Nutritious cacao nibs will add a different and intense flavor of chocolate to foods all along with its soft crunch. They are used in chocolate-making procedure for year, however recently it has entered modern culinary land as the coveted and important ingredient. Native to upper Amazon area, cacao nibs grow across the world in the narrow belt extending over 10 degrees on equator. Main producers are located in Ecuador, Brazil, Nigeria, Ghana, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cote D’Ivore, however consumers are found across the world.
How’re Cacao Nibs Made?
The cacao nibs are nothing but cocoa beans pieces that come from Theobroma cacao tree. For making nibs, beans are fermented and dried before getting roasted & cracked. If you are interested in specific details of the process you must take a close look on its journey.
What is left after beans are cracked is brittle shell, with its nibs. This shell that can incidentally use for making tea will be removed through the process called winnowing. In a bean to bar the process cacao nibs then is ground in fine paste with the sugar and milk powder that will eventually make the chocolate bars.
How Can You Use Cacao Nibs?
One can use roasted or raw cacao nibs in various dishes, from savory to sweet. One or two teaspoon can add pizzazz to morning oatmeal, and pump up its flavor in the chocolate smoothie. You can top the favorite sundae and parfait with nibs to get an amazing flavor & nutrition boost. You can also create a simple dessert “bark” just by melting half a cup of dark chocolate chips with peanut butter. Mix this in one tablespoon of nibs & spread this on silicone mat. Chill for 20 mins in your freezer, and break this in chunks for the delicious treat. Nibs make an amazing addition to the homemade trail mix and granola, or must be eaten as the satisfying alternative to the chocolate candy if craving strikes.
Helps in Cognitive Functions
One of the study published recommend that having cacao “improves attention, cognition, working memory and processing speed.” Also, helps in the cognitive functions, results suggest that the cacao helps to protect and reverse signs of the neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s. Some more studies highlight that the foods that are high in the flavonoids, like cacao, stimulate growth & connectivity of the nerve cells in our brain.