Fall in Love with Cacao: 5 Reasons This Plant Medicine Belongs in Your

It’s no secret that life feels overstimulating these days. We’re constantly plugged in, pulled in a million directions, and trying to stay grounded in a world that moves too fast. If you’re craving a ritual that brings you back to center, cacao might be exactly what you need!

More than just chocolate, cacao is a traditional plant medicine that has been honored by Indigenous cultures across Central and South America for thousands of years for its ability to open the heart, calm the mind, and reconnect you with what matters most. Cacao can be a grounding, family-friendly ritual that supports mental clarity, emotional regulation, and brain health without the jitters or crash that often comes with caffeine. Whether you’re making it for yourself or sharing a quiet moment with your child, cacao offers calm, connection, and a delicious treat you can feel good about!

Here are five reasons why cacao belongs in your cup:

1. Boosts Your Mood and Brightens Your Day

Cacao is like sunshine in a cup, containing natural mood boosters that help light you up from the inside out!

Phenylethylamine (PEA): the “love chemical” your brain naturally releases when you’re in love or experiencing joy. It lifts your mood, boosts your energy, and enhances your sense of connection, helping you fall in love with life.
Anandamide: known as “the bliss molecule”, this feel-good compound helps quiet mental noise, ease tension, and bring your emotions back into balance.

2. Helps You Focus and Supports Brain Health

Cacao is rich in natural compounds that help you focus and stay alert without the crash of caffeine! A cup of cacao offers a calm, steady energy that’s perfect for busy minds.

Theobromine: a gentle stimulant that increases blood flow to the brain, especially in areas that support memory, decision-making, and learning.
Flavonoids: plant compounds that support neuroplasticity, your brain’s natural ability to learn, grow, and form new connections. Studies suggest cacao may help protect against cognitive decline by reducing inflammation and stress in the brain.

While it’s not a replacement for medication, 1–2 tablespoons of ceremonial cacao a day can be a heart-centered tool for focus, flow, and calm!

3. Opens Your Heart and Deepens Connection

In East Asian medicine and many traditional cultures, the heart is more than a physical organ. It’s the home of your spirit, your joy, and your emotions!

Physically, cacao affects the heart by increasing circulation and helping regulate blood pressure.
Energetically, it’s known to open the heart, soften emotional tension, and create a sense of safety and connection from within.

In Mayan and Aztec cultures, cacao was considered sacred and used in heart-opening rituals to support emotional healing, deepen connection, and invite in more love towards both yourself and others. The ritual is still very much alive, as cacao continues to be a gentle way to slow down, reconnect, and bring more clarity, connection, and healing to everyday life.

4. Calms Your Nervous System and Resets From Within

Cacao contains minerals, like magnesium, that help the body shift out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-digest, the calm and grounded space where true healing can begin. That’s why cacao is often paired with breathwork, meditation, or mindfulness rituals!

Magnesium helps regulate the body’s stress response, soothes the nervous system, and supports hormonal balance. If you’re recovering, recalibrating, or simply feeling stretched too thin, cacao can bring your system back into rhythm and reset from within!

5. Reduces Inflammation and Supports Whole Body Health

Cacao is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on Earth—even more so than blueberries or green tea! It’s packed with polyphenols that fight inflammation, support gut health, and help your body recover from the stress of modern life. Chronic inflammation is linked to fatigue, brain fog, belly fat, blood sugar issues, premature aging, and even neurodegenerative disease.

You don’t need a complicated routine to care for yourself. Just something that helps you come home to your body. Cacao is one of those rare tools that supports your mood, your focus, and your heart, all in one cup. It’s a small practice that can make a big difference!

Here's to sacred sips, open hearts, and the rituals that bring us home.

Dr. Britt

*As always with our Nourish & Flourish blogs, please remember this content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any condition. We recommend consulting a licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your wellness routine.

Nourish & Flourish: Cacao Rose Latte Recipe

This simple recipe is one of my favorite ways to enjoy cacao. It takes less than 10 minutes, and you can follow along with me as I make it step by step on the Know Yourself Academy Instagram!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ground cacao
1 tsp dried rose petals (for rose water infusion)
1 cup milk of choice or nut milk
1-2 tbsp of your favorite sweetener
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
A few dried rose petals (for topping, optional)

Instructions:

Steep the rose water
In a small teapot or heat-safe jar, steep 1 teaspoon of dried rose petals in ½ cup of hot water for 5–10 minutes. If not using a teapot with a built-in infuser, strain before using.
Make your cacao blend
Mix the cacao with a few tablespoons of your warm rose water infusion. Whisk until smooth and frothy. Stir in your sweetener of choice. I like using Paleo Valley’s Vanilla Bone Broth Protein Powder!
Make your rose milk
Pour the remaining rose water infusion into your milk and gently warm it on the stovetop until hot but not boiling.
Combine and balance
Pour your warm rose milk into the cacao blend and stir until smooth and fully combined.
Top it with rose foam
Froth a small amount of rose-infused milk (about 1–2 tablespoons) using a handheld frother or steam wand until light and airy. Spoon the foam gently over the top of your latte.
Garnish and sip
Add a pinch of cinnamon or a few dried rose petals if you’d like. Take a moment, set an intention, and sip slowly.