Ceremonial Cacao: health information
Please read this before taking cacao for the first time
If you’re new to working with Ceremonial Cacao, there are a few things you should know before taking it.
1. Cacao is contraindicated with anti-depressants, especially MAOIs and some SSRIs. This means that it’s a bad idea to take Ceremonial Cacao if you’re using anti-depressants. At best, you’re going to get a stinking headache. At worst, you’ll develop serotonin syndrome, which can be fatal. This is because Ceremonial Cacao contains MAOIs that, when combined with anti-depressants, can cause your serotonin levels to become dangerously high.
If you’re taking anti-depressants and you want to take Ceremonial Cacao, it’s recommended that you take a homeopathic dose (5g) and see how you feel with that. You can always take a bit more later, adding 5 grams at a time.
2. Cacao doesn’t play well with caffeine. For many people, having cacao after caffeine causes the heart to race unpleasantly and can bring on a headache. It’s recommended that you wait two hours after caffeine before having 10g of cacao and four hours after caffeine before having more.
Some people who drink a lot of coffee find that having cacao after coffee does not have a negative effect on them. This probably means that your body is so used to caffeine that it no longer feels the effects of the first cup or two. (In these cases, you may feel worse if you don’t have any caffeine!) Feel free to experiment with this, but remember that you do so at your own risk.
3.If you are taking a ceremonial dose (30–40g), it works best to do so an empty stomach. In this case I recommend not eating for four hours before the cacao.
It’s not a disaster if you take cacao after food. What usually happens is that the cacao has less effect or works slower. It’s not dangerous to take cacao after eating food, though I recommend against having a big meal before your ceremony.
If you are just having a small amount of cacao (10–20g), it’s OK to do so after food. However you also know your body best so listen to that over anything that’s written here.
4. Cacao causes your heart rate to increase. If you have a serious heart condition you shouldn’t take it. If you have a less serious heart condition, you may be able to take a small dose (up to 15g); however, you do so at your own risk. If in any doubt, please seek medical advice before taking Ceremonial Cacao.
This also means that you should be careful when doing activities that raise your heart rate: for example, jogging or going to the sauna. As with all the advice here, listen to your body and slow down if you start feeling dizzy or unwell.
5. Cacao is a stimulant and can keep you awake. If you’re sensitive to stimulants it’s worth considering this when choosing how much cacao to take and when to take it. I try to avoid having more than 10g of cacao after 3 o’ clock in the afternoon, as more can keep me awake past midnight. This depends a lot on how sensitive you are to stimulants though, and I reached this conclusion for myself through trial and error.
6. If you’re pregnant it’s recommended to have a homeopathic dose of cacao (5g) to start with. Some people take larger doses and have no issues during pregnancy — however, you do so at your own risk. If in doubt please seek medical advice before taking Ceremonial Cacao.
7. Cacao can be fatal for dogs, horses and parrots.
8. Cacao doesn’t mix well with alcohol or chemical drugs.
If you are unsure about anything relating to the health side of Ceremonial Cacao, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me and I will be happy to answer questions as best I can.
