Cacao is commonly known as the main ingredient in chocolate.

In order to produce chocolate, cacao is typically processed for weeks, sometimes months, in order to create a byproduct called cocoa, which is essentially cacao without the nutrient fats.   

Companies do this processing because the fats tend to separate and by removing the fat, it allows for easier solubility and better consistency. However, it almost completely strips cacao of all of its complex nutrients. 

And while doctors may recommend dark chocolate as a healthy addition to ones diet, its really cacao that takes the cake on this one.

Not only are most chocolates null and void of its superfood components, but chocolate companies tend add lots of sugar (sometimes more sugar than cacao/cocoa!).

Your best bet is checking the ingredients. The first ingredient is the majority of the product you are buying.

Cacao dates back to the ancient Aztecs and Mayans (at least in written history!).

Cacao had long been made into a bitter tonic and commonly used in various ceremonies, like weddings, where the bride and groom would exchange cacao beans.

It was so highly revered that it was even used as a form of currency, where only the elite were able to afford the ability to enjoy and drink cacao. While others, less fortunate, could only trade it for other goods. Some even tried to stuff cacao husks with dirt to try to counterfeit them!

This intrigued the Spanish Crusaders when they first discovered cacao.

Among them was Hernan Cortes who claimed that it was a bean that allowed a man to walk a day through the jungle without food or drink!

This truly began the spread of cacao up to the point that it became one of the three major commodities alongside coffee and tea.