Years before To’ak was even conceived, our relationship with cacao began with a grove of abandoned cacao trees deep in the upland forest of the Jama-Coaque Reserve. We harvested the cacao pods from these pods, fermented and dried and roasted the beans, and then ground the beans into powder using a hand-grinder. Much of the work that goes on in the Jama-Coaque Reserve is exhaustingly physical, and takes place in very steep, rugged terrain. Very early on, we learned that drinking a big cup of cacao in the morning was the best way to power us through the day. We tried coffee, and that just didn’t work--because of the afternoon crash. We needed something that would physically and mentally sustain us from dawn until dusk.
Why drink cacao instead of coffee in the morning? Compared to coffee, cacao is healthier, the energy lasts longer, and there’s no crash—thanks to the power of theobromine. But there's no rule that says you have to choose one over the other. If you don't want to give up coffee, but you do want the added benefits of cacao, then drink both. If you want to quickly learn how and why cacao is so good for you, read this short primer.
