# Plant Monograph: Cacao Tree
**Name of plant:**
Cacao Tree
**Catch phrase (Carmina Gadelica or traditional invocation if available):**
**“Theobroma — Food of the Gods.”**
No Carmina Gadelica or traditional Gaelic invocation for cacao is recorded. The name *Theobroma cacao*, given by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, means “food of the gods.” Cacao has much older sacred and ceremonial associations in Mesoamerica, where cacao beverages were used by Maya and Aztec peoples.
**Family:**
Malvaceae
**Genus and species:**
*Theobroma cacao* L.
**Other names:**
* Cacao
* Cocoa tree
* Cocoa
* Chocolate tree
* Cacahuatl / *cacahuatl*
* *Cacaocuáhuitl* (Nahuatl)
* *Haa* (Maya)
* Cacaueiro (Portuguese)
* Cacao criollo
* Cacao forastero
* Cacao trinitario
The word “cacao” ultimately derives through Spanish from Nahuatl terminology associated with the plant and its beverage.
**Brief introduction:**
*Cacao* is an evergreen tropical tree native to Central and northern South America and now cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world. It naturally grows beneath the canopy of humid rainforests, generally at low elevations. The tree commonly reaches approximately 5–8 metres and is remarkable for its cauliflorous habit: its small flowers emerge directly from the trunk and older branches. The resulting pods contain numerous seeds surrounded by sweet, white pulp. The fermented and dried seeds are the cacao beans from which cocoa and chocolate are produced.
Cacao has an unusually long history as both food and medicine. Archaeological and historical evidence indicates that cacao beverages were being consumed in Mesoamerica more than two thousand years ago. The Maya and Aztec traditions regarded cacao as a valuable food, beverage, ceremonial substance and commodity. Following European contact, cacao entered European materia medica and was employed for numerous medicinal purposes.
**Traditional uses:**
* Preparation of bitter cacao beverages for nourishment and restoration of strength.
* Use of cacao beverages in ceremonial and social contexts among Mesoamerican peoples.
* Use as a restorative food for weakness and wasting.
* Use in preparations intended to support digestion and elimination.
* Use of cacao preparations in traditional remedies for chest and other complaints.
Historical records describe cacao as both food and medicine, with more than one hundred medicinal applications documented between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries. The most persistent historical applications included restoration of health and weight, stimulation of the nervous system, and support of digestion.
**Historical use:**
* Maya peoples cultivated and consumed cacao and incorporated it into ritual, political and social life.
* The Aztecs used cacao beans and beverages as an important food and commodity.
* Cacao beverages were commonly prepared with water and could be flavoured with chilli and other ingredients.
* Following Spanish contact in the sixteenth century, cacao was introduced to Europe and increasingly sweetened and modified.
* European physicians subsequently incorporated cacao and chocolate into medicinal preparations for convalescence, digestion, nervous complaints and general weakness.
**Parts used and method of use:**
* Seeds (cacao beans)
* Seed coat / husk
* Cocoa butter obtained from the seeds
* Fruit pulp
Used as:
* Fermented, dried and roasted cacao beans or nibs.
* Ground cacao prepared as a beverage.
* Cocoa powder incorporated into foods and drinks.
* Cocoa butter used both internally as a food and externally as an emollient.
* Traditionally, preparations of seed and seed coat were used medicinally for various complaints.
**Use in healing (modern herbal practice):**
* Traditionally and nutritionally used as a restorative, nourishing food.
* Cocoa flavanols have been investigated for supporting endothelial function and vascular health.
* Cocoa consumption has been studied for modest effects on blood pressure.
* Theobromine has been investigated for mild stimulant, respiratory and cardiovascular effects.
* Cocoa polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in experimental systems.
Human research is strongest for cardiovascular biomarkers such as endothelial function, blood pressure and cholesterol, although results vary according to the cacao product, processing and flavanol content. Cacao should therefore be regarded as a bioactive food rather than a proven treatment for disease.
**Pharmacology and biochemistry:**
* **Theobromine** — the principal methylxanthine in cacao; generally present in greater quantities than caffeine.
* **Caffeine** — a smaller but pharmacologically significant methylxanthine.
* **Epicatechin and oligomeric procyanidins** — major cacao flavanols/polyphenols associated with antioxidant and vascular effects.
Mechanisms:
* Theobromine antagonizes adenosine receptors and inhibits phosphodiesterases, producing mild stimulant and smooth-muscle effects.
* Epicatechin can enhance nitric-oxide-dependent endothelial function and influence pathways involved in vascular tone.
* Cacao polyphenols influence oxidative stress, inflammatory signalling and vascular function.
**Overall profile:**
Cacao is a **nutritive, mildly stimulating and polyphenol-rich medicinal food**. Its most established pharmacologically active constituents are the methylxanthines theobromine and caffeine and the flavanols epicatechin and related procyanidins. Human research provides the strongest evidence for effects on vascular/endothelial function and blood pressure biomarkers, while claims concerning weight loss, cancer treatment, cognition and other therapeutic applications remain investigational.
**Common dosage:**
Because cacao is primarily used as a food rather than a standardized medicinal herb, there is no universally accepted therapeutic dosage for the whole plant.
* **Unsweetened cocoa powder:** approximately 5–15 g/day as a dietary serving.
* **Cacao nibs:** approximately 10–20 g/day as food.
* **Cacao beverage:** approximately 5–15 g cocoa/cacao powder per serving.
* **Theobromine extracts:** not recommended for unsupervised herbal use; clinical research has employed substantially different standardized doses depending on the intended effect.
Studies investigating cardiovascular effects have used a wide range of cocoa products and doses, making direct conversion into a single herbal dosage inappropriate.
**Safety factors (including side effects):**
* Cacao contains caffeine and theobromine and may cause stimulation, restlessness, insomnia or palpitations in sensitive individuals.
* Larger amounts may produce headache, gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea or increased heart rate.
* Individuals sensitive to methylxanthines should use smaller amounts and avoid concentrated preparations.
* Cacao products containing substantial sugar and fat should not be confused with medicinal cocoa preparations.
* Cacao and chocolate are **highly toxic to dogs and potentially dangerous to cats**, because animals metabolize theobromine and related methylxanthines differently from humans.
**First aid / adverse reaction response:**
* **Mild gastrointestinal upset:** discontinue cacao, hydrate and monitor symptoms.
* **Marked stimulation, tremor or palpitations:** stop use and seek medical advice if symptoms are persistent or severe.
* **Severe vomiting, agitation, rapid heartbeat or neurological symptoms:** seek urgent medical attention.
* **Suspected chocolate/cacao poisoning in a dog or cat:** contact a veterinarian or animal poison service immediately; do not induce vomiting unless specifically instructed by a veterinary professional.
* **Signs of serious allergic reaction:** seek emergency medical care immediately.
**Drug interactions:**
* Caffeine and theobromine may add to the stimulant effects of caffeine-containing medicines, stimulants and other methylxanthines.
* Theoretical additive cardiovascular stimulation is possible with other substances that increase heart rate or blood pressure.
* Because cacao flavanols may influence platelet and vascular function, caution is reasonable with anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy, although the clinical significance of ordinary dietary cacao intake is uncertain.
* Concentrated cacao or theobromine preparations should be distinguished from ordinary dietary consumption when evaluating interactions.
* Individuals taking medications with significant cardiovascular or stimulant effects should discuss concentrated cacao/theobromine supplementation with a pharmacist or physician.
**Horticultural requirements:**
* **USDA / Canadian zone:** USDA approximately 11–12; in Canada it must generally be grown as a heated greenhouse or indoor tropical plant.
* **Soil pH:** approximately 5.0–7.5, with slightly acidic, fertile, well-drained soil preferred.
* **Light requirements:** Partial shade to bright filtered light; young trees particularly benefit from protection from intense direct sun.
* **Moisture:** Consistently moist, humid conditions; avoid prolonged drought and poorly drained stagnant soil.
**Other notes (growth habit, harvest timing, etc.):**
* **Growth habit:** Evergreen tropical tree, commonly 5–8 m in cultivation; naturally an understory tree.
* **Flowering/fruiting:** Flowers arise directly from older trunk and branches (cauliflory). Flowers may occur throughout the year under suitable conditions.
* **Harvest timing:** Ripe cacao pods are harvested when mature; seeds are then removed, fermented and dried before further processing.
* **Habitat:** Humid tropical rainforest, generally at low elevations with substantial annual rainfall.
* **Propagation/cultivation notes:** Cacao can be propagated from seed. Germination is rapid under warm conditions; Kew reports approximately 22–23°C for propagation and 22–24°C daytime temperatures for growing plants. High humidity, regular moisture, organic matter and protection from cold are essential. Hand-pollination may be necessary in cultivation.
**Sampling of clinical reports / studies:**
* **Cardiovascular research:** Human intervention studies have repeatedly investigated cocoa for effects on endothelial function, blood pressure and lipid profiles; these represent the strongest areas of human evidence.
* **Theobromine pharmacology:** Research indicates that theobromine acts primarily through adenosine-receptor antagonism and phosphodiesterase inhibition and may contribute substantially to cacao's physiological effects.
* **Antitussive research:** Theobromine has been investigated as a potential cough suppressant, including clinical trials using standardized theobromine preparations; evidence is promising but insufficient to establish cacao itself as a cough treatment.
* **Phytochemical research:** Cocoa contains flavanols including epicatechin and procyanidins, alongside theobromine, caffeine and other bioactive compounds. Processing substantially influences the final phytochemical profile.
* **Ethnobotanical evidence:** Cacao has a particularly strong historical record as a food, ceremonial substance and medicinal preparation in Mesoamerica, later becoming part of European medical practice.
* **Overall assessment of evidence:** **Strong evidence for cacao as a nutritionally and pharmacologically active food; moderate evidence for beneficial effects on vascular/endothelial biomarkers; promising but insufficient evidence for specific therapeutic applications of isolated constituents such as theobromine.**
Educational Use Only: The information presented on this page is provided for educational, historical, and informational purposes only. ArdNemeton na Tuatha and Bhùth Draoi do not provide medical advice. Always consult your physician and pharmacist before using any herb, mushroom, supplement, or botanical product for medicinal purposes. Traditional uses described herein do not constitute medical claims.