Cacao Stories with Viva Cacao — Healthy chocolate

Chocolate, a universal delight, transcends borders and cultures, creating unique experiences and recipes around the world. While its roots trace back to ancient Mesoamerica, chocolate has evolved and integrated into diverse culinary traditions globally. Let's embark on a delicious journey to explore how different cultures enjoy chocolate and the unique chocolate-based recipes they cherish. 1. Mexico: The Birthplace of Chocolate Chocolate’s history begins in Mexico, where the ancient Aztecs and Mayans revered cacao as a sacred gift from the gods. They enjoyed a bitter, frothy drink called "xocolatl," made from roasted cacao beans, water, and spices like chili and vanilla....

At Viva Cacao, we're passionate about creating the finest chocolate while staying true to our commitment to natural and sustainable ingredients. That's why we sweeten our chocolates with coconut sugar. This unique sweetener not only adds a deliciously rich flavour but offers many benefits that align perfectly with our ethos. Join us as we explore why coconut sugar is the perfect choice for sweetening our delectable chocolate creations. (PS: we also use mink fruit and stevia in our sugar-free chocolate line!).  What is Coconut Sugar? Coconut sugar, also known as coconut palm sugar, is derived from the sap of the...

Maybe you have been hearing about the recent spike in the cost of cocoa and worried about how this might affect your chocolate-loving ways. Let me break this down to help you understand a little bit more about why this is happening and what we’re doing here at Viva Cacao to continue to offer the best quality vegan chocolate available in these unprecedented times. Climate change and disease have lowered the African cacao harvest which is where 70% of the world's cocoa comes from.  Because of this, the big players, such as Nestle, Mars, and Hershey’s have essentially scoured the...

At Viva Cacao, we are passionate about chocolate in all its forms. However, there are times when even the best chocolate can look a bit off. Ever noticed a white, powdery substance on your chocolate? That’s called chocolate bloom, and it can happen for a couple of reasons. Sugar Bloom Sugar bloom occurs when water comes into contact with chocolate. This often happens if the chocolate is stored in the fridge or a high-humidity environment. The white stuff you see on the surface is condensation. The chocolate absorbs the water, causing the sugar (in the case of Viva Cacao products,...