Costa Rican Cacao comes from the Maleku indigenous community in the Northern Region of Costa Rica. This cacao is smooth and creamy, less robust and rich compared to the Guatemalan blend. The cacao beans are gently toasted over a fire, hand peeled, and milled preserving cacao's medicinal properties. It promotes sleep, increases blood flow to the brain, helps lower blood pressure, is rich in antioxidants (polyphenols), reduces stress and improves mood (helps the brain release the "happiness transmitters” i.e. endorphins dopamine and serotonin.) Cacao paste is different from cacao powder as it comes from raw cacao beans and has not been defatted, thus preserving all the cacao benefits. It contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium.