Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Butter
In Greek culture, cocoa was known as theobroma, meaning “food of the gods.” Aztec believed that the cacao tree was a gift to humans from the gods of the air. The prized Aztec chocolate drink, xocaotl, was made from cacao extractives blended with a bit of vanilla.
Monetary Uses: Aztec used cacao beans as coins and at one point demanded in conquest “20 chests of ground chocolate, 80 loads of red chocolate, 800 Xicaras (drinking bowls for chocolate), 200 loads of chocolate, 20 bags of gold dust, and 20 lip jewels of clear amber, ornamented with gold.” Cocoa was so prized during Aztec reign that counterfeiters were rampant, making fraudulent “bean” coins from amaranth seed dough, avocado pits, and wax. Cacao beans were used as small coins in the Yucatán through the 1840s.
Health Benefits: Each cacao pod, which can weigh up to one pound when ripe, contains between 20 and 60 beans that are ground and pressed to separate the rich cocoa butter from cocoa solids (which we know as cocoa powder). Cocoa butter is a solid at room temperature, making it more stable and resistant to rancidity than many other vegetable oils. It melts upon contact with the skin, creating a pleasant-feeling, protective emollient layer that seals in the skin’s moisture. Cocoa butter lends a desirable firmness to lip balms and helps seal split ends when used in hair care. Unrefined cocoa butter, such as that used in Aurum natural products, retains its cream color and mild chocolately aroma.
Monetary Uses: Aztec used cacao beans as coins and at one point demanded in conquest “20 chests of ground chocolate, 80 loads of red chocolate, 800 Xicaras (drinking bowls for chocolate), 200 loads of chocolate, 20 bags of gold dust, and 20 lip jewels of clear amber, ornamented with gold.” Cocoa was so prized during Aztec reign that counterfeiters were rampant, making fraudulent “bean” coins from amaranth seed dough, avocado pits, and wax. Cacao beans were used as small coins in the Yucatán through the 1840s.
Health Benefits: Each cacao pod, which can weigh up to one pound when ripe, contains between 20 and 60 beans that are ground and pressed to separate the rich cocoa butter from cocoa solids (which we know as cocoa powder). Cocoa butter is a solid at room temperature, making it more stable and resistant to rancidity than many other vegetable oils. It melts upon contact with the skin, creating a pleasant-feeling, protective emollient layer that seals in the skin’s moisture. Cocoa butter lends a desirable firmness to lip balms and helps seal split ends when used in hair care. Unrefined cocoa butter, such as that used in Aurum natural products, retains its cream color and mild chocolately aroma.
