Weekly tips to bring island-inspired wellness into your everyday life from Rosalie Bay Resort wellness coordinator Laura Lund.
You may best know cacao (also spelled cocoa or kako) as the bean that creates chocolate.
Cacao grows in hot, rainy, tropical environments and is cultivated year round here on Dominica. The pods grow directly on the trunk or branch of the tree, rather than the ends of the branches.
When the pods are mature, they are cracked open and the seeds are fermented, dried, roasted and ground to produce cacao sticks. The sticks are used for making the local chocolate drink kako tea, which is believed to build the blood. Drinking the tea has benefits as cacao is rich in antioxidants and appears to assist with cardiovascular health.
Cacao tea is a popular drink on Dominica. At Rosalie Bay, it can be enjoyed with your meal at Zamaan or as a dessert. The tea tastes like a nice, rich hot chocolate, but without the sugar. Try it on your next visit and sip to your health!