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A warm and cozy coffee can feel like the perfect way to start the day. It’s a ritual enjoyed by people all over the world for centuries. But what if you swapped your cup of joe for something else?
Some are now choosing to begin their morning with a calming cacao ritual, according to Stylist. This comes as social media feeds are filled with users preparing the delicious morning blend. Discover why people are starting the day with this silky beverage.
What is a Morning Cacao Ritual?
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to this morning routine. “A cacao morning ritual is a slow and intentional way to start the day; it’s about presence and intention,” Liza Al Sady, a breathwork and neo-emotional release expert, tells Stylist. “It’s about arriving in your body before the noise of the day begins,” she adds. Overall, the ritual is about preparing the calming drink mindfully, drinking with intention, taking a moment to ground and reflect, and focusing on how to approach the day ahead.
The drink isn’t only trending, it has a rich history. Cacao has been called “the food of the gods,” and Mayan and other Mesoamerican cultures have used it for thousands of years. It’s believed to boost both physical and mental health. Lucia Giannecchini, a cacao ceremony facilitator and yoga instructor, tells The Standard that while the Aztecs and Mayans were the first to recognize cacao as sacred, shamans and priests would lead ceremonies, and drink cacao to connect to higher realms and heal the body and spirit.
How to Enjoy a Cacao Ritual
When enjoying cacao in the early hours, have it before breakfast on an empty stomach, Giannecchini recommends. However, it’s not only when you have your cacao fix, but where that matters. Sipping on the drink under open skies is a great way to increase its feel-good effects, so go outside or drink the beverage while sitting next to a sunlit window to connect with nature and be present.
“A cacao ritual can also be a truly beautiful addition to a meditation practice or pre/post yoga,” Giannecchini says. So do your favorite yoga poses and some breathwork to turn your morning ritual into an even more grounding experience.
The Benefits of a Cacao Ritual
This ritual has an assortment of perks, Stylist reports. Cacao is packed with healthy antioxidants and nutrients, including magnesium, iron, and zinc. It’s also more calming in comparison to coffee.
“Cacao offers a more gentle and sustained energy boost than coffee, which relies on caffeine to raise energy levels, as it contains the stimulant theobromine,” says Adam Hutchin, a nutrition expert. “Theobromine is a popular stimulant as it has longer-lasting energy-boosting effects than caffeine and helps provide cardiovascular and mood-boosting benefits,” he adds.
It can also help you feel more focused and help you tune into yourself. “It gently alters your state in a way that brings you into presence, softens emotional barriers, and helps you feel more connected to yourself. That subtle shift in awareness is part of what makes cacao so powerful for emotional processing and spiritual practice,” Al Sady says.
Whether it’s becoming more present or tuning into your emotions, there are numerous benefits to morning cacao rituals. So grab your ingredients, prepare your cacao with presence, and sip it with intention for a calm day ahead.
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