These are some of the most common questions we get asked about our ceremonial cacao. From the beginning starting with our crowd fundraiser in 2014, Ora Cacao has highly valued transparency and story telling. We love sharing all we have learned about cacao. If you have a question that we don't answer, please reach out to our support team!
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2. What Makes Cacao Ceremonial-Grade?
3. How Is Ceremonial Cacao Different From Cocoa Powder or Chocolate?
5. Who Should Drink Ceremonial Cacao?
6. What Are The Benefits Of Ceremonial Cacao?
7. What Does Ceremonial Cacao Taste Like?
8. Does Ceremonial Cacao Help with Depression?
9. Does Ceremonial Cacao Help With Anxiety?
10. How Do You Make Ceremonial Cacao?
11. How Much Ceremonial Cacao Should I Drink?
12. When Is the Best Time to Drink Ceremonial Cacao?
13. How Should Ceremonial Cacao Be Stored?
14. What Is the Difference Between Ceremonial Cacao and Hot Chocolate?
15. Is Ceremonial Cacao A Good Alternative To Coffee?
16. Does Ceremonial Cacao Have Caffeine?
17. What is Theobromine and How Is It Different From Caffeine?
18. Is Ceremonial Cacao Safe To Drink Every Day?
19. Does Ceremonial Cacao Contain Heavy Metals?
20. Is Ceremonial Cacao Safe During Pregnancy?
21. Can Ceremonial Cacao Be Taken With Antidepressants Or SSRIs?
1. what is ceremonial cacao?
Ceremonial cacao is an unsweetened drinking chocolate made from direct trade whole cacao beans. The cacao is minimally processed to retain its bioactive compounds. It supports sustained energy, heart health, boosts mood, and is sipped with gratitude and intention.
Ceremonial cacao is ethically sourced from small holder, regenerative cacao farms. Pure ceremonial cacao should be made from just a single ingredient, whole cacao beans, with nothing added or removed. It can be combined with various superfoods, but should not be sweetened.
You, the person drinking the cacao, closes the circle of reciprocity with your relationship and desire for connection with cacao and its wisdom.
At Ora Cacao, we've been constantly improving our craft since 2014 and working with innovative partners and farmers disrupting the commodity cacao supply chain, to create the best possible ceremonial cacao for you. Our cacao is Organic Certified and heavy metals tested for safety.
2. What Makes Cacao Ceremonial-Grade?
The gold standard definition for ceremonial cacao is: regeneratively farmed, ethically sourced, 100% pure cacao, sipped intentionally with gratitude.
- Regeneratively Farmed - improving soil health, increasing biodiversity, and stewarding watersheds. Cacao is the primary cash crop for many farmers, but they grow dozens of food staples for their families and communities. In many cases, the cacao farms serve as buffer areas for protecting untouched pristine and second growth rainforest areas.
- Ethically Sourced - purchasing directly from small family farms and pay above market price to support farmer livelihoods. The direct trade model supports long term farmer livelihoods, unlike the broken cacao commodity system that keeps farmers in poverty and results in despair and abuses like child labor.
-100% Pure Cacao - ceremonial cacao begins with a single ingredient - whole, raw cacao beans. Nothing is added or removed (unless the additional of superfoods for botanical cacaos), a big contrast to the mainstream chocolate industry that uses all kinds of sweeteners, waxes, emulsifiers, and fats.
- Sipped With Gratitude - taking a moment to slow down and drink cacao with embodied gratitude allow us to have a far greater experience than simply a delicious beverage with health, mood, and energy benefits. This subtle inner shift in how we approach cacao is an important part of shifting out of the paradigm of consumerism, into right-relationship and reciprocity with the gifts of this Earth.
3. How Is Ceremonial Cacao Different From Cocoa Powder and Chocolate Bars?
All ceremonial cacao is made from one single ingredient, cacao beans, that have been roasted, shelled, ground into liquid chocolate and cooled into discs or bricks.
Ceremonial-grade cacao also includes the intentionality that goes into it, the ethical sourcing outside of commodity supply chains, the regenerative farming practices, and the minimal processing that keeps the spirit of cacao intact.
Cocoa powder, on the other hand, is much more heavily processed in order to remove the cacao butter. Liquid cacao is loaded into truly massive industrial presses that exert hundreds of tons of force to squeeze out the cacao butter. Then the remaining material is finely hammered to create a powder. Cocoa powder is typically made from secondary or tertiary quality cacao and processed at high temperatures to mask defects and create uniformity.
In truth, cocoa powder is a waste stream product from making cocoa butter, which is a high-grade fat in great demand for skin care, hair care, and culinary applications. Slick marketing of cocoa powder sells it as a superfood, but we've found that the true superfood is whole-food ceremonial cacao, as it still contains high-grade cacao butter, which is the best carrier fat for the medicinal properties of cacao. It doesn’t matter if the cocoa powder is raw or organic certified. It all fundamentally goes through this same process that renders it far inferior to ceremonial-grade cacao.
Most chocolate bars are contracted to massive third party producers. Usually the brand is not involved in production, and usually the sourcing of the cacao beans is not premium quality. There are some craft bean-to-bar chocolate bars with transparent, ethical sourcing, using high quality cacao beans and minimal processing. The difference is that those chocolate bars usually have added sugar and sometime cacao butter in them and are intended to be consumed as a treat, like candy. Ceremonial cacao is crafted without sweetener to be used intentionally and mindfully to support your wellbeing.
4. What is a cacao ceremony?
A cacao ceremony is an intentional practice of drinking ceremonial cacao with gratitude, presence, and a specific intention. Unlike simply drinking cacao as a beverage, ceremony involves slowing down, creating a dedicated space, and opening to cacao as a teacher and ally for the mind and heart. It can be practiced alone as a daily ritual or in a group setting. The three universal pillars we recognize in cacao ceremony are gratitude, intention, and reciprocity. Modern cacao ceremony is not a replication of any specific ancient indigenous ritual — it is a contemporary emergence that honors the spirit of cacao and invites deeper connection with yourself and with life.
5. Who Should Drink Ceremonial Cacao?
A lot of people start drinking Ora Cacao because they're looking for a coffee alternative that provides sustained energy. It also has beneficial neuro-modulators to uplift mood and lots of flavonoids that support cardiovascular health.
You'll probably love cacao if you are:
- Looking to replace coffee and want steady, sustained energy without jitters or crashes
- Interested in whole, functional foods that are minimally processed and rich in minerals and flavonoids
- Seeking calm focus and emotional balance for work, creativity, or daily life
- Sensitive to caffeine but still want a natural, uplifting boost
- Building a daily ritual like journaling, meditation, or mindful mornings
6. What Are The Benefits Of Cacao?
Ceremonial cacao is high in flavonoids (which supports cardiovascular health), it gently energizes with Theobromine, it boosts mood with neuro-modulators, and it remineralizes the body with magnesium, potassium, calcium, and iron.
We discovered that over 80% of the original flavonoids compounds present in raw cacao beans remain intact in our finished ceremonial cacao.
Furthermore, correlating our lab test data to recent scientific studies shows that flavonoid levels in a cup of Ora Cacao are very close to the “high flavonoid” protocols using standardized extracts in studies to establish positive health outcomes from consuming cacao flavonoids.
Our testing shows that Boundless Belize contains 764mg flavonoids per serving, and Thriving Tanzania contains 674mg flavonoids per serving. These are notably high compared to other chocolate products, and are similar to values used in studies for verifying health benefits from flavonoids.
Cacao has amazing benefits for mood and neurochemistry. There is substantial science that explains why ceremonial cacao is so beneficial. Pure cacao contains beneficial neurotransmitters and neuro-modulators already present in our brain. It also contains re-uptake inhibitors that block the pathways that our bodies normally use to break down and recycle these beneficial mood altering molecules, so the good mood lasts for longer. In the long term, regularly working with ceremonial cacao can have therapeutic health benefits, including creating new neural pathways that change our daily experience to include more joy, love, and connection.
The top mood boosting molecules in cacao include: Anandamide, Seratonin, Phenylethylamine, and Dopamine.
Due to these molecules and many others, when you drink ceremonial cacao you may feel expansive, blissful, connected to self and/or others, inspired, connected to your intuition & vision, connected to spirit, grounded, emotions arise, and the movement of stuck energy.
7. What does ceremonial cacao taste like?
Pure ceremonial cacao is naturally bitter and earthy, with a deep, rich chocolate flavor and none of the sweetness or additives of commercial chocolate. You can think of ceremonial cacao like an espresso shot, compared to drinking coffee with sugar such as in a sweet mocha. For people not used to unsweetened chocolate, it may take several months to shift the palate to get used to chocolate without sugar. There is a wide range of quality in ceremonial cacao ... we recommend trying Ora Cacao's ceremony kit so you can sample a range of options and find one you like.
Ceremonial cacao should be much better than most people's experience of 100% cacao which is baking chocolate, typically very dry and rather burnt. The taste varies meaningfully by origin: our Belize cacao is nutty and smooth, Colombia is bright and slightly grassy, Guatemala is deep and earthy, Tanzania has notes of red fruit, and Uganda is bold and robust.
Prepared as a warm drink with hot water, ceremonial cacao becomes velvety and full-bodied. Many people find the natural bitterness grounding and satisfying. You can customize with a natural sweetener, plant milk, cinnamon, cayenne, or cardamom — or drink it pure and let the cacao speak for itself.
8. Does Ceremonial Cacao Help with Depression?
Cacao creates a gentle, uplifting shift in your body and in your mood.
Most people experience a gentle energy boost without the jitters or crash of coffee.
At the same time, cacao supports mood and emotional openness. Naturally occurring compounds help elevate serotonin and dopamine, often leading to a feeling of warmth, ease, and subtle joy.
You may also notice:
- Increased presence and mental clarity
- Feeling relaxed and grounded in your body (thanks to high magnesium content)
- A softening or “opening” of the heart, making it easier to connect, reflect, or create
Rather than a sharp spike in energy like coffee, cacao invites a more balanced, connected state—where you feel awake, centered, and in tune with yourself.
9. Does Ceremonial Cacao Help With Anxiety?
Most people find morning is the ideal time — it slots naturally into the space where coffee would otherwise go, and starting the day with an intentional ritual sets a different tone than grabbing a quick espresso. The gentle energy lift from theobromine peaks within 1–2 hours and sustains for several hours without a crash, making it well-suited to morning work, creativity, or meditation.
On an empty stomach: Unlike coffee, ceremonial cacao is generally easy to drink without food first. The high cacao butter content — roughly 50% of whole cacao — naturally buffers the stomach and slows stimulant absorption, which is part of why the energy feels smooth rather than sharp. If you're new to cacao or have a sensitive digestive system, a small snack beforehand is fine, but most people find it unnecessary.
Later in the day: This is where some caution is worth applying. Theobromine has a half-life of roughly 6–10 hours in the body, which is longer than caffeine's. A full ceremonial dose in the afternoon can linger into the evening and affect sleep quality for sensitive people. If you want cacao later in the day — for an afternoon focus session or creative work — try a half dose and see how your body responds. Some people have no issue; others notice it clearly.
As a general guide: morning for ceremony and energy, early afternoon at most for a lighter dose, and give yourself at least 6 hours before bed.
10. How Do You Make Ceremonial Cacao?
Prepare your ceremonial cacao by adding about 20-25 discs (~23-28 grams) of cacao into a blender with 6oz of hot water or non-dairy milk (~180°F) and blend for 15 seconds until creamy. You can add natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup to taste. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!
Ingredients:
20-25 Cacao discs (~23-28 grams)
6oz water or non-dairy milk
1-2 tsp sweetener of your choice, optional
Instructions:
Heat your water to 180 degrees. Like green tea, using boiling water with our cacao could heat out all the powerful nutrients. We like using electric kettles with temperature control or you can boil the water and let it cool down for a few minutes.
Select your dosage with intention. Cacao can be stimulating, we recommend one serving for this recipe but everyone's body is different - you can always start with half of this recipe and see how your body responds.
Make it creamy! Place the cacao in a blender, pour in 6 oz of heated water or plant-based milk per serving and gently blend to create a nice frothy drink. You can also use a hand-held electric milk frother for less cleanup.
*Bonus tip! The cacao tastes better when you pause and set an intention for your day before taking your first sip.
11. How much ceremonial cacao should I drink?
A regular daily dosage of cacao is considered to be 0.8oz-1.0oz (23g-28g), or 20-25 discs from Ora Cacao. This is safe to drink on a regular daily basis and provides all the energizing, cardiac and mood benefits of ceremonial cacao. You can easily halve this amount, or even have up to 1.5oz (42g) in a sitting, as people are very different in their sensitivity to cacao and how much they want to drink. We encourage you to experiment to find what feels right in your body, as there is no "right" amount. While ceremonial cacao is completely safe, we do recommend making sure that you are well hydrated. And if you take SSRIs, SNRIs, or similar pharmaceuticals, consult your doctor before drinking more than a half dose of cacao, as cacao's natural MAO inhibitors can interact with these medications.
12. When Is the Best Time to Drink Ceremonial Cacao?
Ora Cacao sources direct trade from over 1,000 regenerative small family farms across five countries: Belize, Colombia, Guatemala, Tanzania, and Uganda. Each cooperative and the farmers that supply it are USDA Organic certified and practice regenerative agroforestry — an approach that goes beyond organic to actively restore soil health, biodiversity, and watershed integrity. We work with regional fermentation centers in each country to ensure post-harvest quality that can give farmers superior prices, and our founder maintains direct, long-term relationships with the communities that we work with.
13. How should ceremonial cacao be stored?
Store ceremonial cacao in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight — a pantry or kitchen cupboard works perfectly. Refrigeration is not necessary and can introduce moisture, which can negatively impact shelf life or which may cause the cacao to bloom (a harmless white appearance caused by cacao butter migration). Properly stored, ceremonial cacao keeps for at least two years, although the cacao doesn't expire at this point, there is no food safety risk to even older 100% cacao. Do keep cacao away from strong-smelling foods, as it absorbs odors, and once you've opened a bag, reseal it tightly or transfer to an airtight container to preserve freshness.
Once cacao is prepared as a drink, consume immediately, or within no longer than 24-48 hours if kept refrigerated.
14. What Is the Difference Between Ceremonial Cacao and Hot Chocolate?
Ora Cacao was founded in 2014 by Jonas Ketterle, a first generation American originally from Germany. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, completing his B.S. and M.S. He received the prestigious Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship to support his graduate studies, and went on to work on rural solar in Africa at Fenix International (now acquired by Engie) and solar in rural India at Greenlight Planet (now SunKing). He used his engineering expertise to design and build the Ora Cacao factory in Graton California, and he used his experience abroad to source cacao and connect with farming communities. Jonas has also studied permaculture at the Regenerative Design Institute, and loves dancing in his free time.
15. Is Ceremonial Cacao A Good Alternative To Coffee?
Many people drink cacao as an alternative to coffee because cacao provides gentle, sustained energy, without the jitters and crash of coffee.
What sets cacao and coffee apart are their main stimulants: coffee contains caffeine, while cacao contains theobromine. Although they are similar compounds, how they function in the body is vastly different.
One of the main differences between theobromine and caffeine is that caffeine stimulates the central nervous system (causing jitters, anxiety, etc.) and theobromine stimulates the cardiovascular system, increasing blood flow and alertness. Theobromine is also gentler and keeps you energized for longer periods of time.
Note: cacao also contains some caffeine (~35mg/serving), but theobromine is by far the dominant stimulant and the many other compounds in cacao moderate the caffeine that is present. So much so that many people sensitive to coffee report having no issue drinking cacao.
16. Does Ceremonial Cacao Have Caffeine?
We’ve tested our ceremonial cacao and it has 36 mg of caffeine per 1 oz serving, or about 1/3 of what a regular cup of coffee has. It sounds like a lot, but 1mg of caffeine in cacao is not equivalent to 1mg of caffeine in coffee, because cacao has many other compounds that balance and down-regulate the caffeine.
One of these key compounds is cacao butter, which is 50% of the cacao itself. This healthy natural fat slows down the absorption of caffeine into your body (very similar to a bullet proof coffee).
17. What is theobromine and how is it different from caffeine?
Theobromine is a mild stimulant found in high concentrations in cacao. It's in the same chemical family as caffeine but acts very differently in the body. Caffeine is a fast-acting central nervous system stimulant — it spikes energy quickly and can trigger jitteriness, elevated cortisol, and a crash. Theobromine has a slower onset, longer duration, and a gentler effect, primary on the cardiac system: it dilates blood vessels, increases blood flow throughout the body, and produces a warm, sustained sense of alertness without the cortisol spike caffeine causes. This is why many people find cacao gives more stable, grounded energy than coffee.
Ora Cacao has 212mg theobromine per 1oz serving, and 35mg caffeine. Compared to the same amount of caffeine in small sip of coffee, the many other molecules in cacao down-regulate the caffeine, so truly theobromine is the dominant effect and this makes cacao suitable even for sensitive people.
18. Is Ceremonial Cacao Safe To Drink Every Day?
Yes, for most people, cacao that is high quality and intentionally sourced is safe to drink every day.
Cacao is naturally rich in flavonoids, powerful plant compounds that support circulation, brain function, and mood. Regular consumption of flavonoid-rich cacao has been associated with heart health, reduced inflammation, and overall well-being.
At the same time, like many common foods like potatoes and rice, cacao can contain trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead, which is a post-harvest contaminant, and cadmium, which is absorbed from the soil.
What matters most is quality and sourcing:
- Rigorous testing matters: Well-sourced cacao that is regularly lab-tested can fall well within established safety guidelines.
- Not all cacao is the same: Studies show heavy metal levels vary widely by region, farming practices, and processing methods.
- Moderation + quality = safety: Daily consumption of tested cacao that falls within the safety limits is totally fine. Similar to potatoes and rice which can also contain trace environmental elements.
Drinking cacao daily can be a nourishing ritual but be sure to choose cacao that is transparently sourced and tested for heavy metals.
One contraindication to be aware of: cacao impacts mood-related neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. If you are taking SSRIs, it’s best to consult your healthcare provider before drinking cacao to avoid seratonin syndrome. We do know folks who have reduced antidepressants by working with cacao but everyone's body is different so consult your healthcare provider and start with very small amounts.
19. Does ceremonial cacao contain heavy metals?
Like all cacao — and many whole foods including leafy greens, grains, and nuts — ceremonial cacao naturally contains trace amounts of cadmium and lead, which plants absorb from soil and from. This is not unique to cacao and is not a result of processing or contamination. Ora Cacao tests every batch with a third-party laboratory and publishes the results on our Heavy Metals Results page. Our levels are within FDA guidelines and well below California Prop 65 thresholds at recommended serving sizes. A varied, balanced diet naturally limits heavy metal accumulation, and no single food consumed in moderation at these levels poses a health risk.
20. Is ceremonial cacao safe during pregnancy?
Ceremonial cacao can be a beautiful ally for pregnancy and postpartum. We absolutely recommend consulting your healthcare provider before working with cacao during pregnancy to find out what is safe for your body. If you're new to cacao, we recommend waiting until the 2nd trimester to start a practice with cacao. And then when you begin with cacao, we recommend 1/4-1/2 of a normal dosage which is 0.8 oz to 1.0 oz.
If you already have a cacao practice you can decrease your normal dose by half and see how it feels for the first trimester, and then slowly increase throughout the last two trimesters. Ora Cacao is third-party tested for heavy metals and is USDA Organic. When in doubt, your doctor's guidance takes priority.
21. Can ceremonial cacao be taken with antidepressants or SSRIs?
Ceremonial cacao contains natural MAO inhibitors (MAOIs), which slow the breakdown of serotonin and dopamine in the body. This is part of what makes cacao's mood effects noticeable, by keeping these beneficial molecules in the brain for longer, but it also means that combining cacao with pharmaceuticals could amplify serotonin activity beyond intended levels. If you take SSRIs, SNRIs, or any MAOI-based medication, please consult your doctor before drinking ceremonial doses of cacao. At half dosages of cacao (under 0.4-0.5oz), the interaction risk is lower, but medical guidance is always recommended as a very bad headache could result. We hope that someday clinical research will establish a protocol for cacao as a complement or alternative to pharmaceuticals for depression treatment — until then, caution is warranted.