and educational purposes en is geen medisch advies. De besproken onderzoeken hebben verschillende vormen van cacao, cacaoflavanolen en cacao-extracten onderzocht. Onderzoeksresultaten kunnen daarom niet automatisch worden toegepast op ieder individueel cacaoproduct.
Cacao is een voedingsmiddel en geen behandeling voor een medische aandoening. Gebruik je medicatie, ben je zwanger of geef je borstvoeding, of heb je een medische aandoening en twijfel je over het gebruik van cacao? Overleg dan met een arts of andere gekwalificeerde zorgverlener.omen.
