Cocoa vs Cacao

What is the difference between cocoa and cacao?  Besides the connotation to each concept, there is absolutely no difference.  Cocoa is unfortunately associated with processed chocolate like H*rsh*y bars and such.  Cacao is associated with the raw chocolate treats.  

Both are from the cocoa fruit and both are natural foods and both even have nutrients that shouldn't be ignored.  The problem isn't in the name or the food, it's in the process of making it into a "product" for sale.  Generally, chocolate is processed with lots of sugar, maybe preservatives and lots of other kinds of garbage.  So what makes "chocolate" bad is the added ingredients.  Chocolate itself is far from being bad.

Another reason cocoa is demonized is because it is an estrogenic food.  If you are avoiding estrogen, then I would definitely advise that you stay far, far away from chocolate.  But this doesn't make it a bad food either.  I must stay away from nightshades, but does this make tomatoes and peppers bad?  They may have a bad effect on me right now, but this doesn't make them unhealthy food.  The antioxidants and flavonoids in cocoa definitely DON'T suggest that it is unhealthy.

Cacao is associated with "raw chocolate" therefore it is seen as "healthier" than cocoa.  Once again, while it's true that raw chocolate is awesome and it's better to eat it without the sugar and additives, it's the association alone that made cocoa the zero and cacao the hero.  So unless you have a sensitivity to chocolate, and as long as you are watching out for the additives, eat up!  Cocoa or cacao... it's ALL good stuff!