What's the difference between...

[Turbolift]

Unsweetened cocoa powder, Carob powder, and Cacao ?

Can I use my unsweetened cocoa powder instead of the other two in the raw recipes?

Thanks!

[Coriander74]

Unsweetened cocoa powder is roasted cacao beans ground up.

Carob powder is from a different plant, and can substitute for raw cacao (as long as you get raw carob!). It's not my favorite, but a lot of people LOVE it.

Cacao is the original bean. If you can find raw cacao powder, that is the best to use :) I've been known to use the regular ol' cocoa powder though if I'm seriously in a chocolate fix and can't find raw cacao. :o But if you can get this stuff, it's the best way all around :D

[Doe]

One would think that raw cacao power is the nibs ground fine, that's what I thought. David Wolfe said in an interview on google that the raw cacao powder is what is left over after the cacao butter is extracted from the nibs. So if a rich product is desired it might be best to grind your own nibs.

Alissa's raw carob powder is wonderful imho. I do strain drinks that I make with it though. Otherwise it makes me cough continuously. In other words it does not dissolve. Neither does the cacao, even in the vitamix.

Cacao in any form makes my heart race, I become jittery, do not sleep properly and my stomach becomes very acid, like coffee.

As for taste the cacao reminds me of Hershey chocolate bars. Carob reminds me more of hot chocolate. The flavor is not as intense.

Hope this helps some. Guess each person has to try for themself. :)

teri

Unsweetened cocoa is not raw. If you are not 100% raw, and want to use it up, it should work.

[Turbolift]

Thanks! I have a full can of the unsweetened cocoa powder that I'd like to use up before buying anything else.

[SmilingRawDancer]

I still occassionally use Hershey's Dark chocolate powder.
That's one of my non 100% items that keeps me mostly raw.
The flavor/impact of that dark cocoa powder in raw recipes just has such baaaaang, so if I do that every so often I do better overall.

[bunnybunny]

As for taste the cacao reminds me of Hershey chocolate bars. Carob reminds me more of hot chocolate. The flavor is not as intense.

Thanks so much for describing that. I couldn't decide what to get but now I have a better idea. Although I can't seem to find raw cacao OR carob powder ANYWHERE.

[Doe]

bunnybunny, you are welcome. To buy either just scroll up and click on Alissa's Store button an the left. That's where I got mine. Very good! She also has the cacao butter. Hmmm ... tastes like fat. Haven't made anything using it yet.

teri

[bunnybunny]

bunnybunny, you are welcome. To buy either just scroll up and click on Alissa's Store button an the left. That's where I got mine. Very good! She also has the cacao butter. Hmmm ... tastes like fat. Haven't made anything using it yet.

teri

Thanks! I'm going to look at one more local HFS today and if they don't have it I'm coming right back home and ordering Alissa's. :)