Cacao Powder

 

Exploring the Benefits of Cocoa Powder for Your Skin

Cocoa powder has been touted as a miracle ingredient for skin care. If you're curious about why this is, here are some excellent reasons to incorporate natural cocoa into your routine:

• Adds a natural glow to your face
• Provides moisture for your skin
• Helps to fight signs of aging
• Promotes collagen production, leading to smoother, firmer skin
• Prevents blemishes and breakouts
• Rich in antioxidants that repair skin and reduce the effects of harmful free radicals

Cocoa or Cacao: What's the Difference?

There's often confusion between the terms "cocoa" and "cacao." While they're very similar, there are slight differences in their origin and usage. The word "cocoa" comes from the Spanish word "cacao," which is derived from the Nahuatl word "cacahuatl." Both "cocoa bean" and "cacao bean" refer to the dried seed of Theobroma cacao tree, which is used to extract cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

**Cacao** refers to any food product derived from cacao beans, including cacao nibs, cacao butter, cacao mass, and cacao powder. Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans, which preserves the living enzymes and removes the fat.
**Cocoa** usually refers to the dry powder made by grinding cocoa beans and removing the cocoa butter from the bitter cocoa solids. Sometimes, "cocoa" may also refer to a mixture of cocoa powder and cocoa butter.



In order to differentiate between unroasted cocoa and raw cocoa, the term "cacao" was adopted.