This article was provided to Bartalks by Perry Stevens of Anarchy Chocolate
In this article, I’m going to give three reasons why cocoa nibs are better than chocolate.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking chocolate, but I do believe cocoa nibs have certain qualities that give them an edge over chocolate as you’ll discover as you read this article.
While everyone knows what ‘real’ chocolate is (especially if you’re a subscriber of bartalks.net), there are those out there who are not aware of the existence of cocoa nibs.
So let’s start with the question:
What are Cocoa Nibs?
Cocoa nibs are bits of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cacao beans.
That’s it, nothing more and nothing less! Nibs are just chocolate that hasn’t been ground and mixed with any other additives yet. They are chocolate in their rawest form. They have an intense chocolatey taste and are both delicious and nutritious.
Personally, I find cocoa nibs to be very moorish. The texture is unique, crunchy yet tender and not unlike macadamia nuts. The taste can vary and be quite complex with bitter cocoa flavours, fruit overtones along with a nutty texture.
The quality of cocoa nibs can also vary considerably depending on the terroir, size/quality of the bean, fermentation process and roast. Just like craft chocolate!
Chances are is you are a chocolate lover, you’ll also be into cocoa nibs. They are probably the best-kept secret when it comes to gourmet food and health food stores, but could also be the next big thing in superfoods with the right marketing and positioning. The adoption of cocoa nibs by a wider audience of health and environmental aware folk is waiting to happen.
Are you ready? Let’s dive right on in!
Three Reasons Why Cocoa Nibs are Better than Chocolate (IMO)
1. Cocoa Nibs are Healthier
There’s little in the way of doubt that cocoa nibs have many health benefits. They are amongst the least processed cocoa products available and are packed with an impressive amount of minerals and nutrients. These include iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese.
Cocoa nibs are also a good source of fibre, protein and healthy fats while being naturally low in sugar.
Compared to chocolate that has at least one added ingredient… sugar, and cheaper commidity bars, at the worst end of the scale, can contain all kinds of emulsifiers, fats and additives.
Winner for Health: Cocoa Nibs
2. Portability
A jar or bag of cocoa nibs is easy to carry around without spoiling. They make an ideal pocket snack-attack and a great alternative to a packet of crisps (chips) or salted peanuts. (They are a perfect accompaniment to a glass of red wine, a dark beer or stout… or so I heard, hic)!
You know nibs are not going to melt or bloom in your pocket or bag during the course of the day or on a road trip in your car. Can you say the same for a chocolate bar?
Okay, granted this is more of a problem for us in tropical Thailand, but even England has been known to see the sun on rare occasions, apparently.
Because cocoa nibs don’t melt or make a mess when eating, I prefer them over chocolate for ease of portability.
Winner for Portability: Cocoa Nibs
3. Kinder to the Environment
There is very little in the way of processing cocoa nibs. This makes for huge energy savings by not running melangers for 24-36 hours per batch of chocolate or storing chocolate bars at the right temperature to prevent blooming.
We take great pains with our packaging to ensure our online sales of chocolate bars reach our customers in perfect condition, wherever they are in the world. Nibs however require a lot less packaging and thus reduce the amount of waste material.
So with less energy consumption for processing and reduced packaging materials for shipping, cocoa nibs give the chocolate a final knock-out double-jab when it comes to a lower carbon footprint.
Winner for Eco-Friendly: Cocoa Nibs
Summary
When it comes to chocolate, less is more. In this case, the fewer additives, less spoil and less energy to produce your new favourite food, cocoa nibs win for me. Do you agree?
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At Anarchy Chocolate we produce craft chocolate made from the finest cocoa beans on our farm in Trat, Thailand.
If you are in the area, we invite you to contact us to schedule a permaculture cocoa farm tour, afternoon chocolate tea and a bounty of healthy home-baked goods.
We also have available to order with worldwide shipping Cocoa Nibs in a glass jar (100g) and a Refill Bag of Cocoa Nibs (400g). Simply pop over to our online store or etsy farm shop and we look forward to serving you.
