Theobroma cacao
Cacao
Generally recognised as safeOther names: Cacao
Cacao—Amazonian origin; economically key crop.
Small tree with large trunk-borne (cauline) leaves.
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Plant type
- Tree
What the safety levels mean (expand legend)
- Generally recognised as safe. Often a common herb with reasonable harvest and use; still read the specific warnings on the card.
- Information. Primarily informational — details in the text and warnings below matter most.
- Caution. Needs extra care (dose, duration, sensitive groups, interactions).
- Risky. Significant risks — verify sources, contraindications and professional guidance.
- Not for home experimentation. Not suitable to experiment with at home without knowledge and certainty.
- High risk for internal use. Particular risk with internal use (e.g. alkaloids); avoid prolonged or irresponsible dosing.
- Not specified. Level not filled in yet — rely on individual warnings and links below.
Photograph on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
Plant habit
Quick overview
A practical summary; details are in the sections below.
- Safety grade
- Generally recognised as safe details
- Scientific sources on the card
- Yes — sources are listed with claims Science section
- When and what to harvest
- Fruit — January–December
- Processing methods
Decoction, Culinary use, Fermentation
All methods and recipes on the card- Topics and symptoms
Circulation comfort (folk), Mood swings
Topics section, Symptoms overview
Identification and mix-ups
Large longitudinally grooved pods; seeds in pulp.
Possible mix-ups and risks
Other tropical Malvaceae trees.
Similar herbs
No related herbs are linked yet.
Topics and symptoms
More topics are in the symptoms and topics overview.
- Circulation comfort (folk)Scientific· moderate
- Mood swingsTraditional· Traditional / cultural framing
Geographic occurrence
Brazil
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Mexico
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Harvest
- FruitJanuary–December
celoročně
Region: BrazilNotes: The pods grow straight from the trunk and ripen all year with a main harvest in the rainy season; they are cut with a machete, the seeds with their white pulp ferment for 5–7 days in boxes or under banana leaves and are then sun-dried — without fermentation cacao has neither taste nor aroma.
Storage
- Airtight storage(Fruit)
Fermented dried beans and cacao nibs keep 12–24 months in an airtight jar; cocoa powder 2 years.
- Light:
- Out of light and heat.
- Moisture:
- Moisture means mould and loss of aroma.
Processing methods on this herb card
Longer simmering of plant material in water.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
A decoction is made by simmering plant material in water — often around 10–20 minutes depending on tradition and plant part. Denser parts (roots, bark, some seeds) are often prepared more reliably this way than with a short infusion.
Compared with an infusion it can extract more compounds, but also more tannins or bitterness; the flavour profile differs from a delicate tea. Combine this overview with the herb card for suitable plant part and contraindications.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Cooking, baking, seasoning as food — general category without therapeutic claims.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Culinary use covers herbs as ingredients in dishes, drinks, or spice mixes. This overview does not evaluate medicinal effects — only reminds you about species intent, allergies, and heat treatment where needed (e.g. some fruits or plant parts).
Combining with alcohol, sugar, or long cooking changes outcomes; verify culinary sources.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Microbial processing (fermentation) of plant material for drinks or foods.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Fermentation changes sugars, flavour, and microbial composition (e.g. herbal ferments, oxymels combining honey and vinegar per tradition). Hygiene, temperature, and time are critical for a safe outcome.
Home ferments should not smell "rotten"; when in doubt, discard.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Traditional / spiritual use
Kept separate from science — entries are cultural or symbolic, not medical advice.
Drink of the gods and coin of Mesoamerica
Symbolism
Spiritual useMythologyRitualSymbolismAmong the Maya and Aztecs the cacao drink (kakaw, cacahuatl) was ceremonial: drunk bitter, with chilli and maize, at weddings, funerals and offerings; cacao beans served as currency and tribute and the god Quetzalcóatl was said to have given the tree to humankind. Linnaeus named the genus Theobroma, 'food of the gods'. Maya vessels inscribed kakaw and bearing theobromine residue show the drink was taken from the first millennium BC. A record of religious and historical tradition.
- Form:
- obřadní nápoj, platidlo, obětina
- Claim strength:
- Tradition
- Source note:
- Maya and Aztec iconography and codices (Dresden Codex, Codex Mendoza); Linnaeus, Species Plantarum (1753); archaeochemistry of Mesoamerican vessels.
Scientific notes
Each claim lists a study type and a source (URL or DOI) where available. Dose notes from the literature are informational only.
How to read evidence strength and study type labels
Labels summarise how the catalogue entry is tagged — they are not a medical verdict on efficacy. For every row, read the summary, limitations and source link.
Evidence strength
- Evidence level not specified
- The author did not grade the record; judge from the summary, limitations and source link.
- Narrative / orientational literature
- Descriptive or expert literature without controlled group comparison — context rather than proof of effect.
- Weak evidence
- Study or conclusion with major methodological limits; treat only as a pointer for further reading.
- Preliminary findings
- First or smaller studies — interesting direction, not the final word on efficacy or safety.
- Moderate strength of evidence
- Moderate strength by study design; sample and context limits still apply.
- Stronger evidence
- Stronger design or consistency of results within the study's stated limits.
- Review article
- A review summarises multiple sources; quality depends on review method and field.
Study type
- Narrative / expert text
- Expert text or overview without a classical study design.
- In vitro study
- Cell culture or test-tube experiment — does not show an effect in the body.
- Animal study
- Animal model — transfer to humans is not automatic.
- Observational study
- Observing groups without random treatment assignment; confounding is possible.
- Clinical trial
- Human clinical trial; sample size and control group matter.
- Randomised controlled trial
- Randomised controlled trials are among the stronger designs when well conducted.
- Review study
- A review aggregates multiple papers — quality depends on selection rules.
- Systematic review
- Systematic review with explicit search and selection methodology.
- Meta-analysis
- Statistical pooling of studies; outcome depends on input data and heterogeneity.
- Regulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)
- Regulatory body summary for a herbal product — different context from a single RCT; often about products, not home tea.
- Expert monograph (herbal preparations)
- Structured literature summary for a plant or drug — quality depends on author and edition year.
EFSA accepted a cause-and-effect relationship between consuming 200 mg of cocoa flavanols a day (from cocoa powder or dark chocolate) and maintenance of normal endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the general population — one of the few authorised health claims for plant polyphenols in the EU.
Review articleRegulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)Year: 2012Limitations: The claim concerns a standardised flavanol content; ordinary chocolate and home cocoa do not guarantee it. It is about maintaining normal function, not treating disease.
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) — EFSA Journal
The Cochrane review of 35 randomised trials (1,804 participants, 2–18 weeks) found that flavanol-rich cocoa products lowered blood pressure by small, statistically significant amounts (about 1.8 mm Hg systolic) compared with control.
Moderate strength of evidenceSystematic reviewYear: 2017Limitations: Short trials, a small effect of uncertain clinical relevance, heterogeneous products and doses (30–1,218 mg flavanols a day); long-term benefit unknown.
Ried K, Fakler P, Stocks NP — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Images
The main photo is in the card header. More images will appear here when available.
Safety
What the warning types mean
The type on each warning helps group themes — it does not replace the separate severity badge.
- Internal use
- Risks from swallowing, extracts, duration of use or concentration for internal use.
- Interactions / medicines
- Possible effect on medicines or concurrent treatment — check sources and a professional.
- Raw plant parts
- Raw, unripe or poorly prepared plant parts can be dangerous.
- Toxins and regulation
- Toxic constituents or regulated compounds (e.g. in distillates).
- Contact with the plant
- Skin or mucosa irritation from contact with fresh plant or sap.
- Allergy
- Allergic reactions, often linked to family sensitisation.
- Harvesting and contamination
- Contamination, species mix-ups or harvesting from unsuitable places.
No structured safety records yet.