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Cacao benefits | Cacao nutrition | Cacao practitioner | Cacao pregnancy | Ceremonial cacao | Coffee to cacao | Love
Pregnancy is an initiation—a rite of passage that invites profound physical and psychological changes. As women step into motherhood, they often experience a whirlwind of emotions: excitement, joy, ambivalence, anxiety, and fear, all alongside physical challenges like morning sickness, insomnia, and those mysterious cravings!
When navigating pregnancy, one of the first questions many women ask is, "What can I eat?" Ceremonial Cacao, a beloved superfood and ancient ally, is becoming a go-to for many, but is it safe during pregnancy? If you’re already enjoying Keith’s Cacao, you probably know that the ultimate decision rests with your body—it will guide you. However, let’s explore what science, ancient traditions, and modern experiences tell us.
Not all cacao is created equal. Many commercial varieties, even those labeled organic, can contain higher levels of caffeine. In contrast, Keith’s Cacao consistently tests low in caffeine, making it a safe choice for those expecting.
Pregnant women are often advised to avoid caffeine. Keith’s Cacao provides a gentle energy boost without the jitters of coffee or sugary snacks. It’s packed with nutrients, including magnesium, theobromine, and antioxidants, which can offer significant support throughout pregnancy.
The first trimester can bring a host of changes, with many women experiencing nausea, morning sickness, constipation, fatigue, and a range of food cravings and aversions. Among the cravings, a desire for chocolate isn’t uncommon. But doctors often recommend avoiding refined sugar during pregnancy due to its low nutritional value and potential to increase the risk of gestational diabetes.
This is where ceremonial cacao shines. Unlike sugary snacks, ceremonial cacao is a powerful, nutrient-rich superfood that can help curb sugar cravings, support healthy weight gain, and combat fatigue. It does this by regulating metabolism and providing a steady source of energy.
Cacao is packed with phytonutrients and healthy chemicals, including magnesium and theobromine. These elements help regulate energy more gently and sustainably than sugar or caffeine, making cacao an excellent alternative to coffee. Theobromine, in particular, provides a slow, sustained release of energy, helping to keep you alert without the jitters that come with caffeine.
Additionally, cacao has several benefits for pregnant women, especially in the first trimester:
However, if you're new to Cacao, it’s a good idea to introduce it gradually into your diet as your pregnancy progresses. Start slow and listen to your body to see how it responds.
The second trimester is often referred to as the "honeymoon period" of pregnancy, as many women experience a sense of renewed energy and well-being. It’s a time when you may feel your best, but it also brings new considerations and concerns.
One of the most significant concerns during this time is preeclampsia, which can develop in the second half of pregnancy (typically after 20 weeks). Although the exact cause of preeclampsia remains unclear, it’s believed to occur when there are issues with the placenta, the organ that links the baby’s blood supply to the mother’s.
Cacao has been shown to have a positive impact on both placental function and fetal development. This is why regular consumption of Keith's Cacao can help reduce the risk of preeclampsia by up to 70%. The flavanols in Keith's Cacao support blood vessel health, improving circulation and supporting the overall health of the placenta and fetus.
Another concern in the second trimester is leg cramps, which are often linked to deficiencies in calcium or magnesium. Thankfully, cacao is one of the best natural sources of magnesium and also contains significant amounts of calcium, helping to reduce the likelihood of leg cramps and discomfort during pregnancy.
As fetal development accelerates during this stage, cacao’s nutrient profile becomes even more crucial. It is rich in flavanols, as well as essential minerals such as copper, calcium, manganese, zinc, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, and iron. These nutrients are vital for the baby’s growth and development, making cacao a valuable ally during this important phase of pregnancy.
Click on the video below to learn about Daniella Moyles's journey with Keith's Cacao during her pregnancy.
The third trimester of pregnancy can be physically and emotionally challenging.
The growing baby puts more physical demands on the mother's body, sleep becomes more elusive, and anxiety about the labor and birth is common.
The magnesium in Cacao helps the nervous system relax and is also good for muscular tension, helping the body become relaxed enough to fall asleep.
Moreover, it has a beneficial impact on brain function, calming the mind, which is vitally important for maintaining a healthy sleep pattern.
The flavanols in Cacao also help tackle exhaustion and lessen stress levels, the polyphenols improve calmness and contentedness, and phenylethylamine and anandamide boost your mood.
Click on the video below to learn about Laura Durban's journey with Keith's Cacao during her pregnancy.
Great as its benefits are throughout the journey of pregnancy, it is perhaps at the time around childbirth that 'Mama Cacao' shines the most. Cacao can help Moms find a deeper connection and love with both born and unborn children.
"Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao," which examines the evidence of Cacao use among Mesoamerican cultures for a variety of medical needs, informs us that the San Blas Indians of Panama used the pulp in the Cacao pods to aid in child delivery, while the Seringuerios of Acre in Brazil used the bark of the Chocolate Tree in concoctions given to women immediately following birth.
Another ancient tradition denotes that Cacao was used to help promote the production of breast milk.
It is for this reason that midwives were usually depicted iconographically with carry-on cacao beans.
To this day, in Guatemala, Cacao is an indigenous midwife's standard medicine for birthing women, and the midwives themselves, exhausted from a lengthy birthing process.
In preparation for labor, Cacao helps release all those amazing hormones that bring the mother into that space of love and connection while helping the body relax and open for the miracle of birth to happen.
Keith's Cacao Practitioner and Birth Doula Grace Hall often encourages clients new to Cacao to introduce it into their diet at 36-37 weeks of pregnancy.
Packed full of nutrients, Cacao helps expecting moms recover from the toll of literally creating another body inside, providing them with enough energy, clarity, and calmness to enter smoothly into the nesting mindset that precedes labor.
Grace also uses Cacao with her clients postnatally to ease separation anxiety and post-partum depression in a ritual that acknowledges and honors the transition of the baby from the womb into the world and of the woman from pregnancy into Motherhood.
In the western world, nursing mothers are often told that eating chocolate when breastfeeding makes babies irritable and fussy because it contains caffeine. Perhaps that is true for most chocolate. Keith's Cacao contains less caffeine than decaffeinated coffee. If you have been drinking Keith's Cacao while pregnant, there is no reason to stop when breastfeeding. In fact, there is good reason to continue.
Cacao increases the release of oxytocin in the brain, the love and connection hormone needed to produce milk to breastfeed your baby. Many South and Meso American cultures consider Cacao to be a galactagogue and elders urge nursing mothers to consume a drink that is rich in whole grains and chocolate. In Mexico, they use a concoction called atole, typically made with cornmeal or oatmeal, Cacao, and a local sweetener.
With theobromine affecting a gentle yet long-lasting stimulation of the cardiovascular system, phenylethylamine increasing dopamine levels, heightening attentiveness and elevating our mood, and anandamide acting as a pain reliever, stress reducer, and happiness booster, Cacao helps create the perfect bond between mother and breastfeeding child.
As always, your own body is your best guide. Go easy on the dosage at first. See how your body feels and how the baby reacts and adjust accordingly.
Happy Mamas make happy -and healthy- babies. "The babies born to women who had been eating chocolate daily during pregnancy were more active and 'positively reactive' – a measure that encompasses traits such as smiling and laughter," according to a study published in the clinical journal Early Human Development (vol 76, p 139).
The same study concludes that "the babies of stressed women who had regularly consumed chocolate showed less fear of new situations than babies of stressed women who abstained."
Science has long established that depression and anxiety experienced by a pregnant woman can translate to behavioural or emotional troubles in children. Maternal mood seems to shape the baby's developing brain.
Cacao is one of the safest, gentlest mood uplifters on the planet. In this most remarkable journey of becoming a Mother, Mama Cacao can be your best ally, supporter, and guide, on a physical, emotional, and energetic level. Let her take you by the hand, and show you.
Of course we always encourage you to listen to your body, and consult with a medical practitioner or your holistic health team if you feel unsure if Cacao is right for you during the pregnancy and childbirth process.
